I sometimes wonder to myself how it came to be that the gays and lesbians of this country could so easily be mollified by Government offers of "marriage-lite". I can't really blame them... the situation was becoming desperate with people losing their homes after their partner died, and facing the awful experience of being denied access to their loved one in hospital. The Government used this desperation to be treated with dignity to push through a compromise that allowed Christian bigots to save face whilst denying gay people full rights.
I pay the same taxes as a straight person so I expect the same fucking rights. Jim wants to get married and I keep having to tell him I would feel like a hypocrite to "marry" him currently. This isn't some feeble excuse... I truly love Jim and nothing would give me greater happiness than to declare my love loud and clear. But I'm not prepared to subjugate my rights to equality just to fulfill my own selfish wants. He also would not want to marry in a foreign country (there go my dreams of a polar bear themed wedding in Canada!).
The media continue to acquiesce in this injustice erroneously referring to Civil Partnerships as "gay weddings" and "gay marriage". Just see this latest article in the Observer.
This is not gay marriage in anyway shape or form. Until homosexual partnerships are recognised under the same law as heterosexual civil marriages then we are but second class citizens in this great country. I believe this to be a lost cause... no one seems to mind it other than me. I have not met a single person who cares. But I shall not allow that to stop me opposing it. However I already feel the force of familial wants and my need to formalise my relationship to Jim for the sake of our future security, one day soon I may find myself without a choice but to take a Civil Partnership.
I pray that somehow the Government will see the error in it's way and bring in gay marriage. If South Africa can bring it in then I think we can too!!
Just cross the Channel and come over here ;)
ReplyDeleteI think it's a very good thing that gay people can marry over here. But personally I don't have any plans to marry my boyfriend.
I see where you are coming, however I wish I could get worked up about this, but I really can't. So far as I am concerned, as someone who is completely areligious, it matters not a hoot to me whether it is a 'civil partnership' or 'marriage' - so far as I am aware a civil partnership is exactly the same in law and gives the same rights and responsibilities as are involved in what is called a 'marriage' for heterosexuals; I recently attended my first civil partnership, held in the registry office of Elgin, about 30 or so miles from Nairn; it was a very touching ceremony and the registrar went out of her way to make it a special event for the two concerned; they had chosen that day to get 'hitched' for, amongst other reasons, it was the 25th anniversary of their first meeting.
ReplyDeleteHere in Spain, as in Canada and South Africa, marriage is legal for gays, so if I meet an appropriate person then I suppose I might do it in either country, but it doesn't make much difference to me.