The UK Civil Partnership legislation was widely described at the time of launch as being virtually equivalent to marriage, with almost equal treatment in the law: marriage in everything but the name - and a prohibition of any religious content or symbolism in the registry office proceedings.
Time has shown though, that words do matter. We have been promised some tinkering with the legislation to bring it ever closer to full marriage, but until we achieve full marriage equality, separate will never be equal. Political pressure is growing steadily. Now, the country's leading LGBT Christian group, the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, has given its support to a newly launched campaign for full marriage rights, the "Equal Love" campaign.
From the "Pink Paper", (October 26th):
Gay Christian Movement support Equal Love campaign
The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement has voiced its support for Outrage's Equal Love marriage campaign.
The backing comes after a press conference in central London officially launched the forthcoming legal challenge, this morning.
LGCM's Chief Executive, Rev Sharon Ferguson and her partner as the lead same gender couple in the Equal Love campaign, which is propelled by Peter Tatchell."It is clear from the recent polls that society is in favour of ‘gay marriage’ and even with the almost identical benefits afforded by Civil Partnerships, many gay and lesbian couples would still prefer to be able to get married."
In a statement released today they said: "LGCM strongly believes that the current system, only allowing people either a marriage or a Civil Partnership, based solely on the gender of the person they love is a form of sexual second-class citizenship.
"Both marriage and Civil Partnerships should be available to all couples regardless of gender. The choice of how to celebrate this lifelong commitment should belong to the couple, not the state.
"Whilst we respect and honour the decision of all couples who have entered into a Civil Partnership it is only befitting that we should be campaigning for marriage. We are a Christian organisation and recognise that many Christians hold a deep conviction that marriage is ordained by God for the nurturance of all people called to this vocation.
Related articles
- A straight civil partnership? (bbc.co.uk)
- Couples bid to overturn gay marriage law (guardian.co.uk)
- update: civil partnerships on religious premises (thinkinganglicans.org.uk)
- Never Say Never, Bishop Tartaglia ! (queertheology.blogspot.com)
- Gay Marriage: Coming (Soon?) to a Church Near You. (queering-the-church.com)
- Equal Love Campaign set to challenge marriage inequality (pinkbananaworld.com)
- Chart of the Day: Religion and Gay Marriage (queeringthechurch.wordpress.com)
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