Friedes: Marriage Equality Achievable in Wash. in 2012

Josh Friedes is synonymous with LGBT equality. It's what he knows, and he's really good at it.

Friedes has served in a number of roles with Equal Rights Washington, the state's leading LGBT advocacy organization, since he arrived from Mass Equality and the Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts a few years back. He was ERW's advocacy director for two years and was the campaign manager of Washington Families Standing Together, the coalition behind the successful Approve Washington Referendum 71 campaign. And Friedes became ERW's executive director in March 2010.

Friedes led ERW's advocacy through five consecutive successful legislative sessions that, among other things, brought strengthened anti-bullying legislation, added gender identity and expression to the state's hate crimes law and three successive domestic partnership bills.

In short, when Friedes advises on LGBT equality-marriage in particular-people listen.

"I think marriage equality in Washington State could be achievable as early as 2012," Friedes told EDGE in an interview on Thursday, July 7.

Friedes said in order to achieve the hefty goal; he has stepped out of the role as ERW's executive director to focus on what he does best: marriage equality."It was clear to the board that now is the time for ERW to further intensify our efforts to secure marriage equality in Washington State as early as 2012," said Dr. Shilpen Patel, who chairs ERW's Board of Directors.

"As ERW's Marriage Equality Director I will get out of the office and travel around the state to speak with people about marriage equality," added Friedes. "Although there is a variety of ways to secure marriage equality in our state none of them will be possible without public support."

Friedes said with the help of the momentous win in New York and an incredible base of skilled advocates, he intends to drum up the public support needed to bring marriage equality to the Evergreen State once and for all.

Activist Rod Hearne will serve as ERW's new executive director, effective immediately. Hearne and his partner, Roger Nythus, are fixtures in Seattle's progressive political scene. As ERW's top administrator, Hearne will oversee the organization's education fund, lobbying and other day-to-day operations.

"Nationally, and especially in Washington, there is growing momentum to achieve marriage equality," said Hearne, who is a former ERW board member. "The issue is so huge we wanted Josh to be able to focus full-time on building the movement for marriage equality in Washington."

Friedes acknowledged an executive director is the most important job in any non-profit organization. "But at this critical moment in our movement for marriage equality, I really wanted to be back in the trenches working with leaders of diverse communities and organizations to develop a marriage equality majority in the electorate and the Legislature," he added. "I'm thrilled that the board is allowing me to do the work I love and that Rod Hearne, one of the most talented leaders in the community, has agreed to step into the role of executive director."

Friedes: Washington Better Situated to Achieve Marriage Equality
Friedes said he believes that Washington is better situated than most other states to achieve marriage equality because "we have a more unified community."

He may actually be on to something.

During the successful Referendum 71 campaign, there was no counter-protest from within the LGBT community. In addition, Washington has a number of elected openly Lesbian and Gay legislators. "The moral, strategic leadership that we enjoy is unprecedented," said Friedes. "A huge amount of furthering LGBT equality in Washington is due to them. They can, and will, continue to play a role in bringing marriage equality to Washington."

Friedes applauded state Sen. Ed Murray (D-Seattle), state Reps. Jamie Pedersen (D-Seattle), Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma) and Marko Liias (D-Edmonds) for their efforts on behalf of LGBT Washingtonians in Olympia.

"Equal Rights Washington fills an important niche in our diverse community with its great volunteer base and its lobbying work for civil rights bills in the legislature," noted Murray to EDGE. "By devoting Josh Friedes full-time to marriage equality, it will help engage and activate the people, organizations and resources we need to make it happen in Washington."

State Rep. Jim Moeller (D-Vancouver) echoed his colleague.

"I've sponsored legislation to bring marriage equality to Washington State, but it's going to take a huge effort to make that happen," he said. "I'm glad that ERW is stepping up, and I look forward to working with Josh, Rod, and the ERW team."

Recent polling shows Washington has an increasingly pro-marriage equality electorate. Several recent studies suggest that Washington State has a better chance of securing marriage equality at the ballot box than almost any other state in the union that does not already allow same-sex couples to tie the knot.

Thomas Pitchford, development and outreach director for ERW, told the organization's supporters earlier this week that since New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed his state's marriage equality bill into law late last month, local activists have sent nearly 10,000 e-mails to state lawmakers calling for nuptials for gays and lesbians. He said that in the days immediately following the New York vote, Washingtonians signed 3,000 ERW marriage equality postcards.

ERW will collect postcards at events in Pierce, Clark, Skagit, and Benton Counties this month. ERW also regularly sends supporter postcards to legislators in Olympia.

"In the next month ERW will invest $30,000 in research to determine how best to solidify a marriage equality majority in the electorate," added Pitchford. "This is critical to developing a winning strategy to educate voters and engage those who are already our supporters. We are conducting meetings with a number of stakeholders including LGBT and non-LGBT organizations, faith communities, donors and foundations, small and large businesses, elected leaders, unions and professional associations, and many other groups across Washington. Gaining insight and involvement from stakeholders is the best way to ensure we build a unified, strategic, and transparent campaign to secure marriage equality."

Friedes told EDGE that everyone who wants marriage equality in the state should have the same mantra; build strong public support.

"We've got to keep our eye on the prize," he said. "We are not going to wait until the final weeks and months of a campaign. Now is the time to do the work. We are simply moving up the timeframe."