Rings and champagne

On March 29, the Law on same -sex marriages entered into force in the UK. Now such unions are equated with the marriages of heterosexual steam

The same -sex couples seeking to use the new law immediately and join the legal marriage should have submitted applications about this until March 13, 2014. There are already quite a few such couples, and their registration will take place in several cities. Many of them had a civil partnership status or married in other countries, but in Britain such marriages were considered illegal. Now the same -sex marriages registered abroad are recognized in the United Kingdom. Celia Kitzinger and Sue Wilkinson eleven years ago made an official marriage in Canada, where same -sex marriages were allowed much earlier than in other countries. In England in 2006, they wanted to prove the legality of their marriage through the court, but the judge considered it illegal and offered them the status of civil partnership, which did not grant equal legal rights with legal marriage. “I never felt so humiliated to such an extent,” says Sue Wilkinson, “as after this court. As a sign of protest, Celia and I took off our wedding rings that we put on in Canada during the marriage ceremony. We did not think that we would have to put them on again. And when we put them over again, we opened them again, we opened a bottle of Shampani and drowned them out and drank them. For a great day, when the last stronghold of gender discrimination fell, ”said Sue Wilkinson.

The human rights activist and one of the leaders of the British LGBT community Peter Thatchell speaks of the evolution of British socially opinion in relation to same-sex marriages.

We opened a bottle of champagne and drank for a great day when the last stronghold of gender discrimination fell

-The status of civil partnership was introduced after a long campaign conducted by the LGBT community for the right to an equal marriage with heterosexuals. Gays and lesbians received the right to live in civil partnership in 2004 in the situation, when most of them recorded such a partnership not under their own names, fearing discrimination. At that time, there were still significant prejudices against same -sex couples in British society. For ten years, much has changed. There are no radical differences in relation to liability to the family between civil partnership and legal marriage. However, ten years ago, the British establishment did not want to grant the same -sex couples equal rights in marriage.

- How does the British society relate to the new law on the marriages of same -sex steam?

- Publishing polls show that about three quarters of the population of Britain supports the adoption of this law and believe that same -sex couples must have the same rights as heterogeneous. More than half of people who adhere to religious beliefs also consider. This figure reaches 56 percent. This is a huge progress. However, against this background, the position of religious leaders is in clear contradiction with the moods of their flock. They oppose same -sex marriages, - explains Peter Thatchell .

The new law introduces several important establishments for people with non -traditional sexual orientation: allows to convert the status of civil partnerships in legal marriage; makes it possible to make a marriage in the same ceremony, which contain traditional marriages; allows you to change the official floor without the destruction of legal marriage; It spreads the existing divorce procedure and legislation on social family support for same -sex marriages. The law does not oblige religious denominations to conclude same -sex marriages and protects religious organizations from possible judicial claims for abandoning the religious ceremony. If most British sympathy reacted to the adoption of a new law, then the Anglican and Catholic churches sharply condemned him. He was also condemned by the British Muslim council, Sikh organizations and the united orthodox synagogue. True, the Archbishop of Canterbury allowed priests to bless the same -sex couples without committing a wedding procedure. And since June of this year, same -sex marriages can be concluded in the British embassies abroad and at the foreign bases of the British army. This is not to say that the ruling conservative party is unanimous in support of the new law. If her leadership supported him, then a split is observed in the party environment and the parliamentary faction. Thanks to the support of the Laborists and the Liberal Democrats, the law was approved by the parliamentary majority, and then received a royal sanction. How many people will affect the new British law on same -sex marriages? Peter Thatchell:

- It is difficult to say how many gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals live in Britain. Many of these people are HIV-infected and hide their sexual orientation, fearing prejudices and discrimination. According to statistics, including government statistics, it is assumed that in Britain there are from five to ten percent of gays, lesbians and bisexuals, including those who will still become them in adulthood. In absolute numbers, this is from one to two million people.