Just received this announcement from Senate Democrats:
“Tonight at the Governor’s inaugural ball, Senate Democrats will be represented by their Caucus Chair, Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle.
“Joining him on the walk from the Senate Chamber will be his domestic partner, Michael Shiosaki – the first time in the state that an honored guest is introduced at a gubernatorial inauguration with his or her domestic partner.”
What is a ‘domestic partner’?
And if such introductions haven’t been done before, what is the point now?
Who cares?
What about Representative Jamie Pederson D-43? He has been serving since 2006 and he wrote the Domestic Partner legislation HB 3104 – 2007-08.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/Summary.aspx?bill=3104&year=2007
His husband Eric appeared on campaign literature when he ran in the 2006 primary.
from his bio
http://www.housedemocrats.wa.gov/members/pedersen/bio.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Pedersen
“Jamie chaired the board of the national civil rights organization Lambda Legal, and served as Lambda’s lead volunteer lawyer on the state’s marriage equality case. He also provides free legal services to a variety of nonprofits, such as Pride Foundation, Social Venture Partners, the Puyallup River Watershed Council, Pups for Peace, and Lambert House.”
“Jamie served for six years as the lower second tenor section leader in the Seattle Men’s Chorus, where he has sung since 1996. He helped to craft the vision of the Chorus: to create a world that values and accepts its gay and lesbian citizens.”
“Jamie lives on Capitol Hill with his partner, Eric Pedersen, and their son Trygve.”
That would be the first gay state Senator’s spouse of a caucus chair to attend a governor’s inaugural ball but he is not the only openly gay member of the Washington State Legislature.
Actually according to Wikipedia. There are two openly gay state Senators and four State Represenatives.
“Pedersen is openly gay and is one of six LGBT members of the Washington State Legislature, alongside Sens. Ed Murray (D-Seattle) and Joe McDermott (D-West Seattle), as well as Representatives Jim Moeller (D-Vancouver), Dave Upthegrove (D-Des Moines) and Marko Liias (D-Mukilteo).”
One note. It looks like Jamie Pederson’s campaign website has been taken over by Chinese hackers. I’ll send and email to his office and let them know they need to have someone take a look at the website.
Jamie is also one hell of a legislator and a very smart and hardworking guy.
I think it would have been sufficient to just say, “Joining him on the walk from the Senate Chamber will be his domestic partner, Michael Shiosaki”. Better yet, “Joining him at the ball will be his partner Mr. Michael Shiosaki” would be better. That tells it all, and most of us don’t want to hear any more.
I hope when they are introduced they will just say “Representative Ed Murray and Mr. Michael Shiosaki”. When husbands and wives, or boyfriends and girlfriends are introduced you say e. g. “Doctor Michael Jones and Mrs. Jones” or “Doctor Michael Jones and Sarah Smith”. That to me is better protocol. Simple and to the point.
Jake, you called Jamie’s partner Eric his “husband”. To me and to most people he is his “partner”. That has become acceptable to most liberal leaning people. That is the way I see people mentioned in the best magazines, and it is a better protocol to avoid controversy. One step at a time. It won’t do to shove things down people’s throats or you will meet resistance that will delay acceptance. Look how long it took to accept inter-racial marriages, and even they are not acceptable to some bigots.
Emilie (Post)
Port Orchard, WA
I guess I am surprised that this is a first.
Well I met Jamie Pederson when he was campaigning in 2006 and I was in Institute for a Democratic Future. He was talking about Lambda Legal. I believe he referred to Eric as his husband but I think the polite thing to do is to pick up on whatever term the couple uses and use that. Same thing with straight couples. Jamie and Eric took a common last name while Ed and Mike did not.
Governor Gregoire affectionately refers to her husband as the “First Mike” while his official title is the First Gentleman of the State of Washington. I can only imagine what Bill Clinton’s title is going to be now that he is married to the US Secretary of State. Secretary-designate Clinton is going to be the third female US Secretary of State but the first to be married in office.
I also saw a performance of the Seattle Men’s Chorus a couple years ago when I lived in Seattle and I think Jamie was in it at the time. I did email Jamie to let him know his website was “Borked”.
I can’t believe they named their son Trygve. I know it is traditional norse name but come on this isn’t Norway. Then again a friend of mine named her son Ka El as in Superman’s name on Krypton.
What Jim C. said.
A “Doctor Michael Jones and Sarah Smith” type introduction makes sense.
A ‘Domestic’ used to mean a servant, housekeeper… and so a ‘domestic partner’ might mean a servant partner…whatever THAT means.
I don’t give a flippin hoot about the relationships. If the elected, appointed ‘Public Domestic” needs to be named and the person or pet with them needs to be introduced, use the name. Who cares how and why they are together?
… introduce people without the convoluted and unnecessary wordage…just the name. Please.
Sharon O’Hara
PS One of my favorite people is named Trygve from Alaska. Good name, in or out of Norway..
Well I believe the rational in using the term “Domestic Partner” is that it infers that it is a civil and public recognition of a romantic union between two people. Personally every couple should get a Civil union issued by the government when they apply for a marriage because I don’t think it is the roll of the government to decide who can get “Married”. I respect peoples religious beliefs about marriage and it should be up to your own denomination to decide who gets married in your church. The creation of a separate but equal designation irks the daylight out of me. The term domestic partner sounds like you sell Amway together.
Honestly I think the seperation of church and state protects the church from the interferiance of goverment. If your personal faith tell you that you don’t accept a union between two men or two women than fine but don’t force the government to deny them the rights and protections that a civil government recognized union. Put simply and crudely if you are against gay marriage then fine, don’t get one, but leave the people that do want one alone and live and let live. All of the gay couples I personally know pay their taxes and go to work just like every responsible citizen and I personally think they are due the same rights offered all citizens of Washington. They are really not that different than the rest of us.
If your personal faith tells you not to eat pork or shellfish than fine but I don’t think that bacon wrapped shrimp should be outlawed.
Personally I think referring to someone beloved as a partner makes them sound like you are in a business together. However in some states without Domestic Partnership laws some same sex couples opted to create a legal corporation for finical and legal purposes. It irks me that corporations have more rights than a same sex couple in this country. Really one of the main reasons why a couple would like to get a civil union is the legal protections of joint property and health insurance benefits for them and their kids.
A while back I looked into the Washington State domestic partner law to possibly get my ex-girlfreind who I lived with on my health insurance plan. She was chronically ill and so we didn’t to get married until she was healthy. Unfortunately you can’t get a civil union unless you are a same sex couple OR an opposite sex couple that are both senior citizens. Also my employer had a domestic partner policy but you could not be an opposite sex couple to take advantage of it. Personally would want to get married out of a symbol of love and devotion instead of try to get health insurance coverage for someone you care about.
Anyway they have same sex marriage in Canada, South Africa and all scandinavian countries including Norway and things look pretty normal there.
I don’t have a clue how to pronounce “Trygve”.
I pronounce it trig v e… and likely wrong.
This is a non-issue anymore being made into an issue.
Tom Rosendale Says:
This is a non-issue anymore being made into an issue.
Amen. To that brother.