Civil Partnership legislation

Interesting meeting on Monday at the DTI, about Registered Partnerships.

Consultation is still happening now, and will be until 30 September. I'd like to encourage people to write and say what they think. You can send in comments by email.

I plan to write in myself, probably a mix of my own views and "This is what I've heard other bi people say". We were encouraged to put stuff in writing despite having been at the meeting, and to include both what we agree with and what we're criticising.

I plan to put my one up on the web so people can bounce off that, but it might be a bit last-minute. Meanwhile, I also recommend that interested people get the PDF of the government consultation document ("Civil Partnership - a framework for the legal recognition of same-sex couples"), and have a look through it. The meeting I went to was based around discussion of that, and it includes several specific questions they're asking for feedback on.

This page on the Stonewall site includes a link to that, a link to the Law Society's commentary, and the (post & email) addresses to write to.
The Equality Network in Scotland had a conference on the subject, and the conference report (follow link for "fifth Equality for All Conference") is also interesting reading. (Thanks davidmcn for the link).

As the proposals stand right now for Registered Partnership:

• It will only be available to same-sex couples.


• Looks like in terms of rights/money it will be pretty much point for point equivalent to marriage; but it won't be called marriage.


• It could be called something other than Registered Partnership, though - they're asking for suggestions.

("It is a matter of public record that the Government has no plans to introduce same sex marriage" - Civil Partnership consultation document. I haven't heard anyone give specific reasons, but my impression is the bottom line is they're convinced they wouldn't be able to swing it at present, because of church opposition.)

My vibes in brief about the structure outlined:

• Highly welcome as far as it goes, and will radically change the lives of some people in some situations (e.g. to do with carers/illness, inheritance, etc)


• Valuable stepping stone to future changes in attitudes to same-sex relationships


• Polyamory is ignored, which I find rather a downer but predictable


• I disagree strongly with making it same-sex only (though I accept that there are political arguments both ways on that)


• I disagree fundamentally with some of the rhetoric around it (more on that later)