by Joshua FriedesSpecial to the SGN

Anna Schlecht, a longtime marriage equality supporter and local activist in Olympia, confessed that registering as domestic partners was far more emo-tional than she had expected. Schlecht walked up the long line asking people if they were Jewish and giving plastic cups to Jews so that they could crush them after they registered. We’ll break a glass when we get full marriage rights, said Schlecht as she and her partner of many years waited to register. Why ex-actly Jews break a glass at weddings is highly debated, but the symbolic pow-er of the public breaking of the glass is undeniable: a new family has been recognized before the community. Im-perfect as it is, the Domestic Partner-ship Registry represents, at long last, recognition by the state that same-sex couples form loving, lasting, and com-mitted relationships that are deserving of legal protection. The story of humanity, like the story of America and Washington State, is the story of a clash between reality and ideals, and the struggle to make our highest ideals a reality. Domestic Part-nership is not marriage equality. We are not satisfied, but July 23rd was a signifi-cant victory as we seek to fulfill a vision of equality for ourselves, our peers, our

ples were amazing. The first couple to register, Rick Sturgill and Jim Malatak, were thrust into unexpected media at-tention, as they shared their story with over a dozen reporters. They arrived early not to be famous, but to avoid the line and get protections they knew their 30 year relationship needed. Love, they had learned, can not stave off a heart attack. Love of another does not itself grant access at the hospital nor the right to make medical decisions. Love only makes the desire to be with ones part-ner at times of crisis more acute and the denial of rights more painful. Can any-one doubt the depth of their love, com-mitment and mutual concern for each other? Their willingness to share their story is helping pave the way for mar-riage equality. The road to marriage equality seems to be getting shorter. One common re-frain on July 23rd from couples standing excitedly waiting to register was, “Where are the protesters?” Nearly everybody had expected the day to be marred by anti-Gay demonstrators. But the only sound not usually heard in quiet Olym-pia on Monday morning was the con-stant honking of horns as people drove past the line on their way to work and market. It was clear that the people of Olympia were pleased. Hopefully, when they watched the evening news or read the next day’s paper, they better under-

A bright futurechildren and future generations. The passage of the Domestic Partnership Bill was not only a step on the road to marriage equality but an affirmation of the power of vision, activism, personal sacrifice, personal stories and, even, representative democracy. Standing in line to register, next to Representative Pedersen and his spouse Eric, were Roy Ordway and his partner, Ed Miller, who’ve been together for 50 years. For this couple who have been together so long, the Domestic Partner-ship Registry, second class citizenship though it is, must have seemed an un-thinkable goal in the 1950s. How far we have come in less than the length of a single relationship! The smiles on faces etched by age told the story of our col-lective accomplishments. Full equality is now within sight. Roy and Ed were reluctant to step into the limelight, but they shared their story with the media. How could any reason-able human being not see the wisdom in allowing this couple, who for 50 years have cared for each other in sickness and in health, the right to care for each other in old age? I suspect many Wash-ingtonians had never thought of the needs of older Gay and Lesbian cou-ples until July 23rd. The seed of justice is planted, now we must grow it into marriage equality. The stories shared by registering cou-

stood why Domestic Partnerships were separate and unequal. Hopefully, at the water cooler or the lunch table, a Gay ac-quaintance or a straight co-worker com-mented on the progress that was being made. Hopefully, these conversations were happening in every city and town in Washington State. Bittersweet was a word often used by people on July 23rd. The freedom to marry has always been a hallmark of full citizenship in America. The denial of marriage equality not only prevents families from protecting themselves, but it also stigmatizes Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, and Transgender people as sec-ond class citizens. The inability to mar-ry, robs Gay youth of their dreams and self-confidence. All this was understood on July 23rd as couples waited, many for hours, to get a certificate that would entitle them to fewer than two dozen of the 1400 legal rights and responsibilities of civil marriage. Yet, the celebratory mood of the day was undeniable. Anna Schlecht may have only crushed a plas-tic cup on July 23rd, but along with the thousands of others who had worked to pass the Domestic Partnership bill, she cracked the glass ceiling that robs so many of their equality. Onward to mar-riage equality. Share your stories!

Joshua Friedes is the Advocacy Director for Equal Rights Washington.

Seattle Gay News & Equal Rights Washington

Clockwise from top left: First couple in line - Charles Sturgill & James Malatak, Sarah Vanucci & Anna Schlecht, Jamie Pedersen & Eric Pedersen, Celebrating 50 years together - Lewis Miller & Raymond Ordway

‘JUST REGISTERED’ OLYMPIA PHOTO ALBUM, JULY 23, 2007

Issue 31, Volume 35, August 3, 2007P

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by Robert RakettySGN Staff Writer

The Seattle Gay News spoke with Washington’s 14th Secretary of State from his office in Olympia on Wednesday, August 1, about the new Domestic Part-nership Registry. Sam Reed, a Republi-can, has held the position since taking office in 2000.

SGN: For our readers who may be interested, can you talk a little about the preparations behind the scenes? How long have you been work-ing on implementing the Domestic Partnership Registry? Sam Reed: Of course, I worked with the legislators who were sponsoring it who first talked about doing it at the counties. Then, they came and asked me if it would be okay if we did it through the Secretary of State’s Office. I was glad to do it and we worked with them, including by providing testimony all dur-ing the session. Then, we spent a couple months, probably, preparing for this be-cause it first took some changing and some reprogramming and all that. We spent quite a bit of time organizing it so that, on the first morning, we would be well prepared, staff would be well prepared and that know what they were doing so that everybody would feel re-ally quite welcome and so that they were prepared to make it a more festive atmo-sphere. ... I am very pleased the way it worked out. SGN: Did you encounter any signifi-cant obstacles along the way? SR: No we didn’t, I’m glad to say. SGN: What do you want to say about your staff and how they handled this? SR: I think they really did a superb job. I have received a number of cards, notes and all that from people who were very pleased with the kind of service they had and the kind of atmosphere they en-countered.

a heavy schedule. It was a little of both. It was my feeling that it was their day. Their day to be in the news. Their day to be interviewed. I think if a statewide official like myself or the Governor or another prominent person were to show up, all the sudden all the coverage would be about interviewing us and maybe a little bit from those who where actually applying for this. So, I was really pleased with the news coverage. I thought it went well. In the meantime, I certainly did host in my office. Couples came up here into my office and all that. But, I re-ally felt the news coverage was very posi-tive and focused on the people it should be focused on, which are the couples themselves. So, I was pleased with the results of that. SGN: There have been some notable people who have registered, including State Senator Ed Murray and his partner and Jamie Pedersen, a State Represen-tative, and his partner, among others. Have you heard from them regarding the Domestic Partnership Registry and how they though the day went. SR: I have heard from Jamie that he felt very good about it. I heard second hand that Ed was also very happy with the way it was executed and carried out so pro-fessionally and smoothly. He thought it went well. I was just very pleased to hear that, especially, because these were the ones we worked with most on this piece of legislation. SGN: Have you heard any back-lash from individuals or conserva-tive organizations about the Domestic Partnership Registry? SR: I have not. A bit to my surprise... You know what, I didn’t during the leg-islative session and I thought I would. The fact that my office was going to be hosting this and we had our people their testifying. That’s a good sign. SGN: Do you have any plans to work with the legislature in the future re-

Interview, Sec. of State Sam Reed about registry day‘It has just been a really positive step forward for the state of Washington’

SGN: How is the registry going? How many couples have registered, as of right now? SR: I do not know right now, but it is available on the website. It keeps a cur-rent run on the number. SGN: Do you know if there is a back-log on the processing of Domestic Part-nership Registry applications received through the mail? SR: I haven’t heard that, but just be-cause we have a backlog on doing regu-lar business down there, the incorpora-tion licensing. In other words, simply due to the normal volume of business down there, that certainly could happen. SGN: I realize that this is a new law, but has any consideration been given to how the addition of rights later would be handled? SR: Obviously, there has been some discussion of that. We really feel that wouldn’t be any problem for us because all we are doing is registering. We aren’t implementing the substance of the law. So, we wouldn’t expect there to be any problem with that. SGN: Certainly, you are recognized as a leader in state government. Would you mind sharing what you think of the reg-istry on a personal level? SR: I just think that it is a very practical approach. I have been impressed with how well it has been received generally. It has just been a really positive step for-ward for the state of Washington. SGN: Do you have any friends who have registered? SR: I have and I have a few others that are going to register in the near future. They have, in fact, asked me to come down there an join them, which I will do; to be there with them when they register. SGN: I noticed that you were absent on the day of the registry, was that inten-tional or was it a schedule problem? SR: It was intentional and the result of

garding relationships for same-sex couples and how that might advance in the future? SR: We don’t. I think appropriately, that is coming from the legislature. I un-derstand there is some discussion now and, certainly, would expect that. Again, we would be glad to be there to testify. But, I think that we are, obviously, going to see some steps. I think Ed had made it clear that he has a few in mind and is going to move ahead. I suspect that is to happen. The registry has gone so well and been received so well that I think the legislature would be receptive to increas-ing the scope of the act a bit. SGN: I notice that there was a little confusion so far among about 40 couples who submitted applications. They were filled out improperly, apparently. What can be done to create a better level of knowledge to prevent that from happen-ing in the future? SR: One thing we do is we continually re-examine what we have on our website based upon mistakes that people make and everything so we can help to avoid them. That is something we have been doing versus something that is brand new. We are always going to try to make it clearer what exactly you need to do to submit this in a correctly form. I will say that this happens all the time with corporations licensing, limited liability partnership licensing, voter registration and all the things that we do here. Peo-ple don’t always follow directions, but if it is something that is a mistake that is happening regularly, than, obviously, we need to figure out how we can people to avoid that. SGN: Will it be the intention of the Secretary of State’s Office to work with these couples or will they need to submit an application again? SR: It is our intent to work with the couples to tell them what they did incor-rectly and what they can do to correct it.

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