My children will be able to marry anyone they like.

[DrSeuss]

They're only six and one but it still makes me happy to know that they will have the chance to marry anyone they choose, male or female.

[PartTimeModel]

Hooray!! It's absolutely brilliant isn't it.

Now Civil Partnerships need to be made available to all, or scrapped!

Congrats Devora!

[ravenAK]

Great news!

(& congratulations Devora! )

[BettySuarez]

I am just so thrilled for you Devora

[LineRunner]

Vinegar Could be the connotations, the old-fashioned 'sacrament' element.

[MurderOfGoths]

Fantastic news! A majority of 225 as well! That's pretty damn good

[KayHarker]

I think it's a backward step. Marriage is between a man and a woman period.


Nah, just kidding, it's great news

[VinegarDrinker]

FieldsOfCorn - why not just sign one at a Register Office? I'm not being facetious, btw, I am genuinely interested.

LineRunner I've looked up the Marriage Act and the compulsory words are:

"I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I [name] may not be joined in matrimony to [name].

I call upon these persons here present, to witness that I [name] do take thee [name] to be my lawful wedded wife/husband."

Is it the wife/husband terminology that is contentious? Or is there something else I'm missing?

[FieldsOfCorn]

I'm straight, been with my partner 15 years, will never get married but would like our partnership to attract the same legal rights as a marriage. Would very happily sign a contact at a solicitors office.

[Highlander]

20 years planning a marriage - that's one hell of a Beidezilla Devora!

[GetOrf]

Congrats Devora - that's lovely for you.

I am so pleased that this has gone through.

But yes, more chuntering expected when it goes through the Lords. Surely they won't throw it out.

[LineRunner]

Yes, congratulations Devora and everyone.

[LineRunner]

Why keep civil unions as well? Because even civil marriage ceremonies have a 'form of words' that cause difficulties for some people; but the couple might want to give each other legal protection in regard to inheritance and being next-of-kin, in the same way that married couples do.

[Snazzynewyear]

Yay, I will (hopefully) get the chance to be a MIL regardless of whether my DS is straight or gay! Hoping this prompts some of my friends to get proposing.

DrSeuss yes I was also wondering whether couples who've entered a civil partnership will get the option to convert it to marriage.

Congrats to anyone on here who's now engaged!

[Devora]

Yes I am, Betty, and I can't tell you how excited my kids are that their mum's will finally tie the knot - we've been together nearly twenty years

[VinegarDrinker]

Aha you answered my post FieldsOfCorn! What would be different between a legal recognition of partnership and a civil marriage for you?

Couldn't agree more re church/state.

[FieldsOfCorn]

It's fantastic news!

Now we need legal partnerships to be recognised for couples who don't believe in marriage and complete separation of church and state.

[VinegarDrinker]

I don't really understand why one would want a straight CP? I know marriage doesn't have the best history in terms of feminism etc but surely the answer to that is to reclaim it as an equal partnership not refuse to have anything to do with it?

[Badvoc]

It's great news.
Although my dc are never leaving me, obviously, as no one, man or woman is good enough for them! :) :)

[LineRunner]

I think there are straight couple who would like the option of civil partnership over marriage, as well as gay couples who want marriage.

So it will be interesting to see if both options end up available for all, which I think should be just fine and dandy.

The Lords will weep and wail but they cannot try to overturn this decisive Commons' vote without signing the House of Lords' own death warrant. Which wouldn't upset me too much. The opponents of gay marriage have mostly come across in the media circus today as barking, whereas everyone else seemed dignified and intelligent.

[DrSeuss]

Congrats, Devora!

[BettySuarez]

Oh my god Devora, are you gay?

If you are then that is fan fucking tastic

[DrSeuss]

I think you can upgrade from civil partnership to marriage.
How can people who are love getting married devalue marriage? And how can anyone say that marriage never evolves? Divorce used be considered scandalous. Marriages used to be more about family alliances. Register office marriages were once frowned upon.

[BettySuarez]

Such a bloody relief. Depressing that it even had to be discussed/debated though.

[Devora]

Yay I'm gonna get married!

[surroundedbyblondes]

Good point Mechanical. But it's a step on the way!