Political Inequality

During this year's city council elections, the Seattle chapter of the Washington State Women's Political Caucus declined to endorse City Councilmember Richard Conlin because he was opposed by two female candidates—a policy Conlin all but derided as reverse sexism at a Stranger forum in September. Next Sunday, December 4, the WPC will decide whether to take that policy further, voting on a resolution to "only endorse women candidates for elected and appointed office," excluding men from endorsement even in races with only male candidates. The resolution, which WPC State Chair Linda Mitchell says will bring the Washington chapter in line with its national parent organization, states that "endorsing male candidates... confuses members and observers about why the WPC exists and hinders our ability to be effective."

Will the WPC's exclusion of men marginalize the organization, marking it as a bastion of radical identity politics? Mitchell says it will do just the opposite, solidifying the group's image as an organization dedicated to promoting and electing women candidates. "Men will still appreciate the opportunity to introduce themselves to us and learn about our issues," she says. "If we don't stay focused on endorsing women and getting women elected, then it becomes confusing as to what the organization does." ERICA C. BARNETT

Legal Equality

Until last week, Governor Christine Gregoire's position on gay marriage was less than positive. "I do not believe Washington State is ready to support gay marriage," she said last spring.

That was then. No longer locked in a tight race for governor, Gregoire took a few baby steps toward endorsing full legal equality for homosexuals—provided someone else does the heavy lifting. Last week, at an annual conference of gay elected officials held this year in Seattle, Gregoire not only addressed the conference (a first for any governor, anywhere) but practically endorsed gay marriage, calling equal justice "a most noble goal for our courts." Gregoire recalled a time when interracial marriage was banned because "many said society wasn't ready." She followed with this: "And [the racists] were proven wrong. Likewise, I am confident that marriage equality will be legally extended by the courts to same-sex couples as well."

Local gay rights activists say they expect Gregoire to weigh in more clearly when, any day now, the Washington State Supreme Court rules on its gay marriage case. However slippery her statements at the conference, it's hard to see how she can avoid supporting marriage equality when the decision finally comes down. ELI SANDERS