Same Sex Partnerships – Sinead’s Hand

One of the many things that’s great about the laws of Scotland is that Humanist marriage is legal, but – and it’s an important but – only between men and women.

Gay people are allowed to have a Civil Partnership, but they can’t choose any other form of marriage, even though there are many in the churches and the humanist community who would love to celebrate them. You can support the campaign to change the law in Scotland here, at the Equal Marriage web site

I’ve conducted only two same sex ceremonies and you won’t find any pictures of either of them on my blog: not because I don’t want to show them, but because both couples work in the public sector and have to be discreet. Which makes me wonder why, if gay couples can now have a Civil Ceremony, is it NOT OK for them to be open about their relationship? The answer is that society is a great deal less tolerant towards gay people than it appears, so people in the armed forces, or in education, public health and so on still can’t be open about their sexuality and their relationship status.

Anyway, if it’s bad here, it’s much worse in Ireland where Gay and Lesbian people can’t even have a civil ceremony. If you’d like to support their campaign, watch this lovely little film, called ‘Sinead’s Hand’, and then click here to support MarriagEquality’s campaign for same-sex marriage in Ireland.

  1. Emily left a comment on September 21, 2009 at 9:54 am

    Love your blog, but the first sentence of this post is alarmingly ambiguous. At first it sounds like you approve of discrimination against same-sex couples. A little rewording might be in order.

  2. Tim Maguire, Humanist Celebrant left a comment on September 21, 2009 at 9:56 am

    Well read on Emily!

    As the rest of the post makes unambiguously clear, I oppose discrimination against same-sex couples.

    But thanks for reading x

  3. Kathy left a comment on September 30, 2009 at 7:01 pm

    Why the State thinks they can tell you who to love and if you are allowed to be married is beyond me.

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