KUOW's Program Venture Fund

Marriage in Washington

Reporting and photos by Phyllis Fletcher

It's a wedge issue, a legal contract, and a financial commitment--and some say it's a recipe for failure. Marriages end in divorce less often than they used to; on the other hand, fewer people are getting married in the first place. In Washington, the meaning of marriage is being debated in the State's highest court. Who gets married? Who doesn't? And why? On KUOW we meet folks whose unions have been shaped by their lives in the Northwest. Marriage in Washington, Tuesdays in September during Morning Edition.

Support for Marriage in Washington is provided by the KUOW Program Venture Fund, Transom.org, and the Open Studio Project, which is funded in part by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Contributors to the KUOW Program Venture Fund include Paul and Laurie Ahern and Puget Sound Energy.

(EPISODE 1 - SEPTEMBER 6th, 2005) Washington State Law tells us marriage is a contract between two parties to establish the right to own property together. Most people don't figure that out until they're headed for divorce court. Today we'll meet a couple that put plenty of thought into their rights and responsibilities as a couple. They've crafted their own union with documents they wrote themselves. The meaning of marriage, in part one of our series on Marriage in Washington.

(Photo: Vega Subramanian and Mala Nagarajan with their domestic partnership agreement. Click photo for larger image.)

Listen to this story (MP3)

(EPISODE 2 - SEPTEMBER 20th, 2005) It was practically unheard of a generation ago. Now, real estate professionals say it's no big deal for a couple to buy a house together before they get married. Loan officers say market forces push couples into the sizzling Seattle real estate market before they make their trip down the aisle. The bank sees them just the same as any married couple--which is great when you're buying, but can lead to disaster if you break up. The cart before the horse, in part two of our series on Marriage in Washington.

(Photo: Greg Schlosser and Alta Hartmann hunt for a house in Seattle's Central District. Click photo for larger image.)

Listen to this story (MP3)

(EPISODE 3 - SEPTEMBER 27th, 2005) Scene: November 1999, WTO Seattle. A first-generation Chinese American in scrubby clothes wanders the streets of Downtown; pepper spray cannons fire overhead, glass shatters left and right. A high-six-figure check warms his pocket. For the first time in his life, he's rich. Soon, he’ll offer a woman from China a hand up in the global economy, with a fiancée visa to the United States. Today, he looks back. Did he do the right thing? Marriage, money, and migration in part three of our series.

(Photo: Paperwork to bring a fiancé to the U.S. Click photo for larger image.)

Listen to this story (MP3)

(EPISODE 4 - OCTOBER 4th, 2005) In an era when the divorce rate is down only because marriage is less popular than ever, people look for alternatives. One option is polyamory: the practice of having committed relationships with more than one person at a time. Enthusiasts admit “poly” comes with its own problems. But for them, it’s the most honest and fulfilling way to live. And in Washington, its popularity is growing; a “Poly Camp” in Redmond this year smashed attendance records for polyamorous gatherings worldwide, and attracted a film crew from the BBC. Our final installment of Marriage in Washington.