“On December 21st it will be three years since civil partnerships–gay marriages in all but name–were introduced in England and Wales (Scots and Northern Irish registrars began one and two days earlier respectively). The pent-up eagerness of many couples to tie the knot created an early rush: nearly 4,000 people got hitched that December. Candlelit restaurants will be doing brisk business in the next few days. By halfway through this year nearly 60,000 Britons had entered a same-sex union, giving them legal rights virtually identical to those of married couples. In contrast to their American counterparts, most British gays seem relaxed about not having the right to call their partnership a marriage. “It meant we could get the law through sooner. Changing the wording is not really a priority,” says a spokesman for Stonewall, a gay-rights lobby group.”[The Economist]
UK Celebrates Three Years of Civil Partnerships
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John from England(used to be just John but there are other John's)
yes…
John from England(used to be just John but there are other John's)
“It will be interesting to see if they tally with the government’s current guess that between 5% and 7% of the population is lesbian, gay or bisexual. Data on civil partnerships suggest that the last category might prove the most surprising: of those who have formed partnerships so far, a tenth of men and nearly a quarter of women were married before to someone of the opposite sex.”
That’s interesting and looks @ Kinseys theory..
Wolf
Must be nice to live in a civilized country.
DairyQueen
It’s easy for the Brits to take something less than marriage. They are a small country compare to the US. They also don’t have different types of same-sex unions all over. Why the fuck should I have to have a different type of license that my Str8 siblings have?
Tom
Meanwhile, back in U.S., the boneheaded gay rights movement tried to shove gay marriage down the throats of people in the most religious westernized country in the world. What was the result: twenty-nine (29!) states have passed constitutional amendments explicitly barring the recognition of same-sex marriage, nineteen (19!) of which prohibit the legal recognition of any same-sex union. Which means, even if the federal government began recognizing civil unions (which will occur within the next few years), gays in those 19 states are shit out of luck.
Nice going gay rights leaders. Any more bright ideas? Because that strategic blunder was a loser.
Dave
Actually it depends on how much of DOMA is repealed if only the portion pertaining to federal government recognition is repealed then yes Tom would be right however if all of it was repealed then due to constitutional requirements regarding mutual recognition of contracts between states would de facto permit same-sex couples to have their marriages recognized in other states. Currently having a civil union in one state does not necessarily even mean that in a different state that has some form of same-sex couple recognition that your union would be recognized in that state – some politicians have sought to limit curtail our rights in that manner. If shenanigans like that and the disrespect shown even carefully worded contracts that legally should guarantee hospital visitation rights are ignored as they have been then I certainly have little faith that national civil unions would be any safer a bet. Though truly that won’t be an better without better understanding in the larger community.
Minnie
If we can’t grasp the basic concept that the right wing advanced its agenda by using a slippery slope, then perhaps it’s true we get the government we deserve. Dig in your heels and insist on the word “marriage” first, and it will never happen.
So while the gay rights leaders are busy taking a stand on principle, I can’t inherit my partner’s property, make health care decisions, or get a greencard. So to the benevolent gay overlords: your principled stand is hurting real people as much as the right wing bigotry is. At least you’re effective.
Dexpat Mike
Totally agree Mini – a country like the UK that is more liberal than the US went for Civil Unions and life is just fine, but the idiots at HRC and across the board had to push for marriage in a centre right country like America…odd considering that a majority do support unions…so why not go for that. Look at Connecticut – legally passed civil unions, which were challenged and now gay marriage. It really ticks me off, as I am one of those stuck abroad because my partner is a Brit. Not that London is a bad place to be stuck and to be honest, it is nice living in a country where at least the Government is on your side…if not every single person in the country. Go Great Britain!
John from England(used to be just John but there are other John's)
@DairyQueen:
Of course that’s true.
We are nothing like the US. We are certainly not as complexed, though we have certain areas that do feel seperate..