Seattle Gay News
Issue 25, Volume 40, June 22, 2012
Section 3
WINNING MARRIAGE EQUALITY APPROVE R-74
ALL PHOT OS BY NATE GOWD Y / SEAT TLE GAY NEWS
by Gov. Chris Gregoire Special to the SGN
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This fall we have the chance to make history. But like all things historic, it won’t be easy. On November 6, Washington has the opportunity to become the first state in the nation whose voters pass a marriage equality bill at the ballot box. I’m doing everything I can to ensure we are leading the way. I hope you are too. Signing the marriage equality bill this spring was one of the proudest days of my life. The love, joy, and excitement in that room were electric. For the first time our LGBT Washingtonians had, within their reach, the right to marry. Now, with the issue before voters, that momentum must be maintained. We cannot say to one couple that their love is deserving of marriage and to another that their love should only be called a partnership. “Separate but equal” is never equal. Children of same-sex couples should not grow up wondering why their family is treated differently from other families. Parents who have fought fiercely for the rights of their much-loved Gay and Lesbian children should not have to worry that their children will be treated differently. As a mother, I can tell you that there is no prouder moment than watching your children grow up, fall in love, and commit to that love in front of their families and friends. I want that same joy for every parent and every child. The time to make history is now! In Olympia, passing the marriage equality bill was historic. The bill passed
with a resounding “Yes” that was achieved only with bipartisan support. Republicans and Democrats both stood up for what is right. Leaders from both parties, Gay and straight, made heartfelt, eloquent speeches conveying that marriage equality is not a partisan value, but a human value. That same question will now be asked of voters. Like laws in other states, our legislation gives broad protections for religious organizations, and for religiously affiliated schools and social service organizations. While no religion will be required to perform a marriage against its beliefs, the state will no longer discriminate in the issuing of marriage licenses. Stories abound of everyday citizens who give to their communities, support one another in their relationships, care for aging parents, raise healthy families, and save for their children’s future. A young man, who as a high-school senior has already earned an associate degree in computer science, e-mailed me that his biggest obstacle in life is not his passion or intellect. It is his sexuality. As he so thoughtfully wrote, “One day, as this nation continues to change, people like me will not have to be extraordinary to appear ordinary.” That’s as it should be. At a time when our families face many challenges – keeping a job, paying the bills, saving for their children’s education – worrying about whom you can legally marry should not be one of Governor Christine Gregoire them. Marriage is important to everyone. But in the end it’s about much more than a piece of legislation. It is about telling cou- ment matters. That their love matters. That the first state where the voters say “Yes” ples, some of whom have been together 20 their families matter. to equality and “Yes” to our families and or 30 years or more, that a lifetime commitIt is time. It is time to make Washington friends.
June 22, 2012
Celebrating 38 Years!
OFFICIAL PHOTO
Senator Ed Murray
by State Sen. Ed Murray Special to the SGN Four and a half months. That’s it. The future of marriage equality in Washington comes down to the four and a half months between now and Election Day. All our work – the years of talking, educating, advocating, and legislating – hinges on what we do this summer and fall to get Referendum 74 approved in November. Like all of you, I was overjoyed back in February when the legislature passed, and Gov. Gregoire signed, Washington’s historic marriage equality law. For me, it was the culmination of 17 years of hard work in the legislature and in the community. But we knew then that the fight was far from over. Almost immediately, opponents started gathering signatures to
place the law on the fall ballot as Referendum 74. Aided by large conservative religious organizations and paid signature gatherers, that opposition submitted twice the requisite number of signatures earlier this month to force a referendum on the law this November. It is sad that a minority is trying to divide our state by restricting the ability of Gay and Lesbian couples in loving relationships to marry. But I am confident that Washington voters will come together this November to reject the politics of division by voting to Approve Referendum 74. We know what we’re up against. We won’t be complacent. We know the forces arrayed to defeat marriage equality in Washington are the same ones that have prevailed every time same-sex marriage has been on the ballot. If history is a guide, they’ll bend and twist the truth about Washington’s new law, trying to deceive voters with confusion and
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fallacies. And, with at least one big backer – the National Organization for Marriage – saying they’re ready to dump $7 million into the state, marriage opponents will have plenty of resources to try and defeat equality. That’s why Rep. Jamie Pedersen and I started Washington United for Marriage last fall, long before the marriage equality law had even been heard in committee. Since then, WUM has become a strong, statewide coalition comprising businesses, labor unions, LGBT organizations, faith groups, and thousands of individual Washingtonians – all fired up and ready to win in November. WUM needs you! If you haven’t filled out a pledge form already, go to the website, www.washingtonunitedformarriage.org. Or look for the hundreds of Approve R-74 volunteers canvassing the crowd on Pride Weekend in Seattle with their t-shirts and clipboards. Sign a pledge card! The “arc of justice” is bending our way. Poll after poll – both national and in-state – show increasing support for marriage equality. Nationally a late-May Washington Post/ABC News survey found 53% support for legal same-sex marriage, with only 39% opposed. Here in Washington, support is looking even stronger: a recent poll showed 54% approving to 33% opposing – a 21% margin. However, simply having a majority on our side now is not enough to assure victory in November. We know, from recent contests in other states, that our opposition will deliver an onslaught of deceptive advertising and scare tactics. That’s why the Approve R-74 campaign will be working all summer to educate voters on why marriage matters. All this means, of course, that the Washington United for Marriage/Approve R-74
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campaign needs considerable financial resources (a.k.a. MONEY!) as soon as possible. That’s one of the hard lessons from other states. Anti-equality interests were able to set the terms of the debate early, and pro-marriage campaigns never caught up. That’s why your contributions are so important now. If you can’t afford to contribute much financially, your time and talents are just as welcome. WUM needs volunteers for canvassing, staffing phone banks, writing letters to editors, entering data, and dozens of other important tasks. Visit http:// waunited.org/volunteer and fill out the online form – or, again, find one of the many Approve R-74 canvassers at this weekend’s Pride festivities. They’ll be eager to sign you up! This weekend, I’ll be celebrating Pride with my partner of 20 years, Michael Shiosaki. Soon after Washington’s voters Approve R-74 in November, Michael and I will celebrate our marriage to one another – as all loving, committed couples should be able to do if they choose. For Michael and me, and you, and our entire community, these next four and a half months are literally about the rest of our lives. That’s why your support – through all the time and money you can generously afford – is so important. Enjoy Pride! Then join the campaign to Approve R-74. We’ll win in November, and we’ll be attending a lot of weddings next year! Ed Murray, a Democrat, represents the 43rd Legislative District (including Seattle’s Capitol Hill, Madison Park, Wallingford, and University districts) in the Washington Senate.
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June 22, 2012
Celebrating 38 Years!
by Sen. Patty Murray Special to the SGN
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Senator Patty Murray
June 22, 2012
OFFICIAL PHOTO
Far too often in our nation’s history we’ve seen groups of Americans who aren’t afforded equal protection under the law because they don’t look or love like their friends or neighbors. But time after time we’ve seen these groups rise up, with the support of those who seek to right such wrongs, and prevail over the status quo – changing the course of American history and giving true voice and meaning to the idea that all are created equal. We saw it in the early 1900s with women’s suffrage, in the 1960s with the push for racial equality, and today as we continue the steady march toward equality for members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community. Equal protection under the law is a fundamental right in our country. No one should suffer discrimination because of their race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Whether applying for a job, finding a home, eating in a restaurant, serving in our military, or attending school, we must ensure all citizens are treated fairly and equally. That’s why I have been proud to fight alongside the LGBT community as we’ve made some truly historic gains over the past few years. As chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I am particularly proud of the progress we’ve made on behalf of the LGBT men and women in our Armed Forces and our nation’s veterans with the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” But while repeal is an important victory in the fight for equality, there are still many challenges ahead as we work to ensure each of our veterans receives the same quality care and services once they leave the military. As openly Gay and Lesbian servicemembers separate from active duty and seek services through the Department of Veterans Affairs, they represent a population with certain unique needs for which VA must be prepared. And so, back in April, I decided to host a roundtable in Seattle with LGBT veterans from Washington state to discuss what Congress and the Administration could be doing toward this end. I was fortunate enough to be joined by several trailblazers, including Air Force Major Margaret Witt. Major Witt, as many people know, successfully sued the Department of Defense to be reinstated to her full rank and benefits after she was discharged for being a Lesbian. As a nurse, Major Witt talked about how important it is that VA be a welcoming environment for LGBT veterans and their families, and that VA be responsive to and respectful of LGBT veterans’ health concerns. She remembered reviewing a Transgender patient’s file and being very disturbed to see that the patient had been diagnosed with a “personality disorder.” In my time as committee chair, I have heard countless stories from servicemembers and veterans who aren’t receiving the type of care they have earned because their needs are either misunderstood or they’re unsure whether VA is a welcoming place for them and their families. This is why I’m working with VA to make progress on things like ensuring our VA medical centers comply with the new policy that allows same-sex spouses to visit their loved ones. And while I will continue oversight of this issue, I think it is an important step that VA now requires each medical center to have a written policy on visitation.
I have been so proud to work with the LGBT community on issues affecting veterans and on many other issues important to the cause of equality. But while we have seen some important victories these past few years, we know Pride Month isn’t just a time to celebrate these accomplishments. It is also a time to recommit and recharge for the fight that’s ahead. When Gov. Gregoire signed the same-sex marriage bill into law in February, it was a day of joy for all of the loving, committed Gay and Lesbian couples of Washington – and for all who love, respect, and support them. This law takes us one important step closer toward true equality for Gay and Lesbian families across Washington state. Unfortunately, there are those who are now trying to turn back the clock. This is wrong and we’re going to fight to prevent this from happening. I am also going to keep fighting to enact federal laws that protect every student from bullying, including the Student NonDiscrimination Act, Safe Schools Improvement Act, and the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act. I am also proud to support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would make sure no worker in America would have to worry about being fired because of his or her sexual orientation. And I will continue fighting for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and for other legislation that ensures equal protection under the law for all. I believe strongly that when we celebrate the dignity and worth of each of our citizens, we celebrate the best of what it means to be American. It is why I get up and fight every day to help people, solve problems, and end injustice in our laws. And whether it is a veteran not feeling welcome at a VA medical center or receiving the quality care he deserves, or the violence and fear caused by a hate crime in our community, or the talent that goes missing from our workplace when someone is fired for being Gay, we all suffer when discrimination prevails. To me, the fight for equality for the LGBT community is a fight for what it means to be American. This is why the theme of this year’s parade, “The Many Faces of Pride,” is so important. If we are to give voice and fidelity to the idea that all are created equal, then it is critical we stand together – as mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, friends and neighbors – and speak with one voice for the cause of equality and equal protection under our laws.
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June 22, 2012
Celebrating 38 Years!
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June 22, 2012
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COURTESY JAMIE PEDERSEN
by State Rep. Jamie Pedersen Special to the SGN Washington state is engaged in a great debate this year on whether to extend marriage equality to same-sex couples. Will we be a community that embraces and protects all families? Or will we continue to brand LGBT families as second-class? By Approving Referendum 74 and securing our victory on marriage equality, Washington voters will have a chance to make history. We would be the first voters ever to say that the families of same-sex couples should be treated equally under the law. Five years ago, after a disappointing decision by the Washington Supreme Court, the Legislature began a deliberate process of moving our state toward fair treatment of Gay and Lesbian couples and their families. At public hearings, we heard from families denied visitation rights in hospitals, separated by nursing homes, or ignored by funeral parlors. We heard from families who paid thousands of dollars to lawyers to protect their relationships with their own children. The legislature responded with a domestic partner registry providing basic legal protections to nearly 19,000 people and their families. I am proud the voters of Washington state upheld this law in Referendum 71, becoming the first in the history of our
country to approve of rights and obligations for same-sex couples. Like thousands of other same-sex couples, my partner Eric and I are grateful for these protections for ourselves and our four sons. But domestic partnership is a pale and inadequate substitute for marriage. As a lawyer, I can explain in great detail how domestic partnership falls short. In other states and countries with marriage equality such as New York and Connecticut, a Washington marriage would be legally recognized, just like any other. But domestic partnership has no meaning there. The federal government has begun to recognize the marriages of same-sex couples in areas such as employee benefits and deportation. But it does not recognize domestic partnerships. And there is a web of private contracts that speak only of spouses, not domestic partners. However, it is not as a lawyer but as a human being that I truly feel the inadequacy of domestic partnership. Marriage is the word our society uses to describe a committed, lifelong relationship. Teachers, doctors, neighbors, cousins, and TurboTax immediately understand marriage. They do not understand domestic partnership. In February, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued its decision in the Perry case, which concerns marriage equality and California’s Proposition 8. The court said: “We emphasize the extraordinary sig-
Representative Jamie Pedersen (l) and his partner Eric Cochran with their sons Erik, Leif, Anders, and Trygve.
nificance of the official designation of marriage. That designation is important because marriage is the name that society gives to the relationship that matters most between two adults ... We need consider only the many ways in which we encounter the word marriage in our daily lives and understand it, consciously or not, to convey a sense of significance. We are regularly given forms to complete that ask us whether we are single or married. Newspapers run announcements of births, deaths, and marriages. We are excited to see someone ask ‘Will you marry me?’ whether on bended knee in a restaurant or in text splashed across a stadium Jumbotron. … The name ‘marriage’ signifies the unique recognition that society gives to harmonious, loyal, enduring, and intimate relationships.” I would like our children – Trygve, Leif, Erik, and Anders – to grow up understanding that their daddy and their papa have made a lifelong commitment to each other. Marriage is the word we use in our society
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to convey that idea. Thousands of same-sex couples in our state deserve the respect and protection from our government that only marriage can convey, and our children deserve to grow up in a state that treats their family with equal dignity. Please join me over the next four and a half months to make that a reality. Talk with your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers about why marriage matters. Give time and money to the Washington United for Marriage campaign. Do everything you can to make sure that on the morning after Election Day, we can be proud of our state. Our families depend on it. Jamie Pedersen, a Democrat, represents the 43rd Legislative District (including Seattle’s Capitol Hill, Madison Park, Wallingford, and University districts) in the Washington House of Representatives.
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What separates Seattle from cities like New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Vancouver, B.C., Iowa City, Burlington, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Amsterdam, and others around the world? In Seattle, unlike those cities, same-sex couples are prevented from getting married. Loving couples in Seattle and in Washington State should be able to celebrate their love without being discriminated against by our laws. After years of hard work by activists and legislators, the barriers of discrimination that prevent same-sex couples in Seattle and across Washington State from exercising their right to marry have almost been removed. But there’s still a significant challenge ahead. From the Stonewall protests in New York City in 1969 to Seattle’s landmark 1973 non-discrimination ordinance to San Francisco’s decision to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004, cities have led the way in fighting for the rights of all LGBT people. That stems from the important role cities have played for LGBT communities. For decades, cities like Seattle were among the few places anywhere in the country that LGBT people had a chance to live openly, without fear of retribution. To this day, young men and young women who are being bullied or harassed for their sexual orientation come to Seattle with the hope of finding freedom, equality, and justice. It’s our job to make sure we live up to that promise. As cities became home to thriving LGBT communities, businesses, and cultural institutions, LGBT economic and political power grew. It provided
the basis for anti-discrimination legislation and policy. Thanks to the work of activists and legislators, many of them from Seattle, Washington State finally passed a bill allowing same-sex couples to enjoy the same rights to marriage that have long been available to straight couples. We owe a debt to the men and women who have spent decades fighting for full equality for same-sex couples. Their dedication to equality and justice never wavered. I know that Seattle will continue to lead the way in working to protect same-sex couples and their rights to equal treatment. This fall, we will have to continue that hard work if we are to overcome the last obstacle to bringing marriage equality home to the Emerald City. Fundamental rights like marriage should not be put to a public vote. I am disappointed, but not surprised, that the opponents of marriage equality have succeeded in bringing a referendum to overturn the marriage equality law. The opinion polls may be encouraging, but let us be clear about the challenge we face. The opposition is extremely well-funded and well-organized. No state has yet approved marriage equality at the ballot box. Several states have come close, but we have watched as voters from Maine to California defeated marriage equality. We can break that streak here in Washington State this fall – but only if we step up and put in the work needed to win. We have won this kind of battle before. In 1977, opponents of LGBT rights attempted to repeal our non-discrimination ordinance. Although voters across the country had repealed similar ordinances, Seattle was one of the first cities where equality was upheld at the ballot box. To win again, we will need to tell the stories of those who are discriminated against under current laws. And we will need to
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FILE PHOTO
by Mike McGinn Special to the SGN
Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn
make sure voters hear those stories. Turnout matters. Every voter who cares about marriage equality needs to cast a ballot this fall. We cannot lose this vote just because not enough Seattleites turned out to vote when it counted. There are many marriage equality supporters living in cities large and small around our state, and they need to be involved too.
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I am committed to doing everything I can to support marriage equality. I look forward to the day when same-sex couples can celebrate their weddings here in Seattle, putting us one step closer to full equality for everyone who calls this city home. Mike McGinn is mayor of Seattle.
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by Josh Friedes Special to the SGN I became a passionate supporter of marriage equality in my late 20s. Back then it was a civil-rights issue to me. Now as I approach my 50th birthday, marriage is far more than that. My understanding and passion for marriage equality has only grown as I have learned the stories of so many LGBT and straight families, and how marriage supports and nurtures them.
MARRIAGE AS A CIVIL RIGHT AND A MATTER OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY The year was 1992, and I was attending law school in Colorado. My secondsemester constitutional law professor was advising the wrong side on Amendment 2, one of the first anti-Gay ballot measures. Although some of my family, classmates, and professors knew I was Gay, I was not publicly out and my liberalism was attributed to my being Jewish. I was both pushing for an anti-discrimination policy at the law school and I was head of Law Students Against 2. One fundamentalist Christian classmate left me a well-intentioned note explaining that while Jews were morally upright MARRIAGE AS people who had been wrongly oppressed, THE GREAT PROTECTOR Gays were not moral and I should not By my mid-30s, marriage evolved from continue my advocacy on their behalf. being a civil-rights issue for me to also beI knew then that I needed to fully come ing about economic security and peace of
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out. I went to my con-law professor and asked him to explain Amendment 2. Unaware that I was Gay, he crassly explained that it was a defensive move meant to prevent Gays from seeking marriage. If Gays secured marriage, he said, they would “win.” I thought about this for some time and realized that in many ways he was right. “May not marry the person you love” is the badge of inferiority worn by LGBT people. In a society where the freedom to marry is a hallmark of legal and social equality, the inability to legally marry renders all LGBT people second-class at best. I decided I would work to secure civil marriage rights for Gay and Lesbian couples. By 1997 I was a leader in the Massachusetts Freedom to Marry movement. Throughout my years as a marriage advocate, I have always known that there are great divides among religious traditions on the subject of marriage, and this extends to marriage for same-sex couples. As a member of a liberal faith tradition – today I affiliate with Reform Judaism – I have always seen the state’s refusal to deny same-sex couples marriage licenses both as a violation of the civil rights of LGBT people and as a violation of the Establishment Clause.
Josh Friedes
mind. In 1998 I started a job with the AARP and the more I learned about the rights and responsibilities of legal marriage, I realized the challenges Gay and Lesbian couples and surviving partners faced as they aged. Simultaneously, through my work with the Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts, I saw firsthand both the challenges many couples were facing, especially those with children or wanting children, and how emotionally harmed LGBT individuals and families were by being denied the right to legally marry. What quickly became obvious was that the public had very little exposure to LGBT families and very little understanding that civil marriage brought with it an incredible basket of rights and responsibilities. They did not see us as raising children, as taking care of in-laws, as growing old together, as being people of faith, and even when they did they did not understand the extent of the harm that stemmed from not being allowed to legally marry. Truth be told, back then many LGBT people were similarly situated, and many denied the harm rather than admit to it. The challenge was getting people to share their stories. We learned to tell our stories and how to get others to tell theirs. Our opponents have no stories. They never will. To me the volunteers of the Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts, Love Makes a Family in Connecticut, The Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force, and Washington State’s Legal Marriage Alliance will always be the unsung heroes of the marriage movement. Early on they fearlessly told their stories of love and commitment and the emotional, financial and legal hardships they faced because they could not marry. They spoke to the media, at churches and synagogues, and to unions, civic groups, and professional associations. Mostly they talked to their friends and families and encouraged others to do the same. That our stories are our power and that nothing is more effective than personal conversation remains the bedrock of successful marriage equality organizing. It is really that simple. In Washington State we were blessed by
having openly elected LGBT leaders who were willing to tell their personal stories and helped their straight colleagues find their own stories about why marriage equality mattered. MARRIAGE AS A UNIVERSALLY UNDERSTOOD EXPRESSION OF LOVE AND COMMITMENT Now approaching my 50th birthday, I still see marriage as a civil-rights issue, and I still see legal marriage as a brilliant legal structure that provides families peace of mind and economic stability. But marriage is so much more – it transcends all levels of interactions and forms a universally understood expression of love, commitment, family, and responsibility. Ironically as society developed alternative modes of family recognition such as domestic partnerships and civil unions, these only made the magic of marriage more apparent. Forget for the moment that civil unions/DPs make no attempt to confer the federal protections of marriage – many people don’t understand that anyway. My point is, nobody sings about domestic partnership or calls their parents to say, “Guess what? We’ve decided to be domestically partnered!” In our increasingly diverse society, legal marriage has emerged as the universally understood expression of love and commitment, an expression understood by all people. It need not be religious to be understood. While marriage equality is not the ultimate goal of the LGBT civil-rights movement – there are many pressing needs and issues it will not address – it is an essential ingredient in achieving full equality. The freedom to marry will allow those of us who choose to express our love through a universally understood institution and it will allow all of us to participate more fully in civil society. No longer will we wear that badge of inferiority that says “May not marry.” So tell your stories and let’s Approve Referendum 74. Josh Friedes is director of marriage equality for Equal Rights Washington.
e t o v o t RegisteR
www.myvote.wa.gov
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June 22, 2012
Celebrating 38 Years!
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Celebrating 38 Years!
NATIONAL SKILLS COALITION
by Zach Silk Special to the SGN
effective way to influence voters is still on the ground, one-to-one, people talking to people. The most effective influencer is you. If you haven’t already, sign up to volunteer with the Approve R-74 campaign. You can start at www.waunited.org, or find one of the many canvassers in the crowd at Pride this weekend. It’s time to get engaged by contributing all you can to approve R-74. There’s a tried and true axiom of political campaigning that says: when attacked, respond through the same medium. That’s why those TV ads you’ll see from equality opponents cannot go unanswered. And this year, with the presidential race alone spending upwards of $2 billion, advertising is going to be more expensive than ever. But more importantly, the Approve R-74 campaign is organizing what will no doubt be the largest grassroots campaign in Washington state history, reaching out to voters in every corner of the state. Keeping all those wheels of outreach rolling requires a lot of resources. We have an incredibly skilled and experienced staff already working hard, so your contribution of any amount will be spent as efficiently and effectively as possible. It’s quick and easy to contribute through the Washington United for Marriage website at www.waunited.org/ donate. So, enjoy Pride this weekend. Laugh until your jaw aches. Dance until your legs can’t dance anymore. But get ready to work, because it’s time to get engaged.
Marriage equality is on the ballot this November. Now is the time for everyone to pitch in and fight for fairness, justice, and marriage for all. It’s time to Approve Referendum 74. It’s time to engage people’s hearts and minds. Our opponents will use every baseless scare tactic they can, because they know that’s what’s worked before in state after state. But we have people like you – real people with real stories to tell about yourself or your Gay or Lesbian friends – people who simply want to be able to marry the person they love. Share your stories. Tell an undecided voter about the dear older Gay couple you know who have been lovingly committed to one another for many years. They should be able to get married. Tell them about your daughter or sister, who loves her partner just as much as any straight couple. She should be able to get married. Tell them about yourself and your journey to supporting marriage for all. When the time is right, you should be able to get married. It’s time to get engaged by volunteering. Over the next several months you’ll see a lot of TV ads, mail pieces, and online appeals. It’s an expensive way to influence voters: just one nationwide anti-equality group, the National Organization for Marriage, is prepared to dump $7 million into the state buying deceptive ads to defeat R-74. Zach Silk is the campaign director of But amid all that “air cover,” the most Washington United for Marriage.
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Zach Silk
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Recently, I met with seven young people to talk same-sex marriage. With only a few prepared questions, I wanted to let the youth just talk, so I could just listen. My time with them revealed that LGBT youth may be more divided on same-sex marriage than LGBT adults – not only on the direction of the campaign, but on the legitimacy of marriage itself.
people eventually, but “not at this time.” He explained that over the last 50 years, LGBT people have made significant gains in regard to civil rights and that “we need to appreciate these rights.” He feels that more rights will push a violent enemy further – that “the liberalization of laws here” will make life worse for LGBT people in countries where they lack even the most basic of rights. “I feel like as a community we need to get stronger,” said AIM. “Or else, it’s going to bite us in the ass.” “No opinion,” said IJJ, 22. “I don’t really believe in marriage. Period.” Gabriel, 16, describes himself as a “born romantic.” “The whole idea behind marriage makes me feel good. It’s something I look forward to,” said Gabriel. Accordingly, he thinks same-sex marriage is “a step that we do need to take.” Gabriel sees same-sex marriage and straight marriage, religious marriage and civil marriage, as all equally sacred. “When people get married, they’re making a commitment before everything they hold dear,” said Gabriel. To him, what one person may hold dear is no less legitimate than what another might. It’s also why Gabriel, though expressing his own desire for a monogamous relationship, also sees polyamory, for those who want it, as completely reasonable.
DIVIDED ON MARRIAGE “We are all humans and we all deserve the simple right to marry,” said Lorenzo Harris, 17. Harris, who identifies himself racially as both black and white, said that while some people don’t like drawing a parallel between the African-American civil rights movement and the LGBT civil rights movement, he thinks they’re similar. “My [interracial] grandparents got married when the right was first granted,” Harris explained. He recalled that his grandparents told him stories of the public’s reaction to their union and told of one instance in particular when his grandfather was stopped by the police and accused of kidnapping his own wife. “They [couldn’t] control what race they [were]; we can’t control what sexuality we are,” said Harris. THE CAMPAIGN AIM, 17, was born in Egypt and said “Being Gay was always queer, as in difhe’s seen the lack of basic human rights ferent,” said Harris. for LGBT people first-hand. AIM said “I think our community is a little too PC marriage is something he wants for Gay sometimes,” added Squid, 20. “We need to
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JEFF FUSCO / GETTY IMAGES
by James Whitely SGN Staff Writer
make ourselves more understood to straight people.” Those who favor the Approve R-74 campaign said that they approve of most of the campaign’s methods, but not all. Harris, like most of the youth I spoke with, expressed distaste for canvassers. “What they’re doing isn’t going to help anything,” said Harris. I asked each young person to respond to the now-common image of the older couple who have been together 30, maybe 40 years, and have never been able to marry. I wanted to know if that message spoke to them. Most were fairly impartial, acknowledging that while they want “that old couple” to be able to get married, it really didn’t speak to their own right to marry or motivate them personally. Gabriel, however, said that it was relevant to him, because he grew up seeing just that. Gabriel’s two grandmothers are planning on finally tying the knot once it’s legal for them to do so. “It wasn’t something that I had to think about, it’s just something that I kind of knew,” said Gabriel. Gabriel was the only one out of the seven who explicitly mentioned he would want to work for marriage equality, for his own right to someday marry. Interestingly enough, he was also the youngest. Everyone seemed to agree that whether they were supportive of the Approve R-74 campaign or not, the best group of voters the campaign could change the hearts and minds of were parents – particularly moms. “It’s not easy for parents. It’s not that they don’t care, but rather they don’t understand,” said IJJ. “Lots of parents are on the same level, capable and wanting to accept it.” Another thing everyone seemed to agree on was a level of respect for the older generation of activists – the cadre who survived the AIDS crisis, who have or have lost longterm partners, the ones who are fighting for marriage today, not only for their own right to marry but as their final legacy to the LGBT youth of today. I asked each young person when and where they first heard about marriage equality. Interestingly, no one said Face-
book. “When I moved to Oakland,” said Maritza Ferrer, 22, Entre Hermanos’ Miss Gay Latina 2010. Ferrer was 14 at the time. “When I joined the GSA in high school,” said Jose, 20. “Seven years ago.” “Not until I was out of high school,” said IJJ. Both Harris and Squid said they couldn’t remember exactly. “It’s something that people will naturally think of if they’re Gay,” said Squid. AIM said he was first made aware during the Proposition 8 fight while living in California, when he saw a poster at his high school. AIM described it as an “awkward situation” because it wasn’t a poster for the pro-Gay side. SUMMARY While it would be a generalization to say that these seven young people speak for all LGBT youth, they certainly gave me something to think about. Their divided views and opinions aren’t that surprising to me, but sometimes it’s easy to forget what it’s like being young. It’s hard for me to say what I would or wouldn’t have done, or what I would have cared about when I was still in high school. As a writer for SGN, politics, particularly LGBT politics, play a large part in my life, but that isn’t the reality for all LGBT people, and it’s probably fair to say that this is even truer for young people. Growing to adulthood leaves one with plenty to think about in itself. When I turned 18, voting wasn’t exactly the first thing on my mind. I suppose the purpose of this story is twofold: to remind us that we can’t just assume we know what young LGBT people are thinking, and to remind us that LGBT youth are thinking. Like voters, their opinions are varied, but are all supported by strong convictions. Sometimes, young people see the world with a certain clarity that older adults simply can’t. “It [love] is something that should be shared,” said Squid. “Love isn’t something that can be possessed by one group of people.”
Celebrating 38 Years!
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As a labor organization, and as part of the labor movement, the Washington State Labor Council (WSLC) champions economic rights, civil and human rights, and social and economic justice. We fight for the creation of living-wage jobs, the freedom to form unions to bargain for a better life and a voice on the job, and for all who work hard to be rewarded with fair wages and benefits. Organized labor’s efforts are driven by our core values: to achieve strong families, a secure middle class, and a better world for our children. Those values naturally extend beyond the workplace, which is why unions have a long, proud history of supporting important civil and human rights. It’s why we work for equality in our communities and for an end to discrimination based on race, gender, age, or immigration status.
And ultimately, it’s why the WSLC supports marriage equality. During the last legislative session, when our representatives and senators were discussing and debating the Marriage Equality Act, we also debated and discussed the issue among elected labor leaders and members. We decided the time is right in Washington State to extend the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of the legal contract of marriage to our Sisters and Brothers in the LGBT community. Marriage gives loving couples the ability to create strong families. Committed same-sex couples want the freedom to stand in front of family and friends and make a lifelong promise of love and commitment to each other. Our government should not stand in the way of their freedom to marry. We communicated that support to our members and to lawmakers, and celebrated when the Washington State Legislature approved the historic bill this year. After learning about the effort to challenge the
Lynne Dodson
new law prior to the WSLC’s political endorsement convention in May, hundreds of delegates from unions across the state – in both the public and private sectors – voted overwhelmingly at that convention to reaffirm labor’s support for marriage equality in Washington. We know this is the principled stand for all of us. We want all of our
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Sisters and Brothers in loving, adult relationships to share the same rights under the law, to be able to choose their life partners, and to have the same social contract that everyone else enjoys. That’s why we’ll be urging voters to APPROVE Referendum 74, affirming the Marriage Equality Act as it was enacted by our representatives, senators, and governor. It is also why we will oppose any and all efforts to restrict the right of same-sex couples to marry and be recognized as partners under the law. We are stronger when we stand together as working people. It is in this spirit of solidarity that unions in Washington State stand together with our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Sisters and Brothers. There can never be true justice and equality unless it applies to all of us. COURTESY WSLC
by Lynne Dodson Special to the SGN
Lynne Dodson is secretary-treasurer of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
Celebrating 38 Years!
SPECTRUM ROAD Jack Bruce, Vernon Reid, John Medeski and Cindy Blackman-Santana
June 21-24
All-Star Jazz + Rock + Blues
THE COOKERS
featuring Billy Harper, Eddie Henderson, David Weiss, George Cables, Cecil McBee and Billy Hart
June 26-27
Hard-Bop Jazz Supergroup touring in Support of their new release BELIEVE!!
Diane Schuur June 28July 1
Two-Time Grammy Award Winner The NEW First Lady of Jazz!
Monterey Jazz Festival County All-Star Big Band and Vocal Ensemble July 3 Complimentary show. Reservations required! Acoustic Alchemy July 5-7 English Contemporary Instrumental Jazz Band Blending Acoustic and Electric Guitar ON SALE NOW! Kenny Lattimore July 17 – 18 Béla Fleck & the Marcus Roberts Trio September 6 – 9 WALK-INS WELCOME
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June 22, 2012
Seattle Gay News 17
In 2006, the Washington State Legislature passed a law to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment, housing, public accommodations, credit, insurance, and commercial transactions. The underlying anti-discrimination law was originally adopted in 1949, but it took three decades of effort to get sexual orientation included. The ink was not yet dry from the governor’s signature before many of the same groups now familiar to all of us joined with Tim Eyman to file Referendum 65, in an attempt to repeal the legislation. To further confuse the issue (another nowfamiliar tactic), Eyman also filed an initiative. To stop the attempted repeal, we formed Washington Won’t Discriminate, a statewide coalition. The signature gathering went down to the wire and Eyman’s measures failed to qualify. Three years later, in 2009, the Legislature passed the third and final domestic partnership law. Once again, before the law could go into effect providing essential protections to thousands of Washington families, the same groups opposed to LGBT equality filed Referendum 71 to try to repeal it. After several lawsuits and one of the few full signature verification counts in state history, the measure was certified for the ballot with just over 1,100 more signatures than the required minimum. We formed Washington Families Standing Together, a statewide coalition that again stood shoulder to shoulder with us from the very first day the refer-
JAMES WHITELY / SEATTLE GAY NEWS
by Anne Levinson Special to the SGN
endum was filed. Members lent their voices, spoke to their congregations, made phone calls, and sent e-mails by the thousands. Once more the LGBT community and the larger community came together with remarkable unity. People who had never before been involved in a campaign joined with people who had helped time and time again. And once again we had supportive editorials in newspapers all across the state. The groundwork had been laid by decades of advocacy, education, struggle, and strategy. That year, Washington made history, becoming the first state in the nation to vote for relationship recognition for LGBT families. Voters approved R-71 by more than six percentage points. Now we face a third referendum, this time trying to repeal our marriage equality law. Our friends, neighbors, families, and coworkers are again coming together to stand up for all Washington families. WHAT CAN YOU DO? • Talk to the people in your life – your family, co-workers, and neighbors. Let them know why marriage matters, what it would mean to your life and the lives of others they know. • Endorse Washington United for Marriage and ask everyone you know to endorse. • Make a contribution. • Volunteer. • Register to vote, make sure your registration is current, and help register others. • Let the campaign know about events in your community where we should have a speaker or share materials. • Remember that referenda are worded differently than initiatives. Voters are asked
Anne Levinson
if they want to “approve” or “reject” the law as passed by the Legislature. To keep the law, voters have to APPROVE it. So remember, to keep marriage equality, we must APPROVE R-74.
Broadway
Farmers Market 18 Seattle Gay News
June 22, 2012
Anne Levinson led the campaign to Approve R-65 (Washington Won’t Discriminate) and Approve R-71 (Washington Families Standing Together). She is currently an advisor to Approve R-74 (Washington United for Marriage).
Broadway & E. Pine at Seattle Central Community College Sundays, 11am - 3pm, April 22 - Dec 23. Celebrating 38 Years!
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June 22, 2012
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20 Seattle Gay News
June 22, 2012
Celebrating 38 Years!
Visit us online www.sgn.org
June 22, 2012
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Broadway
Farmers Market 22 Seattle Gay News
June 22, 2012
Broadway & E. Pine at Seattle Central Community College Sundays, 11am - 3pm, April 22 - Dec 23. Celebrating 38 Years!
Visit us online www.sgn.org
June 22, 2012
Seattle Gay News 23