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(QD) UK same-sex civil partnerships officially passed into law yesterday, thus the long expected first ceremonies that received royal assent over a year ago will begin later this month. The unions kick off in Northern Ireland on the 19th, in Scotland on the 20th and in England and Wales on the 21st - which is when Elton John and David Furnish plan to tie the knot.

Percy Stevens, pictured with his partner, said, "This is a landmark document and an important day. ... We have been a partnership for 40 years, but now we can legally say we are full citizens..." At least 1,200 civil unions have already been scheduled - and just in case you're interested in whether or not gay couples start looking more and more alike over the years, don't miss these guys.

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[ 06 December 2005: Message edited by: Hephaestion ]

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We are able to publicly declare that we are no different to anybody else. We have been a partnership for 40 years but now we can legally say we are full citizens and that is very important.

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Originally posted by RealityBites:
God you are one obsessed asshole, Ron. Get some help.

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You are proof positive that this board's moderators' commitment to gay rights is pure D bullshit. You've done nothing here but spew your contempt for gay people and their rights, but since you've expressed it without swearing they've consistently refused to take any action about someone who has steadfastly, over dozens and dozens of posts, made it 100% clear he is opposed to equality for gays and lesbians.

It's perfectly clear that it's ALWAYS been open season on queers on babble and always will be, as long as they don't actually call us names and I am bloody sick of it.

It comes up time after time in rabble reactions and the moderators don't even respond, let alone take ANY action.

Anyone who thinks a LBGT forum is going to do any good is dreaming in technicolor. They don't give a damn who shits on us or how much they shit on us, as long as it's done "politely."

[ 07 December 2005: Message edited by: Hephaestion ]

BBC:

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A terminally ill man believed to be the first in Britain to "marry" his partner in a civil partnership has died just one day after the ceremony.

Matthew Roche, 46, who had lung cancer, and Christopher Cramp held their ceremony hours after the Civil Partnership Act became law on Monday.

The couple, from Brighton, were given special permission to go ahead before the normal 15-day waiting period.
...
For most couples in England, the first day they will be allowed to tie the knot is 21 December.

Mr Roche feared that he would not live that long and Mr Cramp applied to the Worthing registrar for special permission for their ceremony to go ahead straight away.

The couple, who have been together seven years, were legally joined at 1100 GMT on Monday.

The hospice said Mr Roche died on Tuesday afternoon.

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And as well, Tape, all those who will die or become incapacitated, leaving their partners with no way to legally ensure that their wishes are carried out, to inherit their property, and so on. What the UK has is only a half-measure, but even that is more than so many people will ever have in their lifetime.

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(London) A British LGBT rights group on Thursday said that civil partnerships could harm some gay and lesbian couples, especially if they are poor, sick or elderly.

The first civil partnerships will be held next week throughout the UK. Under the law same-sex couples who register as civil partners will have the same rights as married couples. But, even if they do not register they will be affected by some of the law's provisions.

Andrew Brettell is 63 years old and lives in Kent with his 44 year-old partner Martin. They have cohabited for 18 years and took out a mortgage 16 years ago.

Now, as a result of benefit changes introduced to coincide with civil partnerships, Brettell will suffer benefit cuts of over $10,000 a year, even though he and his partner are not registering.

"Because of my ill-health and my poor work record, I am on pension credit," Brettell said Thursday.

He said that his pension credit is means-tested and his partner’s income will now be taken into account. "I will lose £460 a month in pension credit, plus housing benefit of £50 per month. My total benefits loss is £6,120 a year; plus the loss of free dental and prescription charges."

Gay rights group OutRage is calling on the government to immediately put in place transitional protections for people like Brettell and his partner.

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(London) This should have been one of happiest times in the lives of Tony Williamson and Eric Stone. They were one of the first British couples to exchange vows in a civil partnership in Blackpool. Now Stone is mourning his partner's death.

Just ten days after their civil union Williamson, 50, succumbed to a long battle with brain cancer. Stone was by his side at their home when he died.

"We knew he was very poorly, but he was determined to have our ceremony on the first day of the new civil partnerships," said Stone. "That kept him going and I have wonderful memories of the day."

Williamson had been fighting cancer for several years, but just days before the civil partnership was to be conducted he was told two more tumors had been found.

Stone, 75, also is seriously ill himself with lung cancer.

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A leading member of the Anglican Church has exchanged vows with his longtime partner with his bishop and the dean of his cathedral in attendance - a move likely to further infuriate conservatives in the worldwide church.

Canon Jeremy Davies, the Precentor of Salisbury Cathedral, entered into a civil partnership with opera singer Simon McEnery, his partner of 18 years.

The civil ceremony was held at an English country manor and performed by a civil servant, but the presence of Salisbury's Bishop, the Rt Rev David Stancliffe, and Dean, the Very Rev June Osborne at the reception is seen as giving approval of the union.

[...]

A spokesperson for the diocese defended the presence of the two. 

"This was a civil partnership ceremony and there was no religious involvement," he said. "It followed exactly the legal requirements and the guidelines of the Church of England."

Last July the House of Bishops for the Church of England said that gay clerics could have civil unions provided they had the permission of their bishops, did not have a church blessing, and did not equate the union with marriage.

Davies and McEnery issued a statement through the diocese saying that they look forward to the legal security the union would give them, and were "proud" to be among the first same-sex couples to enter into a civil partnership.

[...]

This week about 800 conservative Anglicans are expected at a Birmingham, Alabama, including African and Asian archbishops who have warned of a possible schism if the U.S. Episcopal Church does not renounce its approval of gay bishops and blessing of same-sex unions.

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LGBT police officers say they are facing increasing homophobic bullying and harassment from fellow officers.

Much of it, the Gay Police Association says has come following the legalization of same-sex unions in Britain.

The Association reports that there has been a 75 per cent increase in calls on its 24-hour action line.

It says that most of the harassment is from conservative Christian and Muslim officers.

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The Association has made police forces aware of the growing problem but Coding says senior officers are uncertain how to discipline offenders without violating the officers' personal religious rights.

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The word 'marriage' is to be taken off register office signs in case it offends gay couples turning up for civil partnership ceremonies.

Councils in the West Midlands are being recommended to remove references to marriage suites at register offices after the introduction of the new partnerships last month.

Government body LACORS (the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services) has issued a Civil Partnership checklist.

Included in the checklists, which were sent out on December 5, are points of advice such as:

* Is your signage correct? Have you considered changing the name of your marriage room to something similar for Civil Partnership?

* You may find that ordering stationary packs for information for couples could be re-named "your Ceremony" instead of "Your Wedding".

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A number of recent violent physical attacks on gays and lesbians has police urging caution when going out. The most recent attack left a Northern Ireland man in danger of losing the sight in one eye.

The 20 year old man was attacked as he walked along a street in Londonderry. The man, whose name is being withheld for his own safety, is in stable condition in hospital. But police say it is not the first time he has been attacked and other gay men in the city have also been beaten.

A week ago a gay couple near London escaped possible death when someone tried to set fire to their home. Peter Cameron, 56, and his partner Nick Hughes, 39, found their hallway ablaze but were able to extinguish the flames before the fire caught hold.

[...]

In another incident a lesbian couple was pelted with snowballs that had stones and broken glass embedded in them.

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Police say they believe there have been dozens of other cases throughout the country that have gone unreported.

While both Dobrowski and Morley were killed last year police believe that the number of homophobic attacks on gays has increased with the publicity over civil partnerships which became legal in December.

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Gay Man Beaten Unconscious By London Gang

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London's Metropolitan Police are investigating two separate violent attacks on gay men - one involving a street gang, the other a gay rapist.

In the first incident, a man was set upon by a street gang as he left a gay bar with his partner. The gang members hurled homophobic epithets as they beat the 27 year old victim.

The man, whose name is being withheld for his own protection, was left unconscious.  His partner was able to escape relatively unharmed.

Up to six men are being sought in the attack which occurred only a short distance from where another gay man, Jody Dobrowski, was fatally attacked last year.

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Originally posted by Hephaestion:
Gay Man Beaten Unconscious By London Gang

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