The Daily Express slammed for using air quotes to report Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black’s wedding
By Joshua Haigh
Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black finally tied the knot of the weekend and it was an incredible moment for the couple.
However, despite same-sex marriage being legal in the UK since 2013, some tabloids still appear to find it hard to consider gay marriage in the same light they do straight marriage.
The Daily Express reported on the couple’s wedding on Sunday, a day after it had taken place, and their headline read: “Tom Daley, 22, and Dustin Lance Black, 42, “MARRY” in romantic Romeo and Juliet ceremony”.
Many took offence to the headline, which appeared to suggest that the paper was insinuating that gay couple’s getting married isn’t the same as when straight couple’s do it.
To make things worse, previous headlines on the Daily Express’ website referring to a straight people marrying have lacked similar air quotes.
A backlash on social medias quickly followed, with one angry tweeter saying: “Putting “marry” in quote marks is gross and homophobic.”
“The intent is: ‘freaks pretend they can do something you normals can do, buy this paper and see inside for more!!'” said another dismayed reader.
The headline has since been altered, but screenshots of the article have already been shared across social media.
Breaking his silence over their wedding, Tom took to Instagram this morning and shared a picture of them both walking down the aisle after tying the knot.
Gushing about the ceremony, he said: “On 6th May 2017, I married the love of my life, @dlanceblack We shared the day with 120 of our closest friends and family, from Texarkana to Plymouth! Thank you to everyone who made this weekend the most special weekend of our lives!”
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