Statute recognises same-sex marriage

Today represents a day of utmost significance for our country, not just for the LGBTQ+ community but for Britain as a whole. After decades of struggle, same-sex marriages have been legalised in the UK.

Legal disputes involving same-sex marriages have been going on in the UK since the 1600s, when Arabella Hunt’s marriage was upturned on the grounds that her husband, ‘James Howard,’ was in fact a woman. This year’s legalisation marks a change in attitudes towards homosexuality in British society and suggests that we are progressively accepting the multidimensional nature of our population.

The new law allows same-sex couples to celebrate their union publicly and unapologetically, with the added benefit of legal security for them and their children. Look at it this way: legalising same-sex marriages does not impair anybody but instead provides solidity to the homes of gay couples, and represents hope that change is possible for any collective group that feels its voice is not heard in today’s society.

Polls show that two-thirds of Britons are in support of gay unions, with the young age bracket being the most vocal group. Only a decade ago, the idea of prodigious support would have been unforeseen. This speaks volumes about our youth – young people are recognising that unjust inequality is wrong, and are speaking out about it.

A civil partnership is not the same as a marriage.

People have questioned the clamour behind the legalisation of same-sex marriages on the basis that a civil partnership performs the same function. To them, I say this: homosexuality is not a choice, and so unless you disagree with the equality policies that assist ethnic minorities or those with disabilities in this country, you have no grounds on which to question the fact that gay individuals should get the same treatment. A civil partnership is not the same as a marriage.

The only objection to same-sex marriages comes from those with strong religious beliefs or those who are downright narrow-minded; we cannot govern a country on bigotry and we all know what happens when a government relies solely on religion as a foundation.

Britain’s actions provide pressure on the rest of the world to reconsider their same-sex marriage laws. We are the fifteenth country to legalise gay marriages, but absolutely one of the most influential. Recently, countries such as Russia and Uganda have introduced anti-gay laws. With Britain being a country of stature, our new stance will encourage other states to become more accepting of homosexuality.

For the LGBT community today symbolises a more equal standing. However, the battle is by no means won. Same-sex marriage has been legalised, but there are still a number of flaws to make note of. For instance, for same sex spouses adultery cannot be given as a reason for divorce – case law defines adultery as sexual intercourse between people of the opposite sex. Along with the fact that gay married couples get unequal pensions (any ‘pensionable service’ before December 2005 is disregarded), this needs to be upturned.

We live in a civilised society, and in a civilised society we simply cannot deny equality to those that have done nothing to deserve the opposite. As David Cameron pertinently puts it, “When people’s love is divided by law, it is the law that needs to change.”

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Photo: flickr/zurichtourism