Seattle women to be issued first same sex marriage license in Washington state

Just after midnight on Wednesday night, Jane Abbott Lighty and Pete-e Petersen became the first same sex couple in the history of Washington state to be granted a wedding license.  According to Seattle's KomoNews blog, the two women are now allowed to marry under Washington law as a result of the passage of Referendum 47 (R-47), which legalized same sex marriage in the state.

Lighty, 77, and Petersen, 85, exchanged vows in a domestic partnership ceremony years ago, but say that legal marriage is what they've wanted all along.

"To have our 35 year loving relationship publicly honored and celebrated and have this be a legal marriage means everything to both of us," said Lighty.

The women, both nurses, raised Lighty's daughter from a previous marriage together and now have two grown granddaughters.

Fifty-four percent of Washington voters approved R-47.  LGBT couples can begin picking up their marriage licenses Thursday, December 6, but because of the state's mandatory 3-day waiting period, the earliest weddings won't take place until Sunday.

Watch the ad supporting Referendum 47 starring Jane and Pete-e, embedded via YouTube, below:

[image via screencap]