Couple Denied Civil Partnership for Being Straight

11/25/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Tom Freeman and Katherine Doyle want to have the perfect civil union. The problem? Well, in Great Britain, civil unions, or civil partnerships, are restricted to only gay and lesbian couples. As a heterosexual couple, Freeman and Doyle cannot get a civil partnership, but can get married. It is, according to their reasoning, discriminatory.

In an article published by the BBC, Mr. Freeman stated “It would be lovely to formalise our relationship but we are completely turned off by the whole institution of marriage because it discriminates against gay people. We think gay people should be able to have a standard marriage and straight people should be able to have a civil partnership.” Ms Doyle concurred in his reasoning adding “We want a choice and all other couples should also have a choice, irrespective of their sexuality.”

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatschell stated that the denial of a civil partnership to heterosexual couples is heterosexist, and he supports the move by the couple.

In England, marriage is restricted to heterosexual couples, and civil partnerships to gay and lesbian couples. Earlier this year, The Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, also called on the British government to allow religious institutions to perform civil partnerships and endorsed marriage equality.

The couple, both 25, live in Islington. The Islington city council stated that they had to follow the law in not issuing the civil partnership. Mr. Freeman and Ms Doyle plan to file legal action over the denial of their civil partnership.