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Tell the Jewish Standard to Print Same-Sex Wedding Announcements
  1. Signatures
    340 out of 500
    Petitioning
    1. Editor (+ 2 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • Editor (Rebecca Kaplan Boroson)
      • Associate Publisher (Marcia Garfinkle)
      • Publisher (James Janoff)
  2. Created By
    Change.org
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

The Jewish Standard made history last week, becoming one of the few religious publications in the country to publish same-sex wedding announcements.

But after one week, the publication has decided to backtrack on their decision, and even went so far to apologize to readers who were upset at the appearance of a same-sex couple in their pages.

"A group of rabbis has reached out to us and conveyed the deep sensitivities within the traditional/Orthodox community to this issue. Our subsequent discussions with representatives from that community have made us aware that publication of the [same-sex wedding] announcement caused pain and consternation, and we apologize for any pain we may have caused."

The publication goes on to note that they will not run same-sex wedding announcements in the future.

This is disheartenign. A quick read of the comments here shows that a number of readers found the publication of a same-sex wedding announcement to be something to celebrate, and a sign that the publication was trying to represent the diversity of views in Judaism.  But instead of celebrating inclusion, and honoring that diversity, the Jewish Standard is going to instead listen to a faction that doesn't represent the breadth and depth of their readership. That's sad.

Send The Jewish Standard a message that they made the right decision in publishing same-sex wedding announcements, and they shouldn't backtrack. To do so renders their LGBT readers, as well as straight allies, invisible. And that's unacceptable.

Recent Signatures

The Jewish Standard's Troubling Editorial on Same-Sex Wedding Announcements

Dear Jewish Standard,

I am deeply troubled by the editorial your publication issued on October 4, backtracking on The Jewish Standard's decision to publish same-sex wedding announcements. The editorial that appeared on the Jewish Standard Web site (here: http://ht.ly/2Oh20) suggests that the appearance of a same-sex couple in your publication caused "hurt and consternation." Your publication then goes on to apologize for running a same-sex wedding announcement, and for any pain that an appearance of a same-sex couple might have caused your readers.

What about the pain of LGBT people of faith (and their straight friends, family members and neighbors) who were just told by your publication that they cause pain, hurt and consternation?

I find your editorial, and your decision to backtrack on printing same-sex wedding announcements, unacceptable. Your pages are now rendering gays and lesbians invisible, to please only one population of readers. Your mission statement says "The Jewish Standard is not affiliated with any program, organization, movement, or point of view, but is dedicated to giving expression to all phases of Jewish life."

But that doesn't appear to be true, if you're not willing to allow those Jewish readers who are gay or lesbian, or have gay friends/family members, to share their celebrations in your pages. I am deeply saddened by this decision.

Thank you for your time.

[Your name]

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