Marriage

Did you know that all same-sex state registered domestic partnerships (SRDPs) in Washington will automatically be converted to marriages on June 30th?  Last week at Seattle City Hall, a panel of experts gathered to answer questions from the public about what should be expected and more importantly, what can be done to prevent their SRDPs from converting into a marriage.

On June 30, 2014, all state-registered same-sex domestic partnerships will automatically convert to marriages. According to the state registry, there are close to 6,000 registered same-sex domestic partnerships in Washington, many of whom do not know that they are about to enter into matrimony whether they wish to or not.

Today is a great day in America – for loving couples and their families, and for Americans who treasure our country’s basic values of freedom and fairness.   If America is be true to its values, they must be applied equally to everyone.  And that’s what the highest court in the land said today.

Ever since 9/11, civil libertarians have been known for issuing dire warnings about erosions of fundamental rights: Guantanamo, indefinite detention powers, warrantless wiretapping, America’s addiction to incarceration, attacks on women’s reproductive freedom, use of RFID chips on public school students (yep, a girl in Texas is actually suing her school district over that one). These are serious and ongoing concerns.

Love and equality won nearly 54% of the vote in Washington on November 6th.  In approving Referendum 74, the voters recognized that all committed, loving couples, gay and straight alike, should be able to marry under state law.  And on December 9th same-sex couples were able to take matrimonial vows in homes and courthouses across our state for the first time!

The Bill of Rights Dinner on Saturday was such a celebration!  I have to tell you a story about it.