Partnerships for gays well down the list
Saturday 27th March 2010, 2:29PM GMT.
Supporters of moves to bring equality to the age of consent for homosexuals and heterosexuals celebrate earlier this week. But it could be a few years before they can think about celebrating the introduction of civil partnerships. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0947055)
Campaigners have now turned their attention to persuading politicians to give same-sex couples similar rights to heterosexuals following the lowering of the homosexual age of consent at this month’s States meeting.
However, when members voted on the Social Policy Group’s prioritisation plan in July, they agreed to put research into civil partnerships on the back burner. It was given the lowest priority and, as it stands, no research will be done until at least 2014.
Campaigner Tina Whittaker was disappointed that civil partnerships were so far down the priority list and said she would lobby politicians for a reconsideration.
‘Starting work on this in 2014 will mean we are as far behind Europe as we were on this [gay age of consent].
‘It means a lot to people, not just gay people but people who care about their community. Living in a community that has prejudice reflects badly on you.’
Deputy John Gollop said the States should look into sharing some of the research costs with Jersey, which last year voted in favour of introducing such partnerships and is now looking at the legislation.
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Wayy! 1-nil against the gays!
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I am absolutely astonished that the equality laws are being delayed in Guernsey by a further 4-years. Remarkable that the States of Guernsey find it acceptable to treat the Gay community within the island as second class citizens.
All that is asked is for equal rights and the introduction of a Civil Partnership Law would resolve this all as at present, the Gay community does not have this right, similar to the right to get married for heterosexuals.
All we are asking is for this to be implemented as soon as possible so that we can all look at the future together as citizens of Guernsey where no one community is treated differently from another.
We urge the members of the States of Guernsey to please consider bringing this forward. There are many similar legislation elsewhere that could be looked at and this could be introduced easily.
I may not have 4-years to wait. I’ve been in a long term relationship for well over 10-years and due to an existing medical condition, looking 4-years into the future may be too late for us. We would love to show our friends and family the commitment we have towards each other now and for the future and what a perfect way to do by acknowledging this legally to each other.
Please consider equality for all in Guernsey and for once, lead instead of follow!
Please help.
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The States adopted a resolution in 2006 asking that Civil Partnerships be explored….and they won’t start work until 2014?????
…..I recognise that there are finite resources and conflicting priorities…but how difficult can this be?
Why not take up Deputy Gollop’s suggestion of sharing work with Jersey, which voted (overwhelmingly) to have Civil Partnerships last October.
And why is this fighting with other priorities in Health & Social Services – surely the Home Dept could take the lead on this, as they did with the Age of Consent?
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GG, it’s really starting to sound like you are bringing your own deep-seated personal issues regarding homosexuality to these pages. Perhaps you should take some time to think about things, and to understand how you really feel about members of the same sex.
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Geo, why not go to the UK to get a civil partnership, then we’ll all be happy :D
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I personally feel that 2 men living together are hurting our Lord’s feelings and should be stopped.
Not so 2 women, because they are aesthetically pleasing, however.
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@ GG
You said in a previous post that according to the bible, Civil Partnerships are a No No…!!
Check out Mrs Betty Bowers on YouTube on her opinions regarding ‘Bible Marrages’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFkeKKszXTw
Maybe you’re right after all!!!
1 – nil agains the gays? I’m sure we’ll equalise before too long eh mate?
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I think GG should come out of the closet. Hes showing all the signs bless him.
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Sorry, Geoff. You must be mistaken, I’m female. I am in no way attracted to the same sex, nor am I butch.
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Geo
Second class citizens…. really??
I must have missed the legislation that gay people can no longer buy local market houses, and are forced to sit in different areas of restaurants to straight people.
The crux of this story depends on what matters have been given higher priority.
I dont know exactly what the social policy group research, however would you want civil partnerships to take a higher priority than for example domestic violence??
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Not Butch- Tick
Female- Tick
Likes Men- Tick
GG
What are you doing friday night???
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I understand that this issue has been debated for at least the last 4/5 years so wonder what the delay is.
Out of interest what happens when a civil partnership couple move to Guernsey or indeed a couple have a ceremony in the UK and then come back? Are their rights applicable in Guernsey? or are they simply ignored?
I recently went to a civil partnership in Wales and it was fantastic! Surely the revenue would be welcome in Guernsey? What a lovely location for it too. Although maybe some out there are worried with a load of Gays running amok and turning all the hetero’s…
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@Dave Haslam
Here we go again…. bigoted
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Martino
Are you saying I am bigoted because I want to know the full story, and not jumping to conclusions.
Or are you saying the content of my post is bigoted, and therefore would prefer Civil partnership ceremonies researched before an investigation into domestic abuse.
Or is this your “enlightened viewpoint”??
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What exactly needs to be ‘researched’ about civil partnerships?
That the sky will fall in?
Hasn’t happened in the UK….nor does Jersey appear to believe it will.
Its really a matter of fairness and equality. Same logic as for the Age of Consent.
In the 4 years since the States said ‘investigate it’ the UK has shown this works and civil partnership enjoys cross party support.
So why does Guernsey not simply ‘get on with it’ – rather than have another 4 years slip away BEFORE anything starts…
Give it to the Home Dept to draw up legislation.
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The problems highlighted here run much more deeply than simply the civil partnership issue.
Whatever is going on in our system of Governance that makes them think it is reasonable to allow a delay over something as fundamental as an equality issue.
It really does beg the question, what other projects are they kicking their heels over?
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You’ve answered your first question for yourself, Dave Haslam, both in your original post and your subsequent one. There is something that you just can’t tolerate about gay people, isn’t there, because a tolerant person wouldn’t have issued such a ridiculous challenge. And I quote: “would you want civil partnerships to take a higher priority than for example domestic violence??”
As far as I am aware it is not and has never been a case of either/or and no States department or deputy has ever stated it to be. What next in the Dave Haslam line of inquisition: “Would you rather civil partnerships be reviewed ahead of sorting out our waste strategy or a replacement for zero 10 or our relationship with the OECD?”
What a ridiculous line of questioning but I’ll answer it anyway. I would not give either of the two issues you mention priority over the other. They are chalk and cheese. They are not mutually exclusive.
As Flying Scot has demonstrated, we have a heaven (sic) sent opportunity right now to work with Jersey on civil partnerships and to capitalise on the momentum created by the 45-nil vote for equality in the States last week, so let’s go for it.
One more thing Dave. You pick me up for professing to be enlightened. Well, that certainly is rich coming from someone who boasted in another thread, and I quote: “I have an IQ of over 150, so I can tell the difference between genuine facts, and spin.”
Yes, I may be prone to the odd boast but I am not so insecure about my intelligence that I have to take a test to prove it and then use the results of that test as a crude weapon to bludgeon other posters with when my arguments don’t stack up.
David, it’s over to you….
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Martino
Fail
You have misjudged both my posts.
I was merely pointing out with the first post, that without knowing whats a higher priority, this is a non-story and ergo, calling homsexuals second class citizens when its blatently not the case is an overreation.
I also admitted at the time, I do not know whats on the list ahead, so i used domestic abuse as an example.
But you just love to take things out of context dont you??
This was the post where you accuse me of being a bigot??? I wish I could know where you think the bigotry was in that post. Methinks seeing as you show remarkable tendanices towards that yourself, you are not sure what the term truly means.
All your gubbins and quite laughable attempt to change the subject onto tongue in cheek comments I made on another thread dont disguise from the fact that as I have mentioned on numerous occasions, one of my closest friends is gay, and its people like you that make his life more difficult.
Its not gays I cannot tolerate, its the self righteous “enlightened” crowd who think they know it all, but have completely failed to grasp the real issues at hand.
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@Martino/@Dave Haslam,
Either get a room or take it out into the playground.
Aside the name calling, what, fundamentally, do you disagree on?
@Dave Haslam – I presume you do not dispute that homosexual people have equal rights, and if so, since ‘civil partnership’ is working in the UK and will be adopted in Jersey – do you oppose this in Guernsey or not? If so, why?
@Martino – while I am sympathetic to your views, you do appear to focus on winning battles and losing wars!
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Martino & Dave Haslam:
I don’t always agree with Dave, but I think he’s got you this time!
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Flying Scot
As I have said on numerous occasions, one of my closest friends is gay, I went to his civil partnership ceremony not long ago.
It was a blast.
I dont oppose it in Guernsey either, and never even intimated as such.
I dont know why our legal system takes what is on the face of it a simple case of cut and paste onto our headed paper and turns it into a 10 year wait.
My comments in this thread where that I merely wanted to know what legislation is above it in the queue.
Until we know that, we cant really judge why its been considered a low priority.
As to the disagreement with Martino, well, my views (based on comments made by homsexuals at said civil ceremony) are that certain non-homosexual groups, in their rush to advocate homosexuality, are actually making gay peoples lifes harder by further alienating the hardcore of homophobes with their attacks towards them.
I advocate a persistant educational campaign preferably with open dialogue from both sides, there is no sense poking the bear with a stick so to speak, because he only gets angrier.
In fairness to Martino I think he misjudged my message, because I cant see whats so hateful and bigoted about my point of view.
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A day is a long time in politics and Internet forum discussions so here goes…
First Flying Scot, I do respect your views and I guess you are right about losing sight of the war while fighting a personal battle. I really should not have allowed myself to deflect my fire from the ‘real issue’ as Dave Haslam puts it.
And to Dave, on reflection I would say I have indeed misjudged you, so apologies for accusing you of intolerance amounting to bigotry. I now accept this is not the case.
Given your close friendship with a gay person, though, I still fail to understand why you are not sympathetic to the campaign for fast tracking civil partnership legislation? It so obviously means such a lot to people like Geo posting here and if they tell us the lack of such legislation makes them feel like second-class citizens why should we not simply accept that?
As an aside to Geo and others, I am sorry if we have frightened you away from posting any further on this thread as a result of our little spat. That was certainly the last thing I wanted to happen so, returning swiftly to the real issue, I think we should focus now on asking sympathetic deputies to take a requete to the House to bypass the ponderously slow Policy Council.
The prayer of the petition should be to instruct the Home Dept (or whichever dept has an appropriate mandate) to report back to the House within six months with firm proposals to allow civil partnerships to take place locally. The petitioners should seek also to instruct the relevant department to work closely with Jersey on a pan island solution, particularly as our sister island has done some of the groundwork already.
And to the true homophobes and bigots out there, posting their repugnant, dark age views on various threads of this forum: these are enlightened times whether you like it or not and the enlightened are now the majority. It is not a case of IF civil partnerships should become a welcome part of the fabric of island life but a case of WHEN, so let us all work together to make it happen sooner rather than later.
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Martino
Cheers man
Shall we draw a line in the sand??
Hard luck last night (asumming you are an Arsenal fan)
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@Dave Haslam – would that the states were as sophisticated as to have deliberately prioritised this in a ‘a is more important than b, which is more important than c’ fashion – but reading the Policy Council report that set the priorities they simply voted in groups for their top priorities – equalising the age of consent was not even on the list, for example, but (I suspect) fear of being challenged in Strasbourg got that moving.
I also agree that we should cut n’paste what has worked in the UK and will shortly happen in Jersey – as Deputy Gollop suggested – piggy back on the work that Jersey is doing.
This really should not be a zero sum game ‘you can have civil partnerships but that will delay a domestic abuse strategy (for example)’ – there must be simpler, smarter, faster ways of doing it.
Also glad to see you & Martino (mainly) in violent agreement!
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Cheers Dave, I do get carried away at times. One of my faults I’m afraid.
Yes, I was supporting Arsenal and I fear for the Gunners at the Nou Camp
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“I do get carried away at times. One of my faults I’m afraid.”
Nice to see an honest self-appraisal, Martino. Come and join the club mate, that’s one of my faults too! :-)
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