National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Originally Printed 9/04

In the hundreds of stories written about 'gay marriage' in recent months, one group of people deeply affected by the issue has been left out: bisexuals. According to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, this omission has not only made the record factually incomplete, but has helped contribute to an oversimplification of an emotional-laden and complex issue.

For example, when the Washington Post wrote about the first same-sex couple to marry in Massachusetts on May 17, 2004, its front-page headline read, "A Carefully Considered Rush to the Altar; Lesbian Pair Wed After 7 Years Together," referring to Robyn Ochs and Peg Preble, but the headline was wrong. One of the two, Robyn Ochs, is not only bisexual but a co-founder of the Bisexuality Resource Center and one of the nation's most prominent bisexual leaders for more than 20 years. Even though Ms. Ochs emphasized her orientation as a bisexual in speaking with the reporter, this was never mentioned, other than the article noting that she teaches about bisexuality at Tufts University.