Thu. March 28, 2013
New York, NY -
As the Supreme Court hears arguments on pivotal same-sex marriage cases this week, TIME releases two separate covers — "Gay Marriage Already Won." — each featuring an intimate portrait of a committed gay couple: one male, one female.
TIME Managing Editor Rick Stengel writes, "Whatever the Supreme Court decides, it seems clear that the majority of Americans feel marriage is a civil right and that denying that right to people because of their sexual orientation is a violation of equal protection under the law... . We had a long debate in our offices about this week's cover images of two same-sex couples. Some thought they were sensationalist and too in-your-face. Others felt the images were beautiful and symbolized the love that is at the heart of the idea of marriage. I agree with the latter, and I hope you do too."
See the covers here: TIME Magazine
In his cover story, TIME's David Von Drehle reports that recent polls show that same-sex marriage is now embraced by half or more of all Americans, with support among young voters running as high as 4 to 1.
He writes, "Yesterday's impossible now looks like tomorrow's inevitable... . What's most striking about this seismic social shift—as rapid and unpredictable as any turn in public opinion on record—is that it happened with very little planning. In fact, there was a lot of resistance from the top. Neither political party gave a hint of support before last year, nor was marriage part of the so-called homosexual agenda so worrisome to social-¬conservative leaders... . Instead, the impetus has come from disparate forces in seemingly unconnected realms: courtrooms, yes, but also hospitals, nurseries, libraries and soundstages. The rise of same-sex marriage from joke to commonplace is a story of converging strands of history."
Award-winning photographer Peter Hapak shot the split-run cover portraits for TIME. Russell Hart and Eric LaBonte are the male couple featured on the cover; they are legal domestic partners living in LA and are engaged. Sarah Kate Ellis-Henderson and Kristen Ellis-Henderson are the female couple; they are legally married in New York state, and have two children.
TIME last featured split cover images for the November 12, 2012 issue, which had three separate covers: one on Hurricane Sandy which ran in the Northeast U.S., and two different reversible covers on the 2012 election.
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For the complete article (non-reader view with multimedia and original links),
Tap here.
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