February, 09 2012, 07:12am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Rebekah Orr, Equality California
PHONE: 415-498-0847 EMAIL: rebekah@eqca.org
Equality California Celebrates Passage of Washington Marriage Equality Bill
SAN FRANCISCO
The Washington state legislature today approved a bill to grant same-sex couples in the state the freedom to marry. Equality California Board President Clarissa Filgioun issued the following statement in response:
"The ability to marry the person you love is a fundamental freedom that loving, committed couples treasure. Marriage says "we are a family" in a way that no other word does. We applaud the Washington state legislature today for affirming that all couples and their families should have access to the security, dignity and respect that only marriage provides.
Yesterday, we celebrated as the Ninth Circuit court of appeals ruled that Proposition 8 violates the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. Today, the Illinois legislature introduced a bill that would give same-sex couples in the state the freedom to marry. Together, each of these achievements represent an important step in advancing the freedom to marry for loving, committed couples not just in the state, but across the nation. They unequivocally signal that the tide has turned and we are closer than ever to securing full and lasting equality."
Equality California is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots-based, statewide advocacy organization whose mission is to achieve equality and civil rights for all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians.
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