A straight couple from London will challenge the legal ban on heterosexual civil partnerships by filing an application this Wednesday.
The denial of civil partnerships to straight couples is, they say, “unjust, discriminatory and illegal under the Human Rights Act”.
Stephanie Munro and Andrew O’Neill, from Camden, north London, expect to be turned down by the registrar but plan to get the rejection in writing. They will then appeal against the refusal in the courts, together with seven other rejected couples from across the country. All eight couples will file a joint legal appeal.
Munro, 27, said: “The segregation of same-sex and different-sex relationships into predefined categories is discriminatory and entirely unacceptable to us. We believe there should be flexibility within the law to allow all couples, straight and gay, the freedom to choose which type of union suits them best.”
O’Neill, 31, added: “As long as marriage is denied to same-sex couples, it remains a hangover from a patriarchal age. The handing over of the bride from one male to another is enshrined in the marriage ritual and, to a degree, in law. That’s one reason why marriage doesn’t seem right for us. A civil partnership has none of this historical baggage.”
The couple’s application will take place at Camden Register Office Wednesday 8 December at 10am.
Their bid is part of the new Equal Love campaign, which seeks to overturn the twin prohibitions on gay civil marriages and heterosexual civil partnerships.
Munro and O’Neill are the third heterosexual couple to seek a civil partnership. Two other straight couples have already filed civil partnership applications.
Ian Goggin and Kristin Skarsholt applied for a civil partnership in Bristol but their bid was rejected in November.
The Equal Love campaign is organised by the gay rights group Outrage and coordinated by the human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, with the support of the Peter Tatchell Human Rights Fund.
Tatchell commented: “It is outrageous that the law denies straight couples the option of having a civil partnership. Excluding them is discrimination and it’s wrong.
“We support their bid for heterosexual equality. In a democratic society, everyone should be equal before the law. There should be no legal discrimination. The twin bans on gay civil marriages and on heterosexual civil partnerships are a form of sexual apartheid. There is one law for straight couples and another law for gay partners. Two wrongs don’t make a right.”
He added: “Denying heterosexual couples the right to have a civil partnership is discriminatory and insulting. We want to see it ended, so that straight couples like Andrew and Stephanie can have the option of a civil partnership. I salute their challenge to this unjust legislation.”
