Photo Of Committed Couple Expressing Affection Sickens Readers

27 people canceled their subscriptions to the Washington Post when the paper ran this picture on its front page with a story about same-sex marriages licenses being issued in DC. The Post ombudsman describes the complaints he’s received, which include the usual homophobic rants and the more measured “This disturbs me and it should be buried” reactions. And, as happens EVERY SINGLE TIME a homosexual couple is shown doing something so perfectly pedestrian that it would be completely unremarkable if its subjects were straight, there was this: “I would appreciate it if your cover pictures would not be so disturbing where my kids can see it easily on the kitchen table… please don’t shove this ‘Gay’ business in our face.” I suppose we should applaud the complainant for eschewing the more commonplace “ram it down our throats,” but can’t they find a new way to proclaim their displeasure? I am sick and tired of having these ignorant expressions of disgust jammed up my ass.