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Va. Tech chapel changes wording on marriage paperwork

Posted at 12:57 PM, Aug 03, 2012
and last updated 2012-08-03 12:57:12-04

BLACKSBURG, Va. (WTVR)–Virginia Tech has added a new word when it comes to describing who is getting married on its campus.

Virginia Tech says this is not a big deal, but others disagree.

The Virginia Tech Chapel serves as a site for weddings, recitals and memorials, completely under the direction of the university.

Since its construction the chapel has acknowledged on paper only heterosexual weddings. That quietly changed a few weeks ago.

“Let’s just get specific, the War Memorial Chapel has added a box on the form for the use of the facility that used to say bride and groom, now it says bride, groom, or spouse. Not everyone wants to be referred to as a bride or a groom,” Larry Hincker, associate vice president of university relations said.

Virginia Tech sends out press releases nearly every day on various stories, but said nothing about this one. The explanation: “Now come on Orlando, we’re not going to put out a press release for a change on a form.”

But that one word “spouse” is understood to mean gays and lesbians — one word on a form.

Read more, on WDBJ7.com