Tag Archives: gay

Kitsap Pride is Sunday July 21st – Let’s Celebrate!

You may have heard about some of the larger lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender pride events, like Seattle, and these are a lot of fun.  However, for the past 17 years Kitsap County has had its own unique event – Kitsap Pride is a Pride event that celebrates community with Kitsap County style.  The event started as a potluck picnic, and has grown into a festival attended by hundreds of community members.

This year’s event on Sunday July 21st is a chance to celebrate some big advances towards equality, such as Washington State voting in state recognition of same-sex marriage, and at the federal level the Supreme Court’s historic striking down of a significant part of the Defense of Marriage Act.  Since so many folks in Kitsap County are federal employees, these two events add up to many local married gay and lesbian couples having the same employee benefits as their heterosexual married coworkers.  I hope to see many happy couples celebrating at Evergreen Park on Sunday!

Even without the historic milestones, Kitsap Pride is a meaningful and affirming community event – a place to listen to local musicians, enjoy food, visit vendors, and best of all to be with friends.

For more information about Kitsap Pride go to www.kitsappride.org

or on Facebook at : https://www.facebook.com/kitsappride

 

~ Marcie

Standing on the Side of Love

A group diverse in age and religious affiliation gathered on Tuesday evening at the Library in Poulsbo to talk about the importance of marriage equality and “standing on the side of love.”

Much of the discussion was around religion, even though it is the legal aspects of marriage that are likely on the line in November. One of the people who spoke was Washington State Representative Drew Hansen (23rd Legislative District).  As a self-proclaimed devout Christian, he eloquently conveyed why what he sees in the Bible shows him that Christians should support marriage equality.

While there was a predominance of Unitarian Universalists attending, many Christian denominations were represented as well.

Also speaking was a young couple from Bremerton, one of which is a U.S. Navy Sailor, who both shared how heartening it was to see such a supportive group assembled.  This couple is an excellent example of why marriage equality is important – One of them is fighting for the rights of all of us, the other is his supporter at home, yet they are denied equal access to the right to legally marry the person they love.

Two representatives of Washington United for Marriage explained how they are gearing up for the fight to approve Referendum 74 if it ends up on the ballot in November as expected.  For supporters of marriage equality there are many ways to help and information is available on their webpage: http://washingtonunitedformarriage.org/
Also, look for them at community events around the state over the next few months.

Washington United for Marriage and the North Kitsap Unitarian Universalist Church sponsored the Marriage Equality Town Hall.  Standing on the Side of Love is a Unitarian Universalist Association sponsored public advocacy campaign that seeks to harness love’s power to stop oppression.

 

 

 

 

~ Marcie