Same Sex Marriage ?

[mikey4444]

I, like most people I expect, am a bit confused over the current debate of same-sex marriage.

The ability to have a civil partner of the same sex has been on the statute book for a few years now.

1...If two men, or two women can become "civil partners" what will they gain from being married ?

2...What advantages over the civil partners arrangements that exist at present will they have under this new legislation ?

As I understand it, two people of different sexes can be married at the present time, in either a religious ceremony, or a civil ceremony, ie what we used to call a "Registry Office" do.

In other words, what will change ?

[China Doll]

I imagine it would be the same if I ever got married. I'd probably have some sort of civil do (I'm not religious) and I think I'd rather say 'my husband' than 'my civil partner'... I imagine it's the same for gay people too. Married implies some sort of love about the relationship. Civil partnership sounds to me like a business arrangement.

[mikey4444]

Thanks China Doll but it must mean something other than that the present Government are concerned about affairs of the heart !

If there is anybody out there who has a legal background, than I would be interested to hear their views.

If today's papers are to be believed, this issue may result in a change of fortunes for the present Tory Government, so the facts are important.

[LoftyLottie]

I don't think anything will change mikey. Except that Gay people will have the opportunity to say they are 'Married' and they will officially be 'Married' and not civil partners, which, in my opinion, is what should happen.

I agree with China. The advantages will be for the the couple in that they should be treated equally in all respects. I don't think that this has come about because of affairs of the heart, just as a step towards proper equality. But there will be protests from the Church and other die hards which is sad.

[magsmay]

Good question! thought I knew the answer until I Googled ' legal definition of marriage' and what it brings up seems to me no different to a Civil Partnership - will follow this closely to see what happens

[LoftyLottie]

I can't see it leading to a change of fortunes for the Tories in any way whatsoever, the majority of people surely see that we should all be treated equally. Have you seen the other question in News?

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1212901.html

[MadMen]

I think it boils down to equality, Mikey.

[jake-the-peg]

It's mostly religious differences - religious wordings, hymns etc. are banned. I guess it makes a difference if you're religious

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/17/gay-marriage-civil-partnership

[LoftyLottie]

^ True, and what's more a hetro couple can't have a Civil partnership ceremony. They have to have a Civil Wedding. It's all completely ridiculous.

[bednobs]

hetero couples can't have a civil partnership, homosexual couples can't have a wedding - it is unfair, and unequal - marking people out as "seperate" and "other"

[mikey4444]

But enough of the more intolerant and bigoted wing of the Tory Party don't like this present debate, and they will decide who is the party Leader not us. They have made their position abundantly clear over the weekend. We might not like these people but we can't ignore them. We can only decide which Party will win the next election, not who the next Prime Minister will be.

I don't have an axe to grind either way on this subject....I just wanted to know what the legal differences between married partners and civil partners are.

[bednobs]

i'm sorry i don't know why i have a huge gap

[LoftyLottie]

My '^' was for mikey. Jake snuck in.

I can see no problem with churches not conducting Gay Marriages. However, the church should have no say in what happens in civil marriages.

[jake-the-peg]

Seems to me that there is a small number of gay people and a small number of religious people to whom this is incredibly important with most of the rest of the country standing on the sidelines saying "OK we're bored now!"

[Sqad]

\\\In other words, what will change ?\\\

Nothing i would suspect.

The churches would still decide whether they would conduct the ceremony and there would be nothing legislation could or would do about it.

I cannot see what advantages marriage has in the heterosexual group, the number of divorces is rising now that to be nearing 40% of marriages and quite often when cohabiting couples decide to get married, it often turns out to be a disaster.

So for me........it is "no big deal".....but there again perhaps i am biased being a heterosexual.

[mccfluff]

i was watching someone on tv this morning, who said that things should change but it was too soon
i couldn't help but laugh at that, homosexuality has been around for thousands of years, how soon does she want

IMO nothing changes, i think marriage is irrelevant in today's society, however having said that, if two people want to get married then they shouldn't be discriminated against

i won;t go into my views on people gong to church's who aren't religious and only attend as they are required to, in order to get married in a church

[LoftyLottie]

To protect oneself, it is cheaper to pop down the Registry Office and get married than get a civil agreement drawn up by a solicitor Fluffy. Weddings as such are totally unnecessary occasions!!

[friedgreentomato]

Can you imagine being told that you cannot ride a bus because your are black or a lady?

Same sex marriage is the same - by banning same sex marriage you are stating that you are not good enough to become 'married'.

A hetrosexual couple has the choice to marry in church or not - a same sex couple does not.

It does not mean that there will be a flux of church same sex marriages - but it means that everyone is on equal footing - as they should be!!

[LoftyLottie]

Which is what we did and what our son did too!! ;o)

[mccfluff]

i don;t need to protect myself, i'm staying single forever! :-)

[LoftyLottie]

Am not sure about the church wedding side of things though Helen. I see what you are getting at and I think that Church Marriages for gays are fine, but would hate to see any vicars who are opposed to gay marriages forced into marrying a gay couple. But I suppose a gay couple wouldn't want to be married by such a person!!