Gay travel gets another boost in Europe!

Civil partnerships in the United Kingdom, granted under the Civil Partnership Act 2004, gives same-sex couples rights and responsibilities identical to civil marriage.
 
I don’t care what they call it –  marriage, union, domestic partnership, whatever, as long as we get our rights! Why is the US taking so long to make these advancements? Do they realize how much money could be made off the gays? Plus, so many gay non-US residents would flock to places to Las Vegas and New York City to be wed!

In the UK, Civil partners are entitled to the same property rights as married opposite-sex couples, the same exemption as married couples on inheritance tax, social security and pension benefits, and also the ability to get parental responsibility for a partner’s children,as well as responsibility for reasonable maintenance of one’s partner and their children, tenancy rights, full life insurance recognition, next-of-kin rights in hospitals, and others. There is a formal process for dissolving partnerships akin to divorce.

Over 40,000 partnerships have been registered since 2004.  And now, for those who want the church wedding, that reality has happened in the UK.  On March 2, Peers voted by 95 to 21 in favour of an amendment to the Equality Bill moved by Labour Peer Lord Alli. The UK Government resisted his amendment in January, saying it was “not a workable solution to this issue”. Now CHURCHES will be allowed, but not compelled, to register homosexual civil partnerships.



Critics fear the change in the law could open the way for litigation against churches that refuse to register such unions. And others oppose the move because it makes civil partnerships more like full homosexual ‘marriage’.



Ben Summerskill, Chief Executive of the UK-based Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual equality organisation Stonewall, now the largest gay equality body in Europe responded to the  vote saying: “We are absolutely delighted with this vote for religious freedom. It will be warmly welcomed by lesbian and gay people of faith.”

“This further step towards equality is a real victory for religious reason over those Church of England and Roman Catholic bishops who’ve tried to bully other denominations in recent weeks,” said Summerskill. Quakers and Liberal Jews were among those denominations which supported the amendment.

“We’ve argued throughout that this is an important matter of religious freedom. Ministers have known for some months that we intended to table this measure and we regret that the Government didn’t stand up to the bullying it faced from some churches on this issue. We’ll now work closely with ministers to ensure that we secure implementation of this further step towards equality. This vote is hugely important to those gay people of faith (and, as Lady Neuberger pointed out, to their Jewish mothers too!) who wish to celebrate their civil partnerships in their own place of worship.”

Overseas couples wishing to register their partnership in the UK, must reside in the country for seven days prior to application for the partnership, and wait a further fifteen days before the civil partnership may be formed.

New Gay Travel Guide