6
DAILY NEWS UPDATES ON
)
WWW.GSCENE.COM
Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton
Kemptown and Peacehaven,
added: “I’m delighted that from
March 29, couples in Brighton
Kemptown and Peacehaven will
have the option of getting
married, regardless of their
sexuality. It has been a long road to legalising equal
marriage, and I am very proud of the efforts that
have gone into securing this date.
MP SIMON KIRBY
DATE ANNOUNCED FOR
FIRST SAME-SEX WEDDING
Equalities Minister, Maria Miller MP has announced that the
,
first same-sex wedding will take place on March 29, 2014.
“This is just another step in the evolution of marriage
and I know that many couples up and down the
country will be hugely excited that they can now plan
for their big day and demonstrate their love and
commitment to each other by getting married.”
BEN SUMMERSKILL
Couples wanting to convert civil partnerships into
marriages and married people who want to change
their legal gender while remaining married will be
able to do so later in the year.
Ben Summerskill, Chief
Executive of gay rights campaign
group Stonewall, said: “This
historic step will mean that, for the
first time, every gay person in
England and Wales will finally
CAROLINE LUCAS MP
Under the terms of the Bill, religious organisations
can 'opt in' to offering weddings, but the Church of
England and Church in Wales are banned in law from
doing so. Ben concluded saying: "This historic step
will mean that, for the first time, every gay person in
England and Wales will finally enjoy exactly the same
rights as their heterosexual friends and family."
Rev Michael Hydes from MCC
Church, said: “Metropolitan
Community Churches have been
celebrating same-sex marriages
since 1968, a year before
Stonewall. As a member I'm
proud to have done my part,
testifying at senate committee hearings in the United
States and as a part of the movement that made
same-sex marriage in Maryland legal. I have been
married to my husband, Chris, since marriage
became legal in Maryland in January this year.
REV MICHAEL HYDES
Maria Miller MP said: “Marriage
,
is one of our most important
institutions, and from March 29,
2014 it will be open to everyone,
irrespective of whether they fall in
love with someone of the samesex or opposite sex.
Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton
Pavilion, concluded, saying: “This
is wonderful news and long
overdue. Having long campaigned
for LGBTI equality, and having
always believed in the human
right to same-sex marriage, I’m
delighted that this is finally happening.
Congratulations to Philip and James, and to all the
same-sex couples