Gay marriage in washington
Washington State Makes History with Marriage Equality Law
WASHINGTON – Today the Human Rights Campaign – the nation’s largest female homosexual, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization – applauded Washington state Gov. Christine Gregoire for her signature of the historic bill extending marriage to gay and sapphic couples. HRC is proud to possess been a founding member of the campaign to transfer the marriage bill and to possess worked on the ground with express partners.
“Today’s signature of the marriage equality law puts Washington on the route to fairness for all families,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “While those opposed to marriage for gay and lesbian couples will no doubt attempt to undo this progress, I am confident that equality will prevail in Washington.”
The Human Rights Campaign made a significant dedication of resources to the successful attempts to achieve marriage equality in Washington in 2012. From the founding of the Washington Together for Marriage coalition through the governor’s signing of the marriage bill, HRC provided substantial field expertise. Additionally, HRC he
Domestic Partnerships and Marriage Equality in Seattle
Over the course of four decades, the Seattle Municipality Council took incremental steps to expand the coverage and definition of human rights. Marital status and sexual orientation were included in anti-discrimination laws, and families were defined more broadly so that domestic partners of employees could receive benefits. This led to the city's domestic partnership registration program and eventually to its support of statewide marriage equality legislation.
Expanding anti-discrimination laws
With sustain from Councilmember Jeanette Williams, the Seattle Women's Commission began to provide advice to the Mayor, City Council, and other departments regarding women's issues in 1971. Part of the Commission's mission was to establish goals, priorities, and immediate action objectives in alleviating discrimination against women.
Legislation mandating fair employment practices was first passed by City Council in 1972 (Ordinance 100642); it prohibited employment discrimination due to race, age, sex, color, creed or national origin. Amendments in 1973 (Ordinance 102562) widened the prohibition to include marital status, sexual orienta
A decade after 'I do,' we revisit WA's first legally wed gay couples
With the U.S. House and Senate voting to protect same-sex marriages, those involved in King County’s early celebrations recall the historic moment.
When Ryan Hicks and Jeff Dorion headed to Seattle Capital Hall to become one of the first Diverse couples legally married in Washington in December 2012, they assumed it would be a quiet, bureaucratic affair. Instead, there were hundreds of boisterous supporters outside, wedding decorations inside and a flurry of local, national and international media coverage.
Ryan Hicks and Jeff Dorion pose for a photo in their home in Beacon Hill, Dec. 4, 2022. The couple was one of the first to be married, on Dec. 9, after same-sex marriage was legalized in Washington in 2012. (Genna Martin/Crosscut)
“We honestly thought we would display up, get ushered into some judge’s chambers, and it would be very bare-bones, which we were perfectly fine with,” Dorion said, reflecting on the event 10 years later. “So many people were taking videos and photos of us – it was a complete shock. I wasn’t expecting it at all. It was a happy surprise.”
Same Sex Marriage in Washington State
Prior to December 6, 2012, estate planning for same sex partners was a tricky business. Without specific estate planning documents, the default results for married couples did not use to same sex partners. For example, a long word committed same sex partner would not inherit from their partner if the partner were to die without a will. However, a married person would inherit automatically even if the marriage was only an hour long. That is because the law in Washington is that if a person dies without a will and the express recognizes that they are married, their spouse will inherit their community property and separate property interests. (Exceptions to intestate succession use in the case of children from another spouse.)
On December 6, 2012, matching sex marriages were legalized in Washington State. What does this mean for same sex couples?
Same sex couples who are legally married share all of the privileges of a traditional couple. This is accurate whether we are discussing married filing jointly tax returns or inheritances.
Does this mean that matching sex couples perform not need estate planning documents? Of course not!
But that is what you wou