Are civil partnerships equal to marriage?

As same sex civil partnerships come into force in the UK I keep coming back to the question - is this equality? Living in Massachusetts for two years and seeing marriage equality coming into force there, I'm decidedly uncomfortable with the compromise of civil partnerships. I seem to be the only one in this country who is not happy that civil partnerships are not exactly the same thing as marriage. But perhaps I am wrong, maybe this is equality, just with a different name (that seems to be what the news coverage is saying). Am I being silly and ungrateful for not being happy with civil partnerships? Maybe they are giving exactly the same rights as marriage so its being pedantic to complain this isn't marriage.

I think what bothers me is phrases like 'gay marriage' and 'gay weddings' with their inverted commas. There's something about putting the phrases in inverted commas that says - these aren't real marriages or weddings, but silly, fake 'gay' ones. I think the separatism confirms homophobia. If I marry a woman I want a wedding (in church) and a marriage, and if I happen to marry a man I want a wedding (in church) and a marriage, not a "gay marriage" (civil partnership registration).

Am I the only person bothered by this?

Comments

Joseph Santos-Lyons said…

we may never see true equality on this one, as with other identity based oppression

12:51 am

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