Gay marriage washington

Same-sex marriage has been legally recognized in the U.S. state of Washington since December 6, On February 13, , Governor Christine Gregoire signed legislation that established full marriage rights for same-sex couples in the state of Washington. From the early days of domestic partnership benefits to the ultimate victory of marriage equality, the history of same-sex marriage in Washington State is a story of resilience, determination, and the unwavering belief in love’s power to overcome adversity.

Washington state offers no legal recognition for gay marriage. The state. courts. In fact, the State’s Supreme Court decided that the state did indeed, have the power to limit marriage to opposite sex couples. Yet, the language of. relationships in Washington. Marriage was seen as unique by its definition. Beginning in December , same-sex couples can marry in Washington. This document is intended to provide general information about marriage for same-sex couples in Washington.

It is not legal advice.

first state to legalize gay marriage

Marriage is a serious legal and personal commitment. LGBT Rights in Washington, United States: homosexuality, gay marriage, gay adoption, serving in the military, sexual orientation discrimination protection, changing legal gender, donating blood, age of consent, and more. Washington became one of the first three states, along with Maine and Maryland, to enact same-sex marriage at the ballot box when voters approved Referendum 74 on November 6, Other states had legalized same-sex marriage earlier, but those decisions were made by courts or legislators rather than by popular vote.

This essay follows the path to marriage equality in Washington, beginning in when two men applied for a King County marriage license and launched the first gay marriage lawsuit when they were refused. It examines some of the civil rights achieved by gays and lesbians along the way. The county had never before received a marriage license request from a same-sex couple, and auditor Lloyd Hara b. Norm Maleng , then chief civil deputy prosecutor, told the auditor to deny the application.

Years later, Hara stated that he agreed with the couple, but his hands were tied. In , Singer and Barwick sued Hara, claiming that their constitutional rights had been violated. By this time, both plaintiffs were out of money, and were concerned that if they appealed again and were rejected by the Washington State Supreme Court, the debate over same-sex marriage would come to an end.

It didn't, but it took decades for the next step to occur. Meanwhile other gay rights underwent significant expansion. Jobs and Housing. In , Seattle City Council Member Jeanette Williams championed a city ordinance that would prohibit job discrimination based on marital status, sexual orientation, or political ideology. At the time, state laws pertaining to job discrimination enumerated marital status, but not the other two.

Federal laws already prohibited hiring discrimination based on sex, race, age, and religion. The city ordinance was approved with little controversy. It was the first time in city history that gays were mentioned in a law. In , Seattle amended its open housing law to prohibit discrimination due to sexual orientation in property sales and rentals.

The City Council voted 5 to 4 in favor of the amendment. During the debate, some argued that Washington's sodomy law made it illegal to engage in certain sexual behaviors and that landlords should not be asked to give way to such activities. Enacted in , Washington's sodomy law was vaguely written and only codified the offense as a "crime against nature. The punishment for sodomy was up to 10 years in prison. Under the law, oral and anal sex were illegal for consenting adults, either heterosexual or homosexual.

Beginning in the s, many states began repealing their sodomy laws, deeming them ineffective and a government intrusion into privacy. Washington legislators attempted to change the state's sodomy law in , but the proposal died in committee hearings. In , during the first comprehensive revision of the state's criminal code since , state senator Pete Francis b.

After Cunningham won the first vote, Francis dropped the idea of legalizing prostitution and repackaged the sodomy law repeal into an omnibus of reforms that had already received support from other conservatives. Cunningham balked and asked for a conference committee, but his motion failed in a tie.

The bill went to a senate vote and, with some parliamentary maneuvering from Francis, the new criminal code passed , and was signed into law -- without comment -- by Governor Dan Evans The repeal of Washington's sodomy law took effect on July 1, , long after Seattle's ordinances protecting employment and housing rights for gays and lesbians had been in place. Meanwhile, activists across the country were making progress in securing gay rights in other states, but were soon met with a conservative backlash.

In , Dade County, Florida, passed an ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation.