Paper leans on marriage ban to refuse couple's engagement notice

We too don"t intend to location this topic on our editorial folio or in letters to the editor," wrote Executive Editor Jeff Gauger on Apr 28. Gauger was responding to a mail from Rev. Gene Kraus of Virgin Eyes United Church of Christ in Canton, sent after the newspaper refused an engagement report for two of his congregants. We boast this choice deeply hurtful and troubling for two reasons," wrote Kraus.

For the Repository to proceeds this stand is a slap in the face against a eloquent articulation of the population of Canton and the readership the Repository seeks to serve," Kraus continued. Sixteen congregants co-signed the letter, rejected by Gauger eight days later. Gauger would not notice on it. I expect my dispatch speaks for itself," he said.

The couple whose announcement was rejected, Ronda Moorhead and Kelli Shaw, then wrote to Gauger again. Initially we had trustworthy to good let this force and chalk it up to all the more another social barrier that gays and lesbians are as well ofttimes faced with. Nevertheless after thinking it over, we get it that there is still besides to be said," the couple began. An engagement is not a legal event.

There are no legal guidelines in accommodation regarding engagements for homosexuals or heterosexuals," the couple wrote. Before rejecting the announcement, the Repository called the Moorhead and Shaw to quiz whether they are a same-sex couple. The inquisition is not chip of the paper"s natural procedure with engagement announcements. Moorhead and Shaw challenged Gauger on it.

Provided we would admit submitted our announcement using isolated initials, we are quite trustworthy that this bearings would not exist. No one would corner been any the wiser. However I guess that it was our wrong in assuming that the Canton Repository was an right enterprise."

Concerning the refusal to superscription the on the editorial episode or in letters to the editor, Gauger said his response to Kraus was particular to the correspondence sent by the members of the church. He said the paper would not print letters referring to couples they refuse to print as an announcement. Kraus' packages doesn"t mention the couple or their event.

Asked if he would gallop a send on the topic that does not reference any couples, Gauger hedged. I"m not sure," Gauger said. That would be up to also bourgeois than me. I"m not going to representation it on a letter I haven"t seen."

Head of the state William McKinley"s grandfather-in-law John Saxton founded the Repository and it was the head newspaper to play a critical role in a presidential election. Currently, the newspaper is owned by GateHouse Media of Fairport, Cutting edge York. Their other Ohio properties are the Massillon Independent and the Recent Philadelphia Times-Reporter. The three are dailies.

GateHouse besides owns the weekly Suburbanite of southern Summit County. It is not fair how other GateHouse publications treat same-sex couples or if they carry sexual orientation or gender personality in their duty non-discrimination policies. Liz Lewis, an assistant to GateHouse"s president, promised answers for this report, on the contrary did not equip them. Human resource things for GateHouse in Ohio are handled by Gary Carpenter at the Repository.

I retain been instructed to announce you that GateHouse's policy is in path with federal law," Carpenter said. Neither federal nor Ohio jurisprudence prohibits discrimination by sexual orientation or gender identity. Carpenter added that "If we keep to assign anything gone or post anything on the matter, it testament be on GateHouse's website."

GateHouse's corporate website lists rules for its users. Among them is, "You acquiesce not to submit any content in any forums, chats, e& 8209;mails or otherwise that. LGBT employees of the other publications are unprotected. Times-Reporter publisher Jac Clay said he "is going to pass on answering questions at this time" before abruptly hanging up.

Independent publisher Ron Fraily said "We stand by what GateHouse Ohio does." He then called Gauger and told him that the Blithe People"s Account was inquiring. Gauger mentioned Fraily"s bell to him, and said GateHouse allows editors to discharge what is chief for their markets. On this matter, however, GateHouse Ohio operations check in to be drop by Gauger and the Repository.

Suburbanite usual administrator Dan Mucci said not recognizing same-sex couples is "the policy of GateHouse Ohio." Mucci again said that the Suburbanite, which charges for engagement announcements, would as well not capture one as an advertisement. The policy was sent to us by the Repository, " Mucci said.

It was told to us and we are next it." Asked when the policy was distributed, Mucci said "Early May." Gauger"s letter to Kraus is senile April 28.