Cathlin and Avril live in Clarkston, Washington, a small community across the Snake River from Lewiston, Idaho. Cathlin was recently diagnosed with cancer, and so now between their kids’ dance lessons and soccer games they squeeze in weekly trips to Spokane for chemo treatments. Cathlin’s family does not support her relationship with Avril and the couple are relying on their domestic partnership to ensure that their relationship is respected.

In November 2009 Washington voters approved Referendum 71, a measure that allows same-sex couples and unmarried opposite-sex seniors to access many of the rights and protections granted to married couples. This was a video created by the ACLU's LGBT Project for the Approve Referendum 71 campaign.