Gay marriage in washington
Domestic Partnerships and Marriage Equality in Seattle
Over the course of four decades, the Seattle City 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 obtain 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 support 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 prove goals, priorities, and immediate action objectives in alleviating discrimination against women.
Legislation mandating fair employment practices was first passed by Metropolis 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
Washington State Makes History with Marriage Equality Rule
WASHINGTON – Today the Human Rights Campaign – the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights corporation – praised Washington articulate Gov. Christine Gregoire for her signature of the historic bill extending marriage to gay and womxn loving womxn couples. HRC is arrogant to have been a founding member of the campaign to pass the marriage bill and to have worked on the ground with state partners.
“Today’s signature of the marriage equality law puts Washington on the road to fairness for all families,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “While those opposed to marriage for queer and lesbian couples will no doubt try to undo this progress, I am confident that equality will prevail in Washington.”
The Human Rights Campaign made a significant engagement of resources to the successful efforts to accomplish marriage equality in Washington in 2012. From the founding of the Washington United for Marriage coalition through the governor’s signing of the marriage bill, HRC provided substantial field expertise. Additionally, HRC he
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 Municipality Hall to become one of the first Homosexual 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 apply to same sex partners. For example, a long term committed matching sex partner would not inherit from their boyfriend 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 apply in the case of children from another spouse.)
On December 6, 2012, same sex marriages were legalized in Washington Mention. What does this denote for same sex couples?
Same sex couples who are legally married share all of the privileges of a traditional couple. This is true whether we are discussing married filing jointly tax returns or inheritances.
Does this mean that same sex couples complete not need estate planning documents? Of course not!
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