Australian equality advocates have welcomed a commitment to introduce marriage equality by the Governor of Washington State, Christine Gregoire.
If successful, Gregoire’s bill will make Washington the seventh US jurisdiction to allow same-sex marriages.
Australian Marriage Equality national convener, Alex Greenwich, said one of the most important features of Governor Gregoire’s statement was her emphatic rejection of domestic partnerships as providing equality.
“Governor Gregoire championed domestic partnerships in Washington state in 2009 but has now changed her mind, admitting that separate is not equal and that full equality only comes with the right to marry”, Mr Greenwich said.
“Her dismissal of civil unions schemes sends a powerful message to those Australian legislators who still believe it is sufficient for same-sex partners to be relegated to the status of de facto or civil partners.”
“What’s also important about Governor Gregoire’s statement is that, like her fellow marriage equality champion, Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York, she is a committed Catholic. This is a reminder to Australian Catholic MPs that they too can support reform.”
In her statement Governor Gregorie said,
“Some say domestic partnerships are the same as marriage. That’s a version of the discriminatory separate-but-equal argument of the past. For years that argument was used to keep African Americans separate. But we Americans knew separate is not equal. Laws that keep some Americans in a separate status are inherently unjust. It’s now time for equality for our gay and lesbian citizens and that means marriage. When someone asks me what marriage means I don’t think of the legal protections of a marriage license. Instead I think about love, I think about commitment, I think about responsibility, I think about partnership. Same-sex couples should not be denied that meaning of marriage.”
At the end of 2011 the New Zealand Labour leader, David Shearer, also came out in support of marriage equality, even though his Party had championed civil unions when in office.
For a news report of Governor Gregoire’s statement:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2012/01/washington-gov-chris-gregoire-to-champion-same-sex-marriage.html
For a video of her statement:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2012/01/washington-gov-christine-gregoire-endorses-marriage-equality-for-gay-and-lesbian-couples.html
For a report on David Shearer’s comments:
http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_11223.php
For more information contact Alex Greenwich on 0421 316 335.