Suquamish tribe legalizes gay marriage

American Indian tribe adopts law recognizing same-sex marriage

By Maureen CosgroveAn American Indian tribe in Washington state on Monday voted to adopt a new law recognizing same-sex marriage. The law, approved by the Suquamish Tribe council, extends marriage rights to same-sex couples on the tribe's Seattle reservation. The tribe will be permitted to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples as long as each partner is at least 18 years old and one of the two is a member of the tribe. Same-sex marriage remains illegal in Washington, so the marriages may not be recognized by the state. The vote comes four years after a lesbian tribe member began her campaign for gay marriage on the reservation. The Coquille Indian Tribe in Oregon is the only other American Indian tribe to recognize same-sex marriage.Comment:  For more on gay marriage, see Gay Indians Doomed Tribe? and Villaraigosa's Pro-California Propaganda.