“Seismic Cultural Change?”: British media representations of same-sex ‘marriage’

Unscripted and Improvised: Public and Private Celebrations of Same-Sex Relationships

“…Our focus is broader than existing research on commitment ceremonies/weddings because we are interested in all kinds of and grounds for divorce/dissolution among other things). Civil Partnership is most often described as same-sex marriage in the British media (Jowett & Peel, 2010). Furthermore, research shows that same-sex couples in the UK often equate Civil Partnership with same-sex marriage and appropriate the language of marriage when talking about Civil Partnership (Clarke, Burgoyne & Burns, 2006).…”

“…Furthermore, research shows that same-sex couples in the UK often equate Civil Partnership with same-sex marriage and appropriate the language of marriage when talking about Civil Partnership (Clarke, Burgoyne & Burns, 2006). However, Civil Partnership is also criticised as 'pretend' or 'notquite' marriage (Clarke, Burgoyne & Burns, 2006;Jowett & Peel, 2010), and there are currently campaigns for marriage equality for same-sex couples (and for granting Civil Partnership to heterosexual couples) in the UK. With regard to weddings, after giving notice of an intention to register a Civil Partnership, all that is legally required to enter into a Civil Partnership is for …”

Having the Last Word, but Losing the Culture Wars: Mainstream Press Coverage of a Canceled Evangelical Benediction

“…Unlike a lengthy quotation, which readers assume should be taken at face value, these word usages call meaning into question. Jowett and Peel (2010), in an analysis of UK newspaper coverage of same-sex marriage debates, suggest that scare quotes can problematize the use of the words quoted. Such can be a "neutralising device, distancing a writer from a 'controversial' phrase" (p. 208).…”

“…Though such might be the case, Jowett and Peel's (2010) concerns still apply. When four mainstream news organizations borrowed the ThinkProgress website's use of the abbreviated two-word quotation "homosexual lifestyle" (Condon, 2013;USA Today, 2013;Weinberg and Mach, 2013;Zoll, 2013) did it show that the writers were-in Jowett and Peel's view-problematizing the use of the phrase?…”

‘A question of equality and choice’: same-sex couples’ attitudes towards civil partnership after the introduction of same-sex marriage

“…Nevertheless, many same sex couples treated it as marriage and referred to it as such (Heaphy, 2015;Shipman & Smart, 2007). These contrary representations of civil partnership as marriage and not marriage were also reflected in media reporting of civil partnerships (Jowett & Peel, 2010). The notion that civil partnership was different to marriage was also reinforced in 2006 when a high court judge dismissed a legal challenge by Sue Wilkinson and Celia Kitzinger (Harding, 2007).…”