My last real rant in this space was about the Washington Times policy to use “scare quotes” around terms like “gay marriage” or “homosexual”, as if putting them in quotes made them seem less real, more contrived.

The Washington CityPaper (our local indy weekly) is reporting that new Washington Times editor John Solomon is putting the scare quotes exactly where they belong: in the trash. He’s also joining the rest of the media (not to mention the AP style book) is using the term “gay” instead of “homosexual.”

From the memo obtained by the CityPaper:

All:

Here are some recent updates to TWT style.

1) Clinton will be the headline word for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

2) Gay is approved for copy and preferred over homosexual, except in clinical references or references to sexual activity.

3) The quotation marks will come off gay marriage (preferred over homosexual marriage).

4) Moderate is approved, but centrist is still allowed.

5) We will use illegal immigrants, not illegal aliens.

No word if they’ll stop using archaic terms like “homosexual lover,” like they did in referring to Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, in some sort of throwback to the heady days of 1978.

But good for him. It’s about time.