The tide is turning…  Here in D.C., the Democratic State Committee and several Democratic ward organizations have endorsed marriage equality. Mayor Adrian Fenty promptly signed the marriage recognition legislation, which is now undergoing congressional review—and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has stated she opposes congressional interference with the decision by D.C.’s elected representatives. Elsewhere, Maine became the fifth marriage equality state, and New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch has reached an agreement with the legislature that will make that state the sixth.

What is “marriage equality” anyway?

    Marriage affords rights, responsibilities, and joys to consenting adult couples. Not long ago, marriage was reserved only for couples of the same race; fortunately, activists spoke out to right that wrong. Today, a similar struggle is taking place. Same-sex couples across the country are speaking out about their love and the desire to be legally protected under marriage laws.
   “Marriage equality” on the most basic level is the idea that any two consenting adults, regardless of their gender, should be afforded the very same legal rights, responsibilities, and joys that the institution of marriage has afforded to male-female couples for centuries.

What will marriage equality mean for the District?

    In 1977, the District of Columbia became one of the first jurisdictions on the country to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation when it adopted the D.C. Human Rights Act. District residents are justifiably proud of the example they have set for the rest of the country and for being true to its motto, “Justice For All.”

    In 1992, the District passed a domestic partnership law, only to be prohibited by interference from Congress from implementing it until 2002. Starting with hospital visitation rights, the city has gradually expanded the rights domestic partners enjoy since then, but these rights still fall far short of what married couples have.

    Today’s effort to grant same-sex couples in the District the same rights and responsibilities as heterosexual couples is in that same tradition of respecting the dignity and equality of each individual under the law.  Doing so would complete the work that District leaders and residents have done together to make sure all of the city’s people have equal rights.