Two weeks to the day after announcing it would offer gay and lesbian couples equal access to its Weddings/Announcements pages, The New York Times Sept. 1 announced the civil union of Daniel Gross and Steven Goldstein…the paper’s first-ever same-sex union notice.
Gross, 32, and Goldstein, 40, celebrated their civil union ceremony that same day in North Hero, Vt. Goldstein is founder and owner of Attention America, a public affairs consulting firm in New York, and Gross is vice president of GE Capital in Stamford, Conn. The text is at www.nytimes.com/2002/09/01/fashion/weddings/01GROS.html
“Obviously, Daniel and I are thrilled to be the first gay couple featured on the Times’ Weddings and Announcements pages,” Goldstein said. “We hope this prompts more couples in New York and across the country to submit their wedding announcements and put a face on our lives and our relationships.”
“It’s incredibly inspiring and gratifying to see the Times print its first same-sex union announcement a mere two weeks after changing its policy,” said Joan M. Garry, GLAAD’s executive director. “We congratulate Daniel and Steven on their union, and we hope that when local newspaper editors learn about the announcement, they will be motivated to announce inclusive policies of their own so gay and lesbian couples in their communities can follow Steven and Daniel’s lead.”