Comments on: Americans favour civil partnerships but don’t want gay marriage

By: Eagle the militant American Indian-Jew

Eagle the militant American Indian-Jew — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:46:13 +0000

I am in favor of heterosexual couples being able to have civil unions, but I am totally against them having the right to marry as heterosexuality is immoral and against nature because they chose to be heterosexuals. You’ve not born a heterosexual, you choose that life style and its again Mother Nature.

By: Iris

Iris — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:16:39 +0000

Comments 30 and 32 – thank you for that information.

I just can’t get my head round the fact that ‘any old marriage’ that has taken place in another country will be recognised in the UK as long as it involves a man and a woman, but if I married my girlfriend abroad, the UK government would refuse to accept it as a marriage.

Just pure discrimination.

By: Brian Burton

Brian Burton — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:06:19 +0000

Steve C,
How do you make that out, some more equal than others?

By: Stevie C

Stevie C — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:14:46 +0000

all are equal, but some are more equal than others.

By: Pete & Michael

Pete & Michael — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:20:36 +0000

Tim Comment 30. Having been in touch with a Local Registry Office, their answer is that the UK Registrar in an area must be notified if a Civil Partnership has taken place outside the UK. Seems confusing isn’t it, perhaps if one (or two) were to take their local Registrar with them say, to Vegas to witness the ceremony perhaps it may be legal in the UK.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:00:57 +0000

Loretta and Rose – the issue of hospital visitation is different in the UK, as “next of kin” status (a legally vague concept anyway) is not automatically given to a person’s spouse. Heterosexual married couples and same-sex couples in civil partnerships DO NOT get automatic rights to visit their partner in hospital – the patient gives permission as to who can see them or staff make a judgement call when they are unable to do so. The main reason for this is to protect those who may have hospitalised by an abusive partner.

“Next of kin” status is basically just an emergency contact person and legally they only thing they have a right to is the patient’s belongings if they die. Hope that clears things up.

By: Tim Hopkins

Tim Hopkins — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:32:42 +0000

Iris (#27): the UK has one of the most inclusive laws in the world for recognising, as UK civil partnerships, foreign same-sex marriages and registered partnerships. But of course we don’t recognise marriages as marriages, because the UK Govt still supports discrimination!

Any couple who register a same-sex marriage abroad will be recognised in this country as if they were in a civil partnership. That means that not only do they not have to register a CP here, they are not allowed to! (You can’t register a CP if you are already recognised as having one, even if it’s with the same person)

Unfortunately, as we know, many countries that have registered partnership are less good at recognising ones from other countries.

Tim

By: Harthacanute

Harthacanute — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:56:04 +0000

Controversial perhaps, but my attitude is that the institution of ‘marriage’ should be completely disestablished – so that any marriage entered into after a certain date has no legal significance.

Only civil partnerships (made available to anyone) should have any meaning in the eyes of the law .. and if beyond that people choose to have a meaningless ceremonial religious marriage, then that is up to them.

By: Aussie Gay Activist Paul Mitchell

Aussie Gay Activist Paul Mitchell — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:02:59 +0000

It is a sin to not allow gays the right to marry!!!! Because if you do not support gay marriage you are an economic vandal.

I do not support civil unions because they are “Jim Crow laws” or it is “second class citizen equality”.

By: Iris

Iris — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:02:16 +0000

Pete & Michael: “This will not be recognised in the UK, One will still have to apply for a Civil Partnership in the UK.”

Is that right? The UK actually makes you apply for a CP even though you’re married? I knew about UK CPs not being recognised abroad, but I hadn’t really thought about it the other way round. That’s depressing.

By: Tim Hopkins

Tim Hopkins — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:16:10 +0000

As part of our campaign for equal marriage, the Equality Network is doing a survey of people's views on the current law. Responses from anywhere in the UK are very welcome! The survey is available here. Thanks! Tim

By: Pete & Michael

Pete & Michael — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:20:46 +0000

Valerio Comment 16. ‘My partner and I are going to go abroad to get married’ This will not be recognised in the UK, One will still have to apply for a Civil Partnership in the UK. Having a Civil Partnership in the UK does not mean that it will be recognised in most other countries, Marriage between a man and a woman is!

By: Jean-Paul Bentham

Jean-Paul Bentham — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:34:10 +0000

Abi1975:

In your post 8 you say:

“The christian concept of marriage is pre dated by pagan marriage and that pre dates the birth of christ and the creation christianity. This Christian objection is a total farce and should be challenged in the European court of human rights. They don’t own marriage so should be shut up once and for all on this subject as they don’t own it.”

Here, in my post 24, I say: Spot on!

By: xaria

xaria — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:57:10 +0000

Brian

im glad your happy with the man of your dreams but CP are not the same as marriage. and even if they were, the name difference would be enough reason to end them. after all in segregated america, everyone drank the same water and just used different fountains. marriage and CP’s are different fountains that have been forced on us by a gurtless govt and religious lobbys

By: George

George — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:47:37 +0000

Results of this survey don’t surprise me one bit. They don’t “mind” us gays…really! But mind us enough that they think we should know our place and not have the audacity to be considered their equals.

By: Brian Burton

Brian Burton — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:14:18 +0000

xaria,
My Civil Partnership is certainly not a joke. I’m Married to the man of my dreams! C.P. is just another name for Marrage!

By: Dougie

Dougie — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:52:40 +0000

Eventually a judge in an English or Scottish court will ask the government of the day for clarification.

By: Rose

Rose — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:43:51 +0000

Brian, yes, I probably am. Eternal optimist!

By: xaria

xaria — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:03:50 +0000

civil partnerships are an unfortunate joke. seperate but equal is not equal.

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:26:29 +0000

Marriage is 1st and foremost a legal contract. Even if you get married in a church you have to sign the register for it to be legally recognised.

As a legal contract, it is entirely unacceptable to deny access to that contract to someone based on their sexual orientation. Being gay is not a crime in the US or UK, therefore whether 99% or 2% are opposed to gay marriage is irrelevant. If I obey the law and pay my tax then I want the exact same access to the contract of marriage if I choose it.

I do think CP legislation should be extended to straight couples as well mind.