"''Fix This Now''" was the front page headline for ''

The Indianapolis Star } ''The Indianapolis Star'' (also known as ''IndyStar'') is a morning daily newspaper that began publishing on June 6, 1903, in Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It has been the only major daily paper in the city since 1999, whe ...

'' in March 31, 2015, referencing the newly passed "Religious Freedom" law that many said could allow businesses to deny serving LGBT couples on the basis of religious obligations.

Background

"Fix This Now" was the headline on the front page of Indiana's dominant newspaper, the ''

Indianapolis Star Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County. Indianapolis is situated in the state's central till plain region along the west fork of ...

'', on March 31, 2015. Almost the entire front page of the newspaper was taken by the headline, set in large white letters on a black background. It is unusual for a 20th- or 21st-century mass-market American newspaper to dedicate its entire front page to an editorial or for a non- tabloid to set any headline in such large type. Many publications commented on the headline on the day of its appearance. The ''

Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' called the move "extraordinary", the ''

New York Daily News The ''Daily News'' is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson in New York City as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in Tabloid (newspaper format ...

'' called it "rare". Other major publications such as ''

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

'' also took immediate notice of the ''Star''s editorial, and news of and commentary on the event was quickly and widely

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and circulated on

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. The editorial was occasioned by Indiana's newly passed

Religious Freedom Restoration Act The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, Pub. L. No. 103-141, 107 Stat. 1488 (November 16, 1993), codified at through (also known as RFRA, pronounced "rifra"), is a 1993 United States federal law that "ensures that interests in religio ...

(RFRA). Unlike many State Religious Freedom Restoration Acts, Indiana's did not (at that time) prohibit its use to discriminate against

LGBT LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The gro ...

people and allowed private entities to cite the law as a defense in a civil suit. The editorial called on the legislature and Indiana governor

Mike Pence Michael Richard Pence (born June 7, 1959) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 48th vice president of the United States from 2017 to 2021 under President Donald Trump. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Repub ...

to pass another law ensuring that the law cannot be used as an excuse to discriminate against gay people: The editorial, which also promoted the

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#WeAreIndiana with the assertion that "Indiana embraces everyone and we do not discriminate", was published in the context of a larger general backlash against the Indiana law.

External links

Full text of editorial

References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite web , url=http://www.indystar.com/story/opinion/2015/03/30/editorial-gov-pence-fix-religious-freedom-law-now/70698802/ , title=Editorial: Gov. Pence, fix 'religious freedom' law now , date=March 31, 2015 , work=Indianapolis Star , accessdate=March 31, 2015 {{cite web , url=http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2015/03/31/indystar-front-page-religious-freedom-editorial/70711614/ , title=Nation responds to IndyStar's front page editorial , author=Joe Tamborello , date=March 31, 2015 , work=Indianapolis Star , accessdate=March 31, 2015 {{cite news , url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/03/31/fix-this-now-says-indy-star-saying-religious-freedom-law-has-done-enormous-harm/ , title='FIX THIS NOW' says Indy Star, saying 'religious freedom' law has done 'enormous harm' , author=Fred Barbash , date=March 31, 2015 , newspaper=Washington Post , accessdate=March 31, 2015 {{cite magazine , url=https://time.com/3764955/indianapolis-star-governor-religious-law/ , title=Indianapolis Star Urges Governor to 'Fix' Religious Freedom Law , author=Maya Rhodan , date=March 31, 2015 , magazine=Time , access-date=March 31, 2015 {{cite web , url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/fix-indy-star-challenges-state-religious-law-article-1.2167914 , title='Fix This Now': Indianapolis Star challenges state's religious freedom law as major names continue commentary on controversy , author=Jason Silverstein , date=March 31, 2015 , work=New York Daily News , accessdate=March 31, 2015 {{cite web , url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/03/31/_fix_this_now_indianapolis_star_headline_attacks_religious_freedom_restoration.html , title='Fix This Now," Indiana's Largest Newspaper Demands in Huge Front-Page RFRA Headline , author=Ben Mathis-Lilley , date=March 31, 2015 , work=Slate , accessdate=April 1, 2015 {{cite magazine , url=http://www.newyorker.com/news/amy-davidson/why-a-g-o-p-gambit-backfired-in-indiana , title=Why a G.O.P. Gambit Backfired in Indiana , author=Amy Davidson , date=March 31, 2015 , magazine=The New Yorker , accessdate=April 1, 2015 {{cite web , url=http://www.niemanlab.org/2015/03/when-your-newspaper-wants-to-make-a-big-statement-make-sure-youre-making-it-online-too/ , title=When your newspaper wants to make a big statement, make sure you're making it online too , author=Joshua Benton , date=March 31, 2015 , work=Nieman Lab , publisher=Nieman Foundation , accessdate=April 30, 2015 2015 in Indiana 2015 quotations 2015 in LGBTQ history March 2015 in the United States Anti-homophobia Headlines The Indianapolis Star LGBTQ in Indiana LGBTQ history in Indiana