Visit the new site for marriage equality in the District of Columbia: www.dcformarriage.org.

DC City Council member Jim Graham stated at a recent town hall that he will introduce marriage equality or civil unions legislation in DC "in the next two years". The Washington Post gives more details:

"But first, Graham said, he wants Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) to release a legal opinion on whether the District recognizes same-sex marriages officiated in other states. Former D.C. attorney general Robert Spagnoletti, who served in the Anthony A. Williams administration, prepared an opinion, but it was never made public."

Civil union legislation would not be a significant step forward for the District. We already have a "separate but equal" domestic partnership program for same-sex couples. Same-sex couples can currently register as domestic partners and share many of the same rights and responsibilities as same sex couples.

A "separate but equal" system, however, is never truly equal. One would hope that Jim Graham would introduce legislation for full marriage equality in the District of Columbia.

But as the DCist comments, many still fear a Congressional backlash:

"And really, who can forget the lovely message Sen. Sam Brownback sent our fair city (R-Kan.) the last time this came up in 2005? If we remember correctly, it was something like "try to legalize gay marriage and I'll personally sodomize each and every one of you." But could this, like the ban on District spending for needle exchange programs ... be one more issue the District could theoretically make up its own mind about now that Democrats control Congress?"

Let us hope so.