Two Arkansas men hoping to announce their upcoming union saw their wedding announcement reject
ed by a local newspaper, reports the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. KNWA NBC in Northern Arkansas.
Cody Renegar and his partner, Thomas Staed, (at right) say they wanted to celebrate their upcoming nuptials with a traditional announcement in the Northwest Arkansas Times but were told the paper only prints notices of legal marriages recognized by the state. Renegar is understandably upset:
“There’s a certain amount of validation that comes with putting it in the paper. You know, you grow up with that, you see this, you love to look at these beautiful photos of couples.”
The Gazette reports that the Northwest Arkansas Center for Equality and the Human Rights Campaign are asking the newspaper to reconsider it’s policy on printing wedding announcements. On his Facebook page, Renegar addressed the media attention his story has received:
Wow! Thomas and I are absolutely in awe from the support we received today! We understand that this is not only about us but about ALL of us. It was truly beautiful to watch our community come together! A thousand thanks you everyone!! I don’t take “No” for an answer because I know that there is an army of friends behind me that will kick ass!
Seriously, we’d think with print media suffering the way it is, the Times would be happy to run anyone’s announcement.
How about we take this to the next level?
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NOTE: The source of the story, NWAHomepage.com, was mistakenly identified with the Arkansas Democrat Gazette and not KNWA. We regret the error.
Photos: Cody Renegar, Roy M. Chatters Newspaper and Printing Museum
Mike
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette was NOT the place that broke the story like you said in this article. In fact, the Northwest Arkansas Times’ PARENT NEWSPAPER is the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Meaning BOTH PAPERS have this policy.
The quote about validation in this article is from a newscast from KNWA, the NBC affiliate in Fayetteville. Please fix this and cite correctly.
Mike
You may also want to add this from GLAAD. They recognize that the Democrat-Gazette is behind such a policy and they quote KNWA with video.
http://www.glaad.org/blog/arkansas-newspaper-refuses-print-gay-couples-engagement-announcement
Chad
Arkansas has a newspaper? Wow the state is starting to come out of the stone age.
Mike
@Chad: We also have electricity and running water! In the house! Lord.
Chad
@Mike: yeah dude, it was a joke. I hate to admit but I also live in the state north of Louisiana.
Mike
@Chad: Oh, then you’re allowed to call Arkansas a rube haven. Carry on! LOL
Todd Plaster
You would think that with the way newspapers are going out of business they would be happy to take any adds no matter who they come from. Come on people time to grow up ! They look like a cute couple !
Lefty
@Dan Avery: “Seriously, we’d think with print media suffering the way it is, the Times would be happy to run anyone’s announcement”
Absolutely. I think some people are so irrationally homophobic that they’d rather commit suicide than treat us as equals.
Idiots.
Mike
The one thing people not from AR don’t realize is that the Democrat-Gazette holds a near monopoly on all print media in Arkansas. They own most of the Top 10 regional newspapers and simply place the Little Rock version of the Democrat-Gazette after the local paper’s A section. Unlike most papers, they aren’t losing money, because they’re almost exclusively the only game around.
Todd W.
Mike you are correct about the near monopoly. Northwest Arkansas Newspapers, LLC is the publisher of the Northwest Arkansas Times, Springdale Morning News, Rogers Morning News, Benton County Daily Record, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, The Free Weekly, Washington County Enterprise-Leader, Times of Northeast Benton County (Pea Ridge), Siloam Springs Herald-Leader, Bella Vista Weekly Vista, Westside Eagle Observer (Decatur, Gentry, Gravette), McDonald County Press (Pineville, MO), & La Prensa Libre, just to name a few. They also print for several other publications that they do not own. They definately have a hold on the print media in Northwest Arkansas!