Marriage-equality rulings: West Seattle notes; downtown rally

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Side notes to the U.S. Supreme Court rulings today on marriage equality:

OVERTURNED DONUTS: This photo is being shared by West Seattle’s King County Councilmember Joe McDermott – whose note on the box declares them to be “Overturned Donuts to Celebrate Overturning DOMA” (the Defense of Marriage Act, struck down in one of today’s rulings). (added) His official statement on today’s rulings:

“I am filled with simply overwhelming pride today as the US Supreme Court overturns DOMA!

“King County has been a leader in equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, so it was with sheer joy that my fiancé Michael and I celebrated with hundreds of couples as King County issued the first marriage licenses to same sex couples in the state last December. Now the federal government will treat those couples equally as well! This equality extends from military couples to seniors on Social Security, reaching so many hardworking families and providing them the security they deserve.

“This will indeed be a happy Pride Weekend!”

KING COUNTY EXECUTIVE’S STATEMENT: County Executive Dow Constantine is also among the local leaders who have issued statements today:

“I am pleased and proud that the Supreme Court has officially recognized the civil rights of same-sex couples, rights that Washington State voters embraced last year.

Being able to issue the first marriage licenses to happy same-sex couples was one of the highlights of my career. Thankfully, it appears that there will be many more such joyful moments as our nation moves, sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly, ever closer to the ideals announced at our founding. I am proud of King County and Washington State for helping to nudge the nation toward justice.”

PRIDE PARADE GRAND MARSHALS: This Sunday is the Seattle Pride Parade, and West Seattle’s trailblazing couple Jane Lighty and Pete-e Petersen – first to get a marriage license when they became available last December, one month after the statewide marriage-equality vote – are among the grand marshals, as is another West Seattleite, Sarah Toce, founder and editor-in-chief of online publication The Seattle Lesbian. Her site is where we found out about …

RALLY TONIGHT DOWNTOWN: There’s a 5 pm rally to celebrate the Supreme Court rulings, outside the U.S. Court of Appeals, 1010 Fifth Avenue downtown.

ADDED WEDNESDAY NIGHT: A photo from Steph Brusig‘s gallery of scenes from that rally, with a turnout estimated by organizers at more than 300:

Steph’s gallery is on Facebook, here.

Alki Area June 26, 2013 (1:09 pm)

Finally! DOMA was opportunistic politics and horrible legal policy. It left a legal limbo where I WAS legally married in my state, but NOT legally married to the federal government. Never in history was that the case. If you were married in a state (regardless of that states rules, like allowing first cousins, or minimum age of 16 or 18) if you were married in the state you were married to the federal government. But DOMA made this a legal nightmare. NOW it’s back to what it was ALWAYS for everyone else, if you’re married you’re married, end of story.

Next up (for those watching) a battle over “full faith and credit”. That’s the constitutional provision (Article IV, Section 1) that says if you’re married in one state (say Alaska) you’re automatically married in all other 49. Right now that’s true, only if you’re heterosexual. If that falls all states would simply have to recognize all marriages. They wouldn’t have to PERFORM them in their state (maybe you have to go to another state to get married).

Curtis June 26, 2013 (1:18 pm)

I’ve always been a big fan of DOMA as a political ploy to stop the gathering momentum of an anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment. Folks forget that such a thing was rapidly becoming likely at the time. DOMA, although clearly unconstitutional (Bill knew it then), functioned as a placeholder until the public opinion came around. It was Political Genius. I’m also delighted that it has outlived it’s usefulness and that the bankrupt morality that necessitated it has finally receded to the point that Marriage Equality for all American’s has now come to be seen as inevitable.

AG June 26, 2013 (1:23 pm)

Count me in with Alki Area! I’m THRILLED to think that my taxes will no longer be a nightmare of combining and dividing all property, credits, deductions, etc, and then having to file reams of paper (can’t file as single with community property online!) — my taxes this last year took me 4 days. And they’re about as simple as you can get – two employed adults, no children, own a home. Standard charitable contributions of about $2k/year. Nothing fancy at all. FOUR DAYS it took to prepare. And no accountant I could find knew how to handle it, so I spent weeks researching. I’m so thankful to have a hope of filing like everyone else next year. Not to mention my spouse can now take FMLA if I am sick or injured. There are SO many ramifications for me personally. I’m simply overjoyed.

That said, we still have a ways to go, as Alki Area mentioned above. With a partner who is transgender, I appear to be in a “straight marriage.” Our paperwork says domestic partners because my partner was legally the same gender as me when we got hitched. So, do we dissolve our DP and then go get “straight married” thereby circumventing all of the legal middle ground? Or do we “upgrade” to a gay marriage where we have many, but not all, of the rights of straight couples. It’s a conundrum, and we’re working to get an answer. Ideally the striking down of DOMA will eliminate the disparity and we won’t have to choose.

Angie June 26, 2013 (2:00 pm)

All I can say is it’s about time, and halle-freaking-lujiah. Props to everyone who worked to make this happen, and congratulations to all the folks whose marriages are now recognized by the Feds. My “traditional” marriage has never been threatened by gay marriage, no matter how many thousands of gay couples, here and around the world, have gotten married. Now we need to get the other 37 states to understand that.

Angie

=The only threat to traditional marriage is traditional divorce.=

wscommuter June 26, 2013 (2:19 pm)

Curtis’ comments are prescient. The far right will now push a constitutional amendment to define marriage as only between man and woman … but now, when they do so, it will only serve to further define the far right/Republicans who support such as the outliers they are. The cynical Democrat in me hopes they do …

Steph June 26, 2013 (2:29 pm)

I will be there taking pics for TSL so I can send some your way if you like WSB.

WSB June 26, 2013 (2:56 pm)

Thank you! If you get the chance, that would be awesome. We are still tied up in working on the tech problems held over from yesterday ….

nyhopi June 26, 2013 (2:36 pm)

Thumbs up DOMA down! Gawd I loves me some Joe McDermott!!! Hey Joey…how’s yer mum??

smokeycretin9 June 26, 2013 (4:35 pm)

I like donuts. Is this a knock on donuts? I dont get it. Dont mess with my donuts

I am glad people who love each other can do what they want to do without others making up the rules.

jiggers June 26, 2013 (9:32 pm)

Good job. Now you will have the same rights to get screwed over as straight people do. I know a few good divorce attorney’s.

Ex-Westwood Resident June 27, 2013 (7:04 am)

Although I do not support or agree with “Gay” marriage or the “Gay” lifestyle, I am pleased that that they can now find a bit of happiness. NO ONE should be denied that, esp. in todays world.
Notice I said I do not agree with. I am not judging them. It is not my place to judge another on how they choose to live their life, THAT is reserved for the Almighty.

Sorry, comment time is over.