WSJ bests Newsweek, calling gay couple "couple"

Rebecca Traister posted yesterday about Newsweek's doing somersaults to avoid calling Annie Leibovitz and the late Susan Sontag "partners," or anything of the sort. In response, a Broadsheet reader noted that the Wall Street Journal -- at least its online Real Estate Journal -- performs no such acrobatics. As part of a regular series on people who have bought and sold second homes, they feature, with photo, "Homeowners Sandra Malard and Mary Desmond." The headline: "Couple Loses Rentals for Condo in Beach Town and Sells at a Profit." Maybe the gays are more "palatable" when the topic is strictly business? That said, it's nice to see reminders in the media that they do regular, go-about-your-day, sell-a-condo things other than have sex and redecorate. But never mind reading between the lines. Point is, the lines themselves -- "couple," "partners," whatever -- really needn't be so difficult to write.