Community Rallies Around Gay Couple Denied Engagement Announcement
By: Nichelle Sullivan
Updated: January 24, 2012
Ads withdrawn, and a online petition started in support of a northwest Arkansas gay couple who wants to announce their engagement in a local newspaper.
Cody Renegar and his partner Thomas say they wanted to celebrate their upcoming union with friends and family, by publishing their engagement in the Northwest Arkansas Times.
According to the Northwest Arkansas Times publisher Rusty Turner, its policy is to only print announcements for marriages legally recognized by the state.
Turner says the policy has been around for a long time and has not changed.
Depite the denial the couple says news of the rejection brought a flood of support. The local Backyard Burger franchise pulled it's ads from the paper and an online petition in support of the couple has surpassed 1,000 signatures.
Another paper , the Arkansas Times, told Renegar it will publish the announcement.
The senior editor of the Arkansas Times says his paper doesn't have a regular wedding section, but it has published announcements for same sex couples in similar situations in the past.
