How Does The NYT Know Which One Was The Husband?

A former congressman died today and the NY Times write-up referred to the surviving spouse (it was a gay marriage) as the husband.

What is up with that? How does the NY Times know which one was the husband or were they both husbands cause they were both men or is it cause he was the one who signed in the "husband" space on the marriage license? Find out and get back to me cause I am very curious as to why the NYT used that word. Perhaps it is this week's newest mandatory PC term as promulgated by the National Board Of Wheeny News Idiotors ? Methinks they used up at least four hours deciding "husband" was the proper word.

Below is a copy if the NY Times article and the "husband" part of the quote...
"Former Representative Gerry Studds, the first openly gay person elected to Congress, died early Saturday. He was 69.....Mr. Studds collapsed on Oct. 3 while walking his dog because of what doctors later determined was a blood clot in his lung, said his husband, Dean Hara."