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Advertisement Brookfield grocery store covers magazine cover of lesbian couple in wedding dresses Share Shares Copy Link Copy

This month's Milwaukee Magazine's cover story features a photo of a lesbian couple in wedding dresses, and it caused some controversy at a Brookfield grocery store.The supermarket covered up the cover last week, but then changed course Wednesday.VIDEO: Brookfield grocery store at center of controversy over censorshipWhen Abby Callard's cover story hit the stands March 3, she knew it would be provocative."We were putting two women in wedding dresses on the cover. We expected a little bit of backlash," Callard said.But not censorship. Callard said they learned about it in social media.Someone tweeted they had seen the magazine in the Sendik's in Brookfield, and there was a black board covering itThen Callard got an email. The Milwaukee Magazine reporter headed to the Sendik's on Capitol Drive and documented it with her cellphone.The magazine's circulation manager said the store told him a customer had complained."They have a store policy if customers complain about the magazine or any magazine, then they'll put the black board over it, Callard said. "When we were there, Cosmopolitan was also blocked, so I would have to assume they that block almost every issue of Cosmo."When WISN 12 News arrived Wednesday afternoon, the Milwaukee Magazine cover was uncovered."Just wonder what you can tell us about it?" WISN 12 News reporter Colleen Henry asked."(I) just found out about it this morning when he called. (I) came downstairs and looked. They were covered, I uncovered them," said Jim Balistreri, a co-owner of the Sendik's in Brookfield."So you guys don't have an issue with the cover?" Henry asked."No, was it covered when you got here?" Balistreri asked.Callard's article "For Love and Money" looks at the economic impact of outlawing same-sex marriage in Wisconsin.Callard believes economics may have driven the magazine blackout and its end.The story hit a national media blog. The Brookfield Sendik's said it doesn't know who made the decision to cover the magazine.WISN 12 News checked with other Sendik's stores. They've displayed the cover all along.Milwaukee Magazine hopes the controversy sells more magazines and drives the dialogue it hoped to spark when it published this cover story.