OLYMPIA, Wash., February 8, 2023—Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and Governor Jay Inslee, along with state and local dignitaries, community leaders, and civil rights trailblazers, will gather at the Legislative Building in Olympia on February 14 for the grand opening of Legacy Washington’s newest exhibit, “Love, Equally: The Journey to Marriage Equality.” The public is encouraged to attend.

“Love, Equally” celebrates the 10th anniversary of marriage equality in Washington state and the people who stood at the forefront of LGBTQ civil rights. “Love, Equally” features a public exhibit; a book that celebrates the history of marriage equality with profiles about some of the champions of the cause; online content including stories, interviews, and personal profiles; and much more.

WHEN

3 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023

WHERE

State Reception Room, third floor of the Legislative Building
416 Sid Snyder Ave. SW, Olympia, WA 98504

WHO

Governor Jay Inslee
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs
Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins
State Sen. Jamie Pedersen
Former Governor Christine Gregoire
State Archivist Heather Hirotaka
Washington historian Stephanie Coontz
Special musical guests The Supertonics

Legacy Washington, a nonprofit funded by the ALL Foundation of Washington, documents extraordinary stories in Washington history, including the struggle for marriage equality. The transformation from “outlaws to in-laws” was one of the swiftest turnarounds in U.S. civil rights history. As recently as 2006, state law did not prohibit job discrimination against gays and lesbians, and the state Supreme Court banned same-sex marriage.

When marriage equality appeared on the state ballot in November 2012, LGBTQ advocates shifted the debate from the head to the heart. Instead of arguing about discrimination and privacy, advocates stressed that gay couples wanted the same white-picket fences, homey routines, and devoted commitments as heterosexuals. Using “family values” rhetoric, advocates condensed their universal message into a single word: Love.

Their “love, equally” won in Washington in 2012. It marked the first time marriage equality was approved by voters, rather than judges or politicians. Three years later, the U.S. Supreme Court followed suit.

“Love, Equally: The Journey to Marriage Equality” is sponsored by GSBA, SGN, and the ALL Foundation of Washington.

“Love, Equally” Exhibit opening livestream

Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees a number of areas within state government, including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. The office also manages the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, oversees the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees, and administers the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime.

SOURCE: Washington Secretary of State press release