Coquille Tribe Lesbians To Make History, Become First Indian Same-Sex Couple

August 22, 2008 8:29 a.m. EST

Oregon Indian Tribe Permits Same-Sex Marriages Portland, OR (AHN) - A lesbian couple will make gay history by becoming the first legal Indian same-sex marriage accepted by the Coquille Tribe.

The soon-to-be wed couple, Kitzen Doyle and Jeni Branting, had been in a committed lesbian relationship since high school.

Doyle said they only wanted tribal blessing for their union, but since their tribe is federally recognized, it would mean their marriage will gain federal recognition. Doyle told the Eugene Register-Guard, "For me, the important thing wasn't about rights or the benefits... I just wanted the tribe to say 'Yes, we recognize that you are just as important as any other tribe member, and we will treat you and your spouse as we treat all tribal members.'"

According to tribal law experts, the Coquille is apparently the first Indian tribe to accept same-sex marriage. Most tribes are silent on the issue, while the Navajo and Cherokee tribes ban gay unions.

While Oregon banned gay marriages in 2004, because of the federal recognition of the Coquille, the tribe is not bound by Oregon's constitution.

Ken Tanner, the tribal chief, told The Oregonian newspaper, "For our tribe, we want people to walk in the shoes of other people and learn to respect differences... Through that, we think we build a stronger community."