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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 19, 1996)
ju s t o u t ▼ a p rii 10. I M O ▼ 17 H oly baHle over m atrim ony Soon-to-be-released video touts legal marriage fo r same-sex couples ▼ by Inga Sorensen Family Values: A Lesbian Mother’s emian understands that Fight fo r Her Son, and Richard a picture, or in this case, Mohr, author of A More Perfeci video images, can gen Union, which advocates for same- erate strong emotions, sex marriage. either positive or nega “All of these people were in tive, in people. Couple that power town for book signings and things ful medium with highly charged sub like that. I would call their agents ject matter and you’ re bound to make ahead of time and say, ‘This is what some waves. I’m doing, would so and so agree to “The right wing has known that be interviewed?’ All of these folks for a long time,” says Demian, co called me back personally and said founder of the Seattle-based Part they would be delighted,” Demian ners Task Force for Gay and Les says. bian Couples. “Just look at the [anti During the 1995 Seattle Gay gay video] Gay Agenda. It’s been a and Lesbian Pride Parade he car very effective tool for them.” ried his video camera and a sign Demian, his sole legal name, and saying, “Do You Support Legal his partnerof 15 years, Steve Bryant, Marriage for Gay and Lesbian have been leading the lesbian and Couples?” gay couples’ cause for a decade by, Throughout the afternoon he in part, publicly advocating for legal filmed several “mini-interviews” marriage for same-gender couples. with parade attendees, the vast ma For many years the two have jority of whom said they felt equal been outspoken proponents of legal legal marriage rights should be marriage for gay men and lesbians, available to same-sex couples. Sev placing them ahead of the cultural eral of those interviews will be in curve— both in the broader commu cluded in The Right to Marry. nity and the sexual minorities com “Contrary to some people’s munity. claims that the gay and lesbian com With a pending court decision in munity doesn’t know where it Hawaii that could pave the way for stands on this issue, the people we legal marriage between same-gen talked with believe overwhelmingly der couples, the culture finally ap that we should have the same right pears to be catching up—and, not to marry as heterosexuals,” he says. surprisingly, many people as well as Additionally, Partners Task panicky lawmakers nationwide ap Force recently conducted a survey pear alarmed by the concept of equal via the World Wide Web that was marriage rights for same-gender designed to assess the queer couples. In response, legislation community’s attitudes toward le blocking such unions is being con gal marriage. Demian says 800 sur sidered in several state legislatures. veys were submitted, and of the In Washington, the GOP-domi- first 400 tallied, 60 percent of the nated state House recently approved couples said they would get legally House Bill 2262, which sought to married if it were possible, while bar legal same-sex marriage. The 22 percent were not sure. Two per bill said, “It is a compelling interest cent said they would not. of the state of Washington to reaf Steve Bryant (left) and Demian, co-directors o f Parmers Task Force fo r Gay and Lesbian Couples Even if couples personally don’t firm its historical commitment to yearn to get married, Demian says many gay and says The Right to Marry will provide solid data to will examine marriage as a means of promoting the institution of marriage as a union between a lesbian people believe that they should have the inform the public about legal marriage for gay intimacy and security in family relationships. man and a woman and its fundamental role in the right to do so. men and lesbians. He hopes the video will even Demian says Partners Task Force is commit procreation and development of children.” tually be shown on public access cable television “But there still is a lot of misinformation out ted to the project “because same-sex marriage is Even though the Senate ultimately killed the and made available to homes, libraries, elected there,” he says. our community’s single best opportunity to re measure, opponents of legal marriage for same- officials and community organizations. The Legal Marriage Alliance of Washington, verse a full range of discrimination we face as gender couples declared victory following the 66- meanwhile, was founded five months ago as a “We aren’t going to have anti-marriage argu same-sex couples.” 30 House vote, and political observers expect to resource for information on same-sex marriages. ments in this video,” Demian says. “We’re work Partners Task Force was founded in 1986 by see a similar bill next session. It assists existing organizations by sharing infor ing from the premise that legal marriage for same- Demian and Bryant, who felt that for decades the Demian, meanwhile, says he recently viewed mation and coordinating strategies. sex couples is beneficial not only to those couples gay and lesbian community paid little attention to Just Married: The Ultimate Target o f the Gay but to society as a whole.” LMA’s immediate focus is to prepare the its coupled members. Demian says the Task Force Agenda, which was produced by Bill Horn, cre sexual minorities community and ator of the Gay Agenda, a video general public for the impact of the circulated by proponents of anti With a pending court decision in Hawaii that could pave the way for legal Hawaii marriage decision. It is also gay-rights measures. marriage between same-gender couples , the culture finally appears to be catching attempting to build support within Subjects in the latest Horn foot the lesbian and gay community. age proclaim same-gender marriage up — and, not surprisingly , many people as well as panicky lawmakers nationwide will lead to the downfall and de Right to Marry costs $29 appear alarmed by the concept of equal marriage rights for same-gender couples . plus The struction of “the family.” $3 fo r postage/shipping. To "That’s one of the reasons our order a video or receive more video couldn’ t come too soon,” says information, write Partners Task Force fo r Gay Demian was able to convince some well- gives voice to and advocates on behalf of same- the 50-year-old fi Immaker and videographer, who and Lesbian Couples, Box 9685, Seattle, WÀ known names in the gay and lesbian community sex couples. is in the final production stages of his video 98109-0685: or phone (206) 935-1206: e-mail: to be interviewed for the video. They include the Partners Task Force published a couples-fo- entitled The Right to Marry, which makes the case demian@eskimo.com; Web site: http:// Rev. Mel White, dean of the Dallas Cathedral of cused periodical for five years, conducted a “land for legal same-sex marriage. www.eskimo.com/~demian/partners.html. For Hope (Metropolitan Community Church); Evan mark national survey of gay and lesbian couples” The 70-minute video, which will be finished at m ore information about the Legal Mauia&e . Wolfson, an attorney for Lambda Legal Defense the end of April, will present examples of the . in 1988, and has made copious amounts of re Alliance o f Washington, call (206) 689-6280. and Education Fund and director for Lambda’s legal, financial and emotional burdens placed search available on the Internet. Legal Marriage Project; Phyllis Burke, author of upon same-sex couples who cannot marry, and Demian, who has a doctorate in education. D