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| Wedding cake celebrating gay marriages.
According to official predictions, some 22,000 people will sign
so-called civil partnerships between now and 2010 in Britain, giving
them the same rights and privileges as married, heterosexual
couples. (AFP) |
Gay couples began registering for civil
partnerships at town halls across Britain on Monday as a
law took effect giving them many of the same legal rights as married
heterosexuals.
Although the law stops short
of allowing same-sex couples to marry, many said they were
still eager to claim the benefits and official recognition of their
relationships - for which some have waited decades. The Times of London
marked the day by publishing notices of "gay marriages" for the first
time.
"We're absolutely delighted," said 80-year-old John Walton, registering
in London with his partner of 40 years, Roger Raglan. "It's enormously
important to us that we should be able to state to everyone that we are
partners."
The law, passed last year despite some opposition from Parliament's
unelected House of Lords, permits civil ceremonies that will give same-sex
couples the same social security, tax, pension and inheritance rights as
married couples. Prime Minister Tony Blair's government dropped the word
"marriage" from its legislation rather than run afoul of lawmakers who feel the word has
religious connotations.
Among the first to register Monday were pop star Elton John and his
filmmaker partner David Furnish, whose official proclamation was posted
alongside those of other impending weddings and partnerships at Maidenhead
Town Hall, west of London.
After the mandatory 15-day
waiting period, the couple plan a private ceremony at Windsor's
17th-century town hall, where Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles
in April.
(Agencies) | 
Updated: 2005-12-07 11:07
