This year Christians in Washington were very wary about trying to put Referendum 71 on the ballot. The self-proclaimed leaders of the religious right in the state were at a disagreement over whether to challenge the new domestic partnership law signed by Governor Gregoire this past May. Some saw it as the moral duty of the good Christian solider, fighting the unpopular fight and protecting straight marriages from gay domestic partnerships. Others felt that the backlash from the narrow passing of Proposition 8 in California in 2008, overturning their gay civil marriage rights decision by the state supreme court, had painted the church in a bad light and that there were better opportunities for the time and money of the (collective) church. There was actual disagreement played out on the front page of the state's various newspapers.
As in so many other areas of civil life, the zealots got their wish. They collected thousands of signatures to challenge the law by using their churches as canvassing platforms and in certain cases misleading voters by telling them this referendum would allow people who support gay rights to vote on the issue. A half-truth is still a lie and Christians know it, but it achieved their end nevertheless. On November 3rd gay people and their allies are going to the polls to secure their basic civil rights which have already been extended to them through the democratic process.
The domestic partnership law is really a final expansion of rights that already existed in part through other domestic partnership agreements in the state. There was a law in 2007 that extended some rights, a law in 2008 that extended some more rights, and now the final law past last May which basically gives gay and lesbian partnership full marriage rights under state law.
Before anyone gets too bent out of shape, it is important remember what it is that we're talking about here. Domestic partnership extends a couple, and particularly a family with gay parents, the right to own property together, jointly raise a child together without jumping through many legal hoops, share important medical decisions together, and transfer estates upon the death of one of the partners. Before this domestic partnership law, a couple had to enter into hundreds of contracts together and hire attorneys to ensure that all the bases got covered. This law the state's way of acknowledging that a family unit exists and to apply the state's benefits and responsibilities appropriately. It is not a law stating that Jesus Christ loves gay sex.
Recent polling suggests that the law is going to be upheld--ff people will get out the vote in an off-year election. 12,000 families have been forced to wait with their civil rights in the balance since May while the conservatives tout their dog-and-pony-show-referendum in eastern Washington. This is the representation of Christ that the people see. That should deeply trouble Christians. It makes me think of my friends back home, many of whom are not supportive of my "gay lifestyle" or the "choice that I've made."
This referendum to me is a statement on the current state of the conservative Christian movement. For those of you who support placing road blocks in the path to full equality for gay and lesbian people, you are wrong. You were wrong in 2004 when you reelected Bush to push writing discrimination into the constitution. You were wrong in 2008 when you spent millions of Mormon dollars to take away rights of thousands of people in California; and you are wrong now. You ask me to trust your authority on spiritual matters, yet clearly have lost your way.
To be fair, many people of faith support the domestic partnership law in Washington. On the approvereferendum71.org website there is a list of many churches supporting the law and telling their congregations that extending civil rights to their neighbors is the right thing to do. However, this is not the Christianity that I know or the example that I've seen in my own life. It has become clear to me in the years since leaving the church that many Christians remain solely interested in being right, regardless of who they have to step on to make their point. But we are real people, with real relationships that deserve validation and respect. You preach sermons on how to reach the "lost" gay community, how to help us turn straight, and then spend millions of dollars and tons of political capital fighting against our basic rights as citizens of this country. It's a losing strategy.
I am going to do my part to prevent the domestic partnership law from being overturned by religious zealots that have no stake in the issue at hand. And just as this fight has continued for decades, we will not stop until we achieve full equality. There will be another vote, and another and another. But personally I do reflect on the absurdity of fighting against the same people I used to be a part of, that raised me, that befriended me in my early years. It astounds me that they view this issue as something separate from the actual human beings they know that would benefit from this law. You've lost touch with Jesus and swim around in religion to pass the time.
