Great Britain: Campaign to raise awareness of gay 'marriages'(a Gov't plan)

The Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | September 15, 2005 | Jonathan Petre

[Stoat]

Campaign to raise awareness of gay 'marriages'

By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent
(Filed: 15/09/2005)

A campaign to promote gay "marriages" was launched by the Government yesterday with the assistance of two same-sex couples who are planning to "tie the knot".

Ministers believe that some in the lesbian and gay community are still unaware of the Civil Partnerships Act, which comes into force on Dec 5.

Two gay couples at the launch of the campaign

Launching the campaign at Westminster Register Office, Meg Munn, the deputy equality minister, said that, once an anomaly in pensions legislation had been ironed out in five years, there would be no legal difference between civil partnerships and marriage.

Partners will have the same rights as married couples in tax, employment, benefits and housing and, if the relationship breaks down, the courts can rule on the division of property and maintenance payments.

Like other couples, civil partners will be able to "marry" in approved venues. The only discrepancy between a partnership and a marriage will be the way the union is formalised.

While couples marrying have to recite a set of words, civil partners will be legally "joined" when they sign a register.

Mrs Munn said: "It is ridiculous that we have had a system that does not recognise the relationship of a gay couple who may have lived together for 20 years. One partner could be excluded from the funeral if the other died, or lose their joint home because of inheritance tax."

However, the new law has proved controversial with Church leaders who do not permit the blessings of same-sex unions.

At the other extreme, gay rights activists have criticised the Government for refusing to describe the partnerships as marriages.

The couples at the launch yesterday were Bryce Morrison, 66, and Lyndon Scarffe, 64, who live near the register office in Marylebone, central London, and have been together for 30 years, and Joanna Sedley, 37, and Paula Burke, 33, from Thatcham, Berks, who have been together for eight years.

[Stoat]

The sane, healthy and hardworking people of Great Britain have my great sympathies not only for having the institution of marriage soiled as a result of this but also for having their very high tax monies squandered in such a vile way as well.

[Unam Sanctam]

People have a right to hold different views on the morality of homosexuality. Why in Heaven's name should the government actively "promote" same sex "marriage"? -- although I would argue that civil recognition of itself is an impermissible promotion by government.

[Stoat]

Agreed on all points. Particularly in the context of a matter which a vast majority of people find terribly offensive, to actively promote it with tax money (and the inevitable expansion of an already vast bureaucracy) it seems that this is intentionally calculated to offend.

[teawithmisswilliams]

Ick. Just ick.

[Stoat]

Ick. Just ick.

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