Dear Editor,

Thanks for the front page article “Married in spirit” (Aug. 12) about the Darling-Burleys, a male couple who recently wed. Congratulations to them!

In time-honored fashion, their community, friends and loved ones celebrate their lifelong commitment. Marriage is not easy but these two deserve our society’s support for doing the work of staying together and supporting each other.
 
Same-sex couples can currently marry in every way but one. They can marry in the eyes of their community, their religion, and their families. The only way they cannot marry in Washington, unfortunately, is in the eyes of the law. That is a shame.
 
Civil marriage is not just a social status. It is a legal status that has profound impact on the lives of the married couple. Over 400 state laws pertain to married couples, mandating legal responsibilities and providing legal protections to them – responsibilities and protections that are denied to same-sex couples.
 
To deprive a devoted couple like Matthew and Ray, or us, from the deeply meaningful, critically important legal status of marriage is wrong. The marriage of a couple, whether straight or gay, is not something to fear but is something to celebrate.
 
Ken Molsberry & Chris Vincent
Morgan Junction