Same-sex marriage
supporters introduce measure
requiring
heterosexual couples to have children
By AP from ith.com on
the Web, February 6, 2007
OLYMPIA, Washington, Feb. 5 --
Proponents of same-sex marriage have introduced a state ballot measure that
would require heterosexual couples to have a child within three years or have
their marriages annulled.
The Washington Defense of Marriage Alliance acknowledged on its Web site that
the initiative was "absurd" but hoped the idea prompts "discussion about the
many misguided assumptions" underlying a state Supreme Court ruling that upheld
a ban on same-sex marriage, partially on the grounds that marriage is tied to
having children.
The measure would require couples to prove they can have children to get a
marriage license. Couples who do not have children within three years
could have their marriages annulled.
All other marriages would be defined as "unrecognized," making those couples
ineligible for marriage benefits.
The state Supreme Court opinion written by Justice Barbara Madsen concluded that
"limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples furthers the state's interests in
procreation and encouraging families with a mother and father and children
biologically related to both."
Gregory Gadow, who filed the initiative, said the argument is unfair when you're
dealing with same-sex couples who are unable to have children together.
"What we are trying to do is display the discrimination that is at the heart of
last year's ruling," he said.
The paperwork for the measure was submitted last month. Supporters must
gather at least 224,800 signatures by July 6 to put it on the November ballot.
Cheryl Haskins, executive director of Allies for Marriage and Children, said
opponents of same-sex marriage want only to preserve marriage as the union of a
man and a woman.
"Some of those unions produce children and some of them don't," she said.
Massachusetts is the only U.S. state to allow same-sex marriage, while
Connecticut, New Jersey and Vermont have civil unions.
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