Is This Really What the Church Is About? Anglican Bishops Back End to Ban on Gay Civil Partnerships in Church
Franck Bordese, left, and Guy Bentham had their union blessed by the Rev Andy Pakula, centre, a Unitarian minister. Photograph: Times Online
TIMES ONLINE: Gay couples could soon be allowed to “marry” in church after a decision by Anglican bishops and other clergy to support a relaxation of the ban.

Senior bishops in the Lords have told The Times that they will support an amendment to the Equality Bill next month that will lift the ban on civil partnership ceremonies in religious premises. The amendment would remove the legislative prohibition on blessings of homosexual couples and open the door to the registration of civil partnerships in churches, synagogues, mosques and all other religious premises.

In a letter to The Times a group of Church of England clerics say today that religious denominations should be allowed to register civil partnerships on their premises if they wish.

It would be up to individual denominations whether to offer civil partnership ceremonies.

The Church of England, which along with the wider Anglican Communion is divided over gay ordinations and same-sex blessings, will maintain its official ban. But if the legislative prohibition is lifted, as seems likely, the Church’s own ban is likely to be ignored by some clergy. >>> Ruth Gledhill, Rosemary Bennett | Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Gay Unions Made Legal in Australian Territory
THE TELEGRAPH: The Australian Capital Territory has become the first region in Australia to legalise civil partnership ceremonies for same-sex couples.

Under the new laws, gay couples will be able to hold a legally recognised civil union ceremony in front of friends and family in the territory, which is home to the capital Canberra and the nation's parliament.

The region's legislators approved the bill, which moved by the local Greens party.

Andrew Barr, an ACT minister who is in a gay relationship, wept as he spoke in support of the bill.

"Love, trust and intimacy and commitment are found at the heart of all good relationships," Mr Barr later told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"I'm proud that this parliament will send that signal that my relationship with Anthony is equal to any other." >>> Bonnie Malkin in Sydney | Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Immigration Law Denies Equal Protection For Same-Sex Life Partners
COMMON DREAMS: Legislation Is Needed To Bring U.S. In-Line With Other Democracies

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing tomorrow on a bill that modifies U.S. immigration law to provide equal protection to same-sex life partners of citizens and permanent legal residents. As part of the hearing, entitled "The United American Families Act: Addressing Inequality in Federal Immigration Law," the American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to lawmakers urging the Committee to pass S. 424, "Uniting American Families Act."



Currently, same-sex partners of U.S. citizens and permanent residents are denied the same rights as married heterosexual couples. Consequently, gay citizens and permanent residents are barred from activities such as sponsoring their foreign partners for permanent residency. U.S. immigration law lags behind the immigration laws of many other democracies that permit equal sponsorship protections including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. >>> | Tuesday, June 02, 2009