Civil Partnerships have now been greenlit for opposite-sex couples.
Civil Partnerships have now been greenlit for opposite-sex couples.
The UK government has agreed to open civil partnership to heterosexual couples equalising the law for straight and gay couples. Speaking about the decision, Human Rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell said,
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“The planned opening of civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples is wonderful news. It is the successful culmination of a 14-year equality campaign that was begun in 2004 by myself and the LGBT+ organisation OutRage! When Labour first introduced civil partnerships but restricted them to same-sex couples we argued that this was discrimination. We campaigned for equal civil partnerships for all,” said human rights advocate Peter Tatchell.
“We are delighted that Charles Keidan and Rebecca Steinfeld have continued this campaign and finally won this stunning result. They secured the backing of the Supreme Court in June this year, when it ruled that the ban on opposite-sex couples was unjustified and contrary to human rights principles. The government’s decision was a necessary response to the judgement of the highest court in the land.
“We thank the government for listening to the judges, human rights law and the appeals of the many unmarried opposite-sex couples who want a civil partnership,” said Mr Tatchell.
Civil Partnerships were first offered to gay couples in 2004 by the Labour government as a way for gay and same-sex couples to protect and formalise their relationship inline with traditional marriage. There have been over 60,000 civil partnerships in the UK since the law was introduced.
