Protesters rally for change in Register-Guard's birth notice policy.

Byline: Jeff Wright The Register-Guard

About 100 people rallied in front of The Register-Guard on Thursday to urge the newspaper to change its policy on the publication of birth notices, by including the names of both same-sex parents.

Speakers accused the newspaper of being out of touch with community sensibilities and prevailing journalistic practices.

"Members of a family should be the ones to decide whether or not they are indeed a family, not the newspaper," said Elise Self, co-president of the local chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.

Participants submitted petitions bearing more than 200 signatures asking the newspaper to reconsider its policy, and 15 people walked into the newspaper's front office to cancel their subscriptions, saying they would resubscribe should the policy be changed.

In its free birth notices, the newspaper routinely lists the name of the mother and father and the sex of the child. It does not print the names of domestic partners unless they're the biological parents, and applies that standard to men, women, gays, lesbians and heterosexuals.

"We seem to be in a no-win situation here," Managing Editor Dave Baker said in a written statement.

"If we publish in our announcements that two women, or two men, had a baby, many readers will fault us for inaccuracy,' he said. `If we don't allow nonbiological parents in the listings, we're accused of being unfair."

Baker said the newspaper's policy treats all couples in the same circumstances in the same way.

"If a man who's not the biological father is living with a woman who has a baby, his name isn't included" in a free birth announcement, Baker said. "The same is true for a female partner in the same situation."

The issue first surfaced last May when Sharon and Rebecca Flynn asked that the newspaper publish the notice of the birth of their daughter, Hailey.

Sharon Flynn gave birth to the child, and, because the couple wanted a child with both their features, they arranged for Rebecca Flynn's cousin to provide the genetic material, and sign a contract giving up his parental rights.

Sharon Flynn said that the newspaper's refusal to print the names of both parents amounted to "the sting of discrimination during the happiest time of our lives."

The couple refused the newspaper's offer to print only Sharon Flynn's name, or her name alongside the name of the sperm donor.

The couple filed a complaint with the Eugene Human Rights Commission, which in January voted to place the issue on its work plan.

Attendees at Thursday's rally on Chad Drive included City Councilor Andrea Ortiz, a former human rights commissioner. Current commissioners include Rebecca Flynn.

EQuality Network, an advocacy organization for sexual minorities, and the Religious Response Network sponsored the rally.

Two ministers associated with the latter group, Episcopalian rector Dennis Parker and Presbyterian minister Joan Pierson, were among the speakers.

Signs visible at the rally on Thursday included "Happy Mother's Day to All Mothers" and "Extra! Extra! Discrimination."