Equal civil marriage consultation... (England & Wales)

Smiler106

https://www.homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk/v.asp?i=48356xhlqw

Listen up LGBT+'s in England & Wales the home office are holding a consultation on equal civil marriage. This is your chance to have your say, so take the time to do it!!

13519485

Done.

kyle4jem

Thanks for posting the link.

I got wed 17 months ago and that's exactly what the registrars called our civil ceremony, even though they were prevented from using the M-word.

While I don't agree with forcing churches to open up their doors to same-sex marriage if they don't want to, we should be allowed to call our legally recognised partnerships marriages and we should be allowed to incorporate some kind of religious or faith-based elements into our civil ceremonies if we so choose to.

Given the current incumbent government's love of stealth charges, I would have though they would be rubbing their hands together at the thought of all the civil partners who would happily pay the £10 charge or whatever admin fee was so decreed to have their partnership certificates converted to marriage certificates.

lucycaz

Done

treetop57

Hope this goes well for you! What is the legal impact of a "consultation"? Is it just information that the government would use to help them decide what to do? I assume their hands will not be tied no matter the outcome of the consultation.

From an American point of view, it's flabbergasting that the Tories would even consider this. Our conservative party is so closely tied to the religious right that pigs will be flying over a frozen Hades before the Republicans would work for civil unions, let alone marriage equality.

Smiler106

It's just to gauge public opinion, if you're interested it's explained on this website....

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/UKgovernment/PublicConsultations/DG_4003113

As for our politics... yep ours is on a whole different scale from yours, I think our conservatives are left of your democrats, lol. Also religion is not such a big influence in our politics, since less than 10% of our population are regluar church goers.

DietingMommy08

Live in the united states.

But Done. :flowerforyou:

treetop57

Thanks Chubby_smiler!

I started to fill it out, DietingMommy, but I assumed that at some point it would ask me where I live in England or Wales. Did it never try to determine whether you're in the UK?

tameko2

Hope this goes well for you! What is the legal impact of a "consultation"? Is it just information that the government would use to help them decide what to do? I assume their hands will not be tied no matter the outcome of the consultation.

From an American point of view, it's flabbergasting that the Tories would even consider this. Our conservative party is so closely tied to the religious right that pigs will be flying over a frozen Hades before the Republicans would work for civil unions, let alone marriage equality.

Actually I feel like civil unions are fairly popular for the republicans - I mean aside from the few foam at the mouth "TEH GHEY IS GOING TO EAT YOUR CHILDREN AND THEN MOLEST THEIR BONES" folks it seems like most people love 'civil unions' so that they can be all "see we gave you marriage, its just not MARRIAGE, cuz that's OUR word."

I feel like I've heard "they don't need to get married, they have civil unions!" a lot because it allows them to let go of the guilt of denying sick people hospital visitations and legal rights to insurance and inheritance stuff without forcing them to actually give up whatever it is that they think makes "marriage" different from "civil union".

But hey if they will let you fill out the thingie without being a UK person I'll do it too. Or If someone will give me enough info to fake it I'm game for that as well.

treetop57

When Republicans are fighting marriage equality, they are more than willing to act like they don't mind civil unions or domestic partnerships. But they never go out of their way to enact civil unions or domestic partnerships, and in fact sometimes sue to prevent civil unions or domestic partnerships on the basis of state constitutions that ban same-sex marriage.

I'm too lazy to do the research myself, but I bet you would find zero Republican-controlled state legislatures that have instituted "everything except the word marriage" civil unions or domestic partnerships. I believe there is only one Republican governor who signed "everything except the word marriage" legislation after it was passed by a Democratic legislature: Arnold Schwarzenegger, but he was never a typical Republican on social issues.

FitLink

Thanks for posting the link.

I got wed 17 months ago and that's exactly what the registrars called our civil ceremony, even though they were prevented from using the M-word.

While I don't agree with forcing churches to open up their doors to same-sex marriage if they don't want to, we should be allowed to call our legally recognised partnerships marriages and we should be allowed to incorporate some kind of religious or faith-based elements into our civil ceremonies if we so choose to.

Given the current incumbent government's love of stealth charges, I would have though they would be rubbing their hands together at the thought of all the civil partners who would happily pay the £10 charge or whatever admin fee was so decreed to have their partnership certificates converted to marriage certificates.

Not to be disrespectful, but as a lesbian who is also an atheist I don't understand why a same-sex couple would WANT to "incorporate some kind of religious or faith-based elements into our civil ceremonies." Why incorporate symbols of people who hate you?

13519485

Not to be disrespectful, but as a lesbian who is also an atheist I don't understand why a same-sex couple would WANT to "incorporate some kind of religious or faith-based elements into our civil ceremonies." Why incorporate symbols of people who hate you?

I can totally understand your reasoning as I am also an atheist, but there are those out there who would like to incorporate their faith into their civil ceremony given that, in most cases, they won't be ably to have a religious wedding in a church. Also, a lot of people seem to believe in god without believing their holy books. It's possible that they just don't know what's in the book or simply don't care or don't believe that everything in their book is really god's word or god's will.

Smiler106

Not to be disrespectful, but as a lesbian who is also an atheist I don't understand why a same-sex couple would WANT to "incorporate some kind of religious or faith-based elements into our civil ceremonies." Why incorporate symbols of people who hate you?

As a fellow lesbian atheist I totally understand this point of view, but you must remember not all gay people are atheist and not all religious groups are homophobic. I know several LGBTs who are deeply religious. There are several religious groups out there who are actively supporting marriage equality.... off the top of my head.....

http://www.pcnbritain.org.uk/index.php/news/post/gay_marriage/
http://www.quaker.org.uk/news/news-release-quakers-address-queen

I agree that same sex ceremonies should not be forced of religious groups, however I think it should be an option. After all religious groups are not obligated to marry straight couples either! Ask any hetro couple who wants a catholic ceremony & does not attend on a regular basis! I'm certain that some religous groups would allow it, and that it would be very special and meaningful for those who would choose to have it.

treetop57

To me marriage equality means that same sex couples should have the same options as other couples. If they want to marry in a church that agrees to marry them, the government shouldn't tell them they can't, any more than it tells a straight couple they can't. If they want to incorporate prayers in a civil ceremony, the government shouldn't tell them they can't.

lulukan

Thanks for sharing this. I filled it out to the best of my ability.

kyle4jem

Not to be disrespectful, but as a lesbian who is also an atheist I don't understand why a same-sex couple would WANT to "incorporate some kind of religious or faith-based elements into our civil ceremonies." Why incorporate symbols of people who hate you?

As UnwrappingCandy & chubby_smiler have pointed out, not all gay people are atheist, and not all religions or faith organisations are anti-gay. In fact I believe the Society of Friends (Quakers) are exceptionally open to same-sex partnerships.

Personally, I am a heathen - I do believe there is more to this life than heaven and earth, which really plays havoc with my scientific-ID - but I have a great empathy for certain spiritual faiths and creeds. The Old Man claims he's agnostic, but is also quite spiritual in his own, quiet way. Neither of us wanted anything remotely religious incorporated into our ceremony, but I though it was really harsh to be informed that it was in fact strictly forbidden to include any religious readings, songs or any other elements in the civil ceremony. Having said that, the registrars couldn't have been friendlier; they were exceptionally sympathetic and made us feel most welcome and special on our special day.

treetop57

Having said that, the registrars couldn't have been friendlier; they were exceptionally sympathetic and made us feel most welcome and special on our special day.

I'm glad to hear that, Kyle. Everything I know about a wedding at an English registrar, I learned on Keeping Up Appearances. Do you know whether straight couples are forbidden from including religious language at a registrar wedding?

kyle4jem

Having said that, the registrars couldn't have been friendlier; they were exceptionally sympathetic and made us feel most welcome and special on our special day.

I'm glad to hear that, Kyle. Everything I know about a wedding at an English registrar, I learned on Keeping Up Appearances. Do you know whether straight couples are forbidden from including religious language at a registrar wedding?

Oh I love Hyacinth Bucket... :bigsmile:

No, straight couples may have a religious reading at their civil ceremony, that's why it's seen as discriminatory.