Blog Archive
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2011
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March
(92)
- Schoolboy, 15, jumped to his death after rumours h...
- Schoolboy, 15, jumped to his death after rumours h...
- UK civil partnerships consultation opens
- Louis Theroux returns to anti-gay Westboro Baptist...
- REMINDER: Tony Perkins Is A Racist
- Quote Of The Day - Randy Thomasson
- HomoQuotable - Dan Savage
- Shadow health minister Diane Abbott attacks cuts t...
- Gay footballer Anton Hysen: ‘Players in the closet...
- Study says gays and lesbians are still stereotyped...
- US schools warned to stop censoring gay websites
- US gay and lesbian military group launches magazine
- Teacher accused of seducing pupils denies being a ...
- Maltese trans man wins right to be recognised as male
- Gay rights group wants military gay ban to end imm...
- Red Muscle Tank
- Big Muscles
- The Rock
- Matthew Paetz
- Wet Shirt and speedos
- Black Tank
- NEW YORK CITY: Gay Man Brutally Attacked On West V...
- Quote Of The Day - Donald Trump
- The Night Of 1000 Gowns
- HomoQuotable - Bruce Bawer
- Elton John to meet David Cameron over gay HIV rates
- Thousands leave Finnish Lutheran church over anti-...
- Breast massage woman files charges after learning ...
- Suffolk Pride cancelled
- Australian gay man pleads guilty to erotic asphyxi...
- Northern Ireland school is first to form gay-strai...
- Gandhi biography claims he was bisexual and racist
- UK equality watchdog recommends that children as y...
- Harrison Ford
- Haley Barbour: Amorous Gay Soldiers Are Going To S...
- On Broadway's The Book Of Mormon
- PhoboQuotable - Victoria Jackson
- Bryan Fischer: Muslims Have No Rights
- Anthony Weiner Hints Run For NYC Mayor
- Playwright Lanford Wilson Dies At 73
- Gay Scottish MP David Cairns admitted to intensive...
- Vigil for New York teen killed in anti-gay attack
- Video: Jake Gyllenhaal on all those gay rumours
- Lady Gaga urges Malaysian people to protest censor...
- Reports say Ugandan anti-gay bill has been killed
- Chemical influences sexual behaviour in mice
- Elizabeth Taylor ‘fashionably late’ for own funeral
- Rugby fans warned over anti-gay chants at Gareth T...
- US retailer Target sues gay rights group
- Feature: Is Botox poison or pleasure?
- Man takes ‘gay sex addict’ drug case to court
- HomoQuotable - Tom Ford
- Elizabeth Taylor's Funeral Is Today
- NOM Denounces Catholic Marriage Poll
- Rep. Trent Franks: Obama May Bring Nuclear Terrori...
- Leonard Pitts On Majority Rule
- Wife Of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas Join...
- COLORADO: Civil Unions Passes Senate
- Quote Of The Day - Camille Paglia
- IOWA: Crazy Eyes Praises Anti-Gay Haters
- MONTANA: Anti-Gay Rights Bill Fails
- Derby council defends foster ban on Christian couple
- Census campaign calls for people to list their rel...
- Government scraps dual discrimination protection
- Review: Proud2 launches at London’s O2
- Court blocks attempt to lift California gay marria...
- Coronation Street gets first gay parents
- Ricky Martin performs for Target staff despite Lad...
- Gay and bisexual HIV infections rise 70% in ten years
- Apple removes ‘gay cure’ iPhone app
- Christian publisher forced to cancel launch of ‘ga...
- Review: Teeth, tits and tease at the Hurly Burly Show
- California to create new rules for condoms in adul...
- Parents of gay suicide student don’t want roommate...
- Judge overturns ban on homophobic church ad
- Teenager charged with stabbing gay man in north Lo...
- Stonewall FC player Aslie Pitter joins the Justin ...
- Iowa Pastor: I Helped Those Boys Go "Ex-Gay" By Ha...
- Walmart Blocks "Gay" From Book Reviews
- Rep. Dennis Kucinich: Obama's Attack On Libya Is A...
- Activists To Target Bloomberg On Marriage
- IKEA unveils gay ad in Italy
- KILLER CONFESSES: I Stoned That Homo To Death Just...
- "In God We Trust" Bill Advances
- Gay Police Association loses funding
- Poll says 53% of Americans back gay marriage equality
- US House committee approves measure for aid cut to...
- Son of anti-gay pastor Fred Phelps claims he abuse...
- Preview: Doctor Who star Matt Smith goes gay in Ch...
- Military gay ban protesters in federal court
- SWEDEN: Soccer Star Comes Out
- UGANDA: Kill Gays Bill Back On Table
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March
(92)
UK civil partnerships consultation opens
A government consultation on the future of UK civil partnerships opens today.
Interested parties are being asked to give their views on ceremonies being permitted in religious buildings, if faiths wish to hold them.
Currently, civil partnerships cannot contain any religious elements. However, faiths such as the Quakers, Unitarian Church and Liberal Judaism have said they want the right to perform the ceremonies.
A provision was included in the Equality Act to allow this and coalition government ministers are now working out how the change can be implemented.
In a written ministerial statement, equality minister Lynne Featherstone said that faith groups would have to agree whether to hold the ceremonies. Individual premises would then have to apply for approval from their local authority.
She said the proposals were “designed to respect the wishes of faith groups whether they wish to host civil partnership registrations or not, and to keep burdens on local authorities to a minimum”.
Churches will not be forced to hold civil partnerships, a clause in the Equality Act stresses. The provision and proposals to widen the definition of marriage apply only to England and Wales. The governments of Scotland and Northern Ireland will consider these issues separately.
Legislative changes are required for religious civil partnerships but it is understood that the law could change by the end of the year. The measure has already been approved by MPs and Lords.
Ministers said last month that a separate consultation will be held on marriage equality.
Gay rights campaigners say the current civil partnerships system is discriminatory and claim that many gay couples would prefer the right to marry.
It is understood that the government’s preferred option is to eventually open civil marriage and civil partnerships to all couples, whether straight or gay.
Last February, the leader of the Liberal Democrats and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg wrote on PinkNews.co.uk: “I support gay marriage. Love is the same, straight or gay, so the civil institution should be the same, too. All couples should be able to make that commitment to one another.”
Marriage equality was later adopted as official party policy.