After Furor, The AP Stylebook Recognizes Marriage Equality

Last week, the AP caused on online fury when it said that it's Stylebook, which sets the standard for journalism in the US, would not recognize gay marriage. Essentially, they said that the use of the word husband and/or wife were exclusively the domain of heterosexual couples, regardless of whether gay couples were legally married in states where it is now an option. Bloggers went nuts, as did journalism watchdogs, and today the AP relented and, in a statement, made public it's new inclusive entry for husband and wife.

Americablog, which was one of the most critical voices in the discussion, today has some great details on the back and forth of this and the advocacy both inside and outside the company that put on the pressure when this broke last week.  It started out, apparently, as an internal debate which got leaked when some irked AP employees  got the word out. And good thing---because words matter. And the AP Stylebook is the essential for writers/journalists (some of whom are often covering the issue of marriage equality itself).

Despite the initial AP misstep, it's good news in the news room. And for the acceptance of marriage equality as well.