Same sex marriage shows civil partnerships were ‘never enough’

As the first gay and lesbian couples in England and Wales prepare to walk down the aisle this weekend to get legally married, research from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has claimed that civil partnerships could never have met the demands for full equality between gay and straight couples.

In the latest edition of the ESRC magazine Society Now, Dr Mike Thomas, Social Policy Lecturer, argues that civil partnerships were a useful stepping-stone, but were always a poor substitute for marriage.

"In terms of recognising couple relationships, marriage is the only game in town," said Dr Thomas. "Marriage is engrained in law, culture and social rituals, and it was a tall order for civil partnerships to gain social and cultural standing alongside such a key institution."

"Civil partnerships looked like a fairly bold move back in 2005, but they already appear inadequate as a long-term solution, as reflected in the government's decision to legislate for marriage equality," he added.

The UK Government is currently consulting on whether to abolish civil partnerships in England and Wales, open them up to straight couples, or keep them as they are.

Although civil partnerships may well be pushed aside by same-sex marriage, the ESRC says it is important not to overlook the contribution that civil partnerships made towards the greater visibility of same-sex couples in UK society, and to challenging negative social attitudes towards homosexuality.

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