Gender-neutral certificates coming
Published:Wednesday | November 28, 2012 | 12:00 AM
WASHINGTON (AP):
The Washington state Health Department will be changing marriage and divorce certificates in response to the same-sex marriage law that takes effect December 6.
Words such as 'bride', 'groom', 'husband' and 'wife' will likely be gone. The department wants to use gender-neutral terms.
Spokesman Tim Church told KIRO-FM (http://is.gd/qO94io) they could be replaced with something like 'Spouse A' and 'Spouse B'.
The forms will still include gender so the state can track the number of same-sex couples in the state.
The department is asking the public for suggestions. A public hearing on wording marriage certificates will be held today in Tumwater.