This advertising mural has become a sign of how we get along — or don’t. A “Smear the Queer” forum looks at community Wednesday night on Capitol Hill (Image: via Twitter)
It’s not the gay agenda conspiracy that AM radio talk show hosts would love it to be, but Washington state will be forcing some couples into gay marriages this June. Seeking to phase out the vestiges of Washington’s domestic partnership law, the state will automatically convert registered domestic partnerships to marriages on June 30.
There are currently around 6,900 registered domestic partners in Washington state, which includes same-sex and hetero couples. To help smooth the transition from DP to marriage for couples and families, the women’s rights group Legal Voice is holding a May 8th legal expert panel discussion to field questions such as:
- Who will be affected by the change?
- Legally, how would becoming married affect you?
- If you don’t want to become married, what can you do?
- How will you get a marriage certificate and what will it look like?
The event will be held at City Hall from 5:30-7:30 PM. The event is free, but pace is limited, so RSVP to Michelle at [email protected] or call 206-682-9552×113.
Lead by Capitol Hill’s then-senator Ed Murray, state lawmakers passed the domestic partnership law in 2007. Five years later voters approved same-sex marriage in the state. While the Secretary of State’s Office is responsible for marriage certificates, the Department of Health is handling the conversions.
Queer community
As the legal definitions shift for the LGBT community, so too do the broader terms that define the community and how its members define themselves. A Capitol Hill event will take on the question of how the queer community is defined at Gay City’s Smear the Queer: Queering the Definition of Community:
As the Pride season draws nearer, we will spend our first event, Smear the Queer: Queering the Definition of Community, letting participants speak with each other and listen to our neighbors to better understand what our individual definition of community is and how to pursue community that is inclusive of all those ideas and is innovative in create a collective definition of community that gets people excited for Pride season because as we all come together, knowing that our learning together and growing together is what will make our community stronger and more beautiful.
The Legal Voice marriage panel will take place Thursday May 8th, 5:30 PM at Seattle City Hall, 600 4th Ave.
Smear the Queer will take place Wednesday May 7th, 7 PM at Gay City Health Project, 517 E Pike.
