A wedding magazine in America which initially refused to carry a lesbian marriage ad, has backed down under pressure.
Although the owners have no objection to same-sex marriage, they initially rejected the ad because it is a controversial issue for their readers.
But following an internet campaign against the magazine, the owners have backed down.
Weddings Unveiled asked if photographer Anne Almasy could provide a different image from one showing two lesbian brides.
But the photographer said she was upset by the request, and used Twitter and Facebook to publicise the move.
After much online coverage, Weddings Unveiled issued an apology and said they would be happy to publish the lesbian wedding image.
Sensitive
In the apology the magazine recognised the issue was a divisive one, and that their decision – either way – might have caused people to take offence.
The publishers of the magazine wrote: “Honestly, we knew that everyone would not share our belief that all people have the right to marry. The issue is very sensitive and it is also very divided.
“We knew that it was possible that people would be offended if we published the ad and we knew that it was possible that people would be offended if we did not.”
Referendum
Anne Almasy has responded to the magazine’s offer saying she “would be thrilled to move forward with this ad in Weddings Unveiled”.
Weddings Unveiled is based in North Carolina. Last year voters there backed traditional marriage in a referendum.
Earlier this month a French branch of Subway was forced to shut after it advertised a Valentine’s Day deal that did not include gay couples.
Close
The store, which offered a discounted meal for male/female couples, said it was exercising “freedom of expression”.
However, following a backlash on Twitter and Facebook after a picture of the poster was published online, the franchise was forced to close by national management the next day.