| Oregon ruling voided our civil marriage
Birch Bay couple unruffled by ruling
MARY LANE GALLAGHER, THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
Though the Oregon Supreme Court has struck down her marriage to another woman, Birch Bay resident Robynne Sapp said she's not taking off her wedding ring.
"That's pretty amazing, when somebody can annul your marriage without (your) consent," said Sapp, who married her partner Dotti Berry on March 7, 2004, while Multnomah County, Ore., officials were issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
The Oregon Supreme Court nullified that license Thursday, and those of 3,000 other couples, saying the county had overstepped its authority.
"I'm very angry," Sapp said. "But I'm going to use that anger to keep me motivated and continue the fight.
"It's a reminder how much work we still have to do to educate people about homosexuality and civil rights," she said.
Following their civil marriage in Oregon, the couple had a "spiritual ceremony" in Whatcom County last summer.
Berry said the court's decision has little impact on their legal status as a couple because this state never recognized their Oregon union.
Still, they'll keep their marriage certificate on the wall, Berry said.
"It's going to be a reminder to me every day of the vows I've taken to value Roby ... and treat our marriage with the utmost respect," Berry said.
"That is imprinted on my heart forever."
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