Create Your Own Assignment: "How Gay Marriage Won"

http://swampland.time.com/2013/03/28/how-gay-marriage-won/

Working in the mail center has its pluses and minuses, but one of the benefits is constant contact with the various newspapers and magazines that students order to be delivered to them on a weekly basis. Sometimes, if the student for whom these publications are destined has since graduated, we the employees get to take them home with us to read. It is impossible to forward magazines and they would otherwise be thrown in a recycle bin--so hey, why not?

A couple of weeks ago, the cover of one of these magazines happened to catch my eye and prompted me to  crack it open and read further. That week's Time Magazine was printed in two different versions, each with a picture of a same-sex couple kissing and words overlaid in yellow, block print reading: "Gay Marriage Already Won." The article came out the week that the Supreme Court began to hear oral arguments for the Prop 8 and DOMA cases, and there was a clear reference to these events. I was intrigued to read further, eager to see what rationale they would use to defend such a big statement about an issue that still remains highly contested in the United States.

Although David Von Drehle's article is more of a long-form feature than a narrative piece, he employs gay peoples' experiences to further his point and put a human face to this broad issue which he tackles head-on. I think it is a great example of how the different genres of journalism can intersect to create something truly great. The piece includes history, politics, narrative, and on-site reporting, which Von Drehle then sews together to create a cohesive article. Most importantly, he uses all of this information to defend his bold claim  on the front of the issue.

This article caught my eye right from the beginning and I thought it was a really good read. I hope you enjoy it as well and I look forward to discussing it in class!