Daring To Dream; What Equal Marriage Really Means!

Gay Rights and the LGBT Community have come a long way over the last decade.

First, attitudes began to change around the late 1990’s and early noughties, and we began to feel like society was finally growing that other brain cell which assured that we were also human too.

That we also could love in the same way opposite-sex couples love; we just happened to love somebody who also had the same ruderies as we did. No biggie!

We could walk hand in hand down the street, steal a quick kiss in a restaurant, and live our lives with far less animosity and discerning stares aimed our way.

We could even go so far to say we started to feel accepted, even if that did mean we had to keep a lid on any grand gestures and declarations.

After all, we wouldn’t want the “normal” higher beings feeling like we were shoving our sexuality “in their face” by sneaking a bit of tongue into that kiss, would we?

Living The Dream?

By the time we were just finding our stride with this new found acceptance, we already had something else to celebrate; Civil Partnerships.

Not only were the higher beings starting to accept us, but now they would also let us make that grand gesture and declaration of our love for each-other in front of our friends and family in a Civil Wedding venue, in a similar way as straight couples could.

By similar, of course, I mean different.

Of course, this was a hugely monumental time in Gay Rights history, and I was as happy about the movement as the next Gay or Lesbian fellow, but… it was never really equal, was it?

We all “proposed” and told family and friends we were “getting married” or “engaged“, and used terminology such as “Wedding” and “Wife“, but really, none of that was true.

We were simply having a Civil Partnership Ceremony in order to become Civil Partners, and we used this traditional terminology to conform with the idea of marriage we had grown up and watched our parents, grand-parents and other relatives enjoy. We didn’t grow up with the idea of one day being in a Civil Partnership with the person we loved and having a Partner for Life!

Nearly Living The Dream!

What we really wanted was a Marriage.

To be able to call our better halves ‘Wife‘ and for that to be true in law.

To be able to have our union ceremony in a Church, like our opposite-sex counterparts. For us to have the same and equal rights heterosexuals have taken for granted for hundreds of years!

And, earlier this year, that is nearly what we’ve got…

The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 was granted Royal Assent on 17th July, 2013, and will see the first same-sex marriages coming together in early 2014.

Now, I say nearly because, although this is by far the biggest stride Gay Rights has taken towards Equal Marriage, there are still some restrictions.

Firstly, to protect the Church of England’s Canon Law which states “marriage is the union of one man with one woman”, the Act includes a “quadruple lock”, which is basically a “Get Out Of Jail Free” card, and automatically excludes the CofE and Church in Wales from performing same-sex ceremonies.

They can, however, “opt in” and choose to change their dated stance on this, but in doing so, would have to amend their own Anglican Canon Laws and get these passed in Parliament; which is unlikely to happen.

All other Religious Organisations, however, simply have to “opt in” to say they are happy to perform same-sex ceremonies, and although The Unitarian and Free Christian Church, Quaker and Liberal Jews have all been forthright with their support for the Equal Marriage campaign fronted by LGBT charity, Stonewall, other organisations such as the Catholic, Anglican and British Muslim communities have strongly voiced their dissent for the law, stating such ceremonies would not be welcomed in their institutions.

In fact, these Religious Organisations have even gone as far as to state that Parliament has shown the CofE and Church in Wales preferential treatment by including the “quadruple lock”, which if you ask me, is insanely ironic and hypocritical. Not nice being treated differently, is it?

You’re Too Kind. Really!

Furthermore, we (TwoBrides UK), as well as the Grammar Police, could literally rip the wording of this pompous Government Fact Sheet to shreds if we wanted to.

Take this passage for instance;

Freedom of expression

The Government is committed to freedom of expression and is clear that being able to follow your faith openly is a vital freedom which the Government will protect. The belief that marriage should only be between a man and a woman is entirely mainstream, legitimate and lawful – and will continue to be so once the Act comes into force. Everyone is entitled to express their view about marriage of same sex couples – at work or elsewhere.

A religious or philosophical belief that marriage should only be between a man and a woman is protected under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. In addition, discriminating against someone simply because they hold such a belief is unlawful under the Equality Act 2010.

In particular, what the heck does

“Everyone is entitled to express their view about marriage of same sex couples – at work or elsewhere.”

actually mean?

Does it mean that we could lawfully be harassed in our workplace for being in a same-sex marriage by small minded idiots, unable to defend ourselves?

Does it mean we can express our views on opposite-sex marriage, and have a laugh at their divorce and re-marry rates?

And, how about respect and protection for expressing my belief that Religion is a man-made story.

Pretend.

That nature is actually derived from science and in particular, chemistry.

That there was never no evidence “Adam and Eve” even existed, where as evolution is real and fact backed up with solid evidence you experience every living second.

That, in actual fact, I believe that love is love, and the genitalia of the person you love is completely irrelevant, and that those who are opposed to that probably has a little secret of their own.

Yeah, I’m talking about ‘American Beauty’!

The Gift Horse And Looking It In The Mouth!

I can overlook all this though, as being able to tell your family and friends that you are engaged and getting married, and looking forward to a lifetime of happiness with your wife for real is all I personally wanted.

Well, that and Lady Gaga to push through Haus of Gaga as a universally recognised religion whereby we can return society the favour, stick up our middle finger and ban them common hetero’s from our Religious Organisations!…Of course, I’m joking.

Half joking.

However, the religious LGBT folk among us, seem to still have a small journey and fight ahead to be able to have their ceremony in their local Parish, which they have donated to and supported for a lifetime, and it is these guys and girls who have every right to not be satisfied yet.

They are still waiting!

This article was shared with us by TwoBrides UK; A New Online Lesbian Wedding Magazine, there you can read more edgy articles like this, or get help and inspiration while planning your wedding.