RSSPride Fest brings couples together for 'true marriage'
Yakima Herald-Republic
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With rainbow-colored balloons waving and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" playing on the stereo, two couples participated in a public commitment ceremony Saturday to highlight the 13th annual Yakima Pride Fest at Union Gap's Fullbright Park.
The Rev. Jerry Hebert of Poulsbo, Wash., officiated the ceremony, giving the two same-sex couples a start at "what I like to refer to as true marriage," he told about 30 supporters gathered on the grass to watch.
He then handed a "Certificate of Union" to each couple -- Yakima women Tre Bechard, 34, and Michelle Perkins, 27; as well as Royal City men Fernando Flores, 23, and John Flores, 19.
John Flores, a former Yakima resident, recently changed his last name from Kipling to match his partner.
"We're excited," said Perkins, 27, as she put her arm around Bechard. "We're glad we got the opportunity. I feel very blessed right now."
Pride Fest is one of many outdoor picnics across the country that aim to promote and celebrate gay rights.
Other activities included speeches by Connie Watts, executive director of Equal Rights Washington; and Hebert, a Washington State Human Rights commissioner.
People came and went throughout the day, but at the time of the commitment, about 100 people licked ice cream cones, listened to music and browsed fundraising tents for advocacy groups such as Yakima Lesbians and First Fridays.
Pride Fest serves as a way to remind people, "It's OK to be different," said organizer Ken Lewis, president of First Fridays.
The unions of the two couples carry no legal weight in Washington. In 2006, the state Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to not recognize same-sex marriage.
However, the Legislature this year expanded Washington's domestic partnership law by granting same-sex couples many of the same legal rights as married couples, including property and guardianship rights. Both couples at Saturday's park ceremony have registered as domestic partners with the state.
Last month, California's Supreme Court struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage, allowing thousand of gay people the right to marry.
Bechard believes Washington will soon do the same.
"We're not far behind them," she said.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to correct erroneous information that appeared in the originally published version.
