Photo of gay kiss earns defenders, subscribers

WaPo ombudsman Andy Alexander follows up on the controversy over last Thursday's photo of two men kissing:

Tuesday's Omblog noted that The Post had taken heat from readers upset by the March 4 photo taken outside D.C. Court as the District began accepting license applications for same-sex marriages. In calls and e-mails, many readers said the image had offended their sensibilities. More than two dozen canceled their subscriptions.

But the Omblog item prompted a backlash. It was picked up by bloggers, wire services and broadcast outlets, prompting hundreds of e-mails, calls and online comments praising The Post. Those I’ve received are running more than 10-to-1 in support of the decision to run the photo. They’re coming from around the globe.

“It happened, it’s fact, and the photo was in no way offensive,” e-mailed Dylan Lacey of Brisbane, Australia. “I regret that you lost subscribers and that the Post will be financially worse off in some way, but hopefully your news subscribers will more than make up for it.”

Nearly 20 people who e-mailed or offered online comments said they wanted to fill the void left by those who canceled.