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29 October 2014
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lesbian marriage
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Gay Wedding Day For 14 Suffolk Couples

From the 21st December 2005, gay men and lesbians can get married across Suffolk. The Civil Partnership Act comes into force in England - and 14 same-sex couples are tying the knot in the county on this first day.

Things passed off peacefully in the UK's first ceremony in Belfast despite a demonstration by the Free Presbyterian Church.听 England's first ceremonies take place a couple of days later and the headlines will almost certainly be grabbed by Elton John and David Furnish.

The signing ceremony.
Signing ceremony by www.lgphotography.co.uk.

However, less famous couples will now be getting married as well.听 There's a 50:50 split between male and female couples in Suffolk.听 Nicola Hill from the Gay Friendly Wedding Venues has set up a website telling homosexuals where they can hold their services "This is a momentous point in history, allowing homosexual couples the same rights as married couples. These include next of kin rights, pension rights and recognition for immigration and tax purposes."

She says she set her website up because some established venues for civil services were either not replying to emails or sending hostile replies. 鈥淚 had some photographers telling me it was against God and nature,鈥 she says.

Glemham Hall
Glemham Hall - marquee ceremonies

Keith Hannah, who works for a hotel in Suffolk, is planning his own ceremony for next April. He has been with his partner for 14 years 鈥淚 believe we should have the same rights as anybody else. I don鈥檛 need a piece of paper to show I love my partner, but if I was on a life-support machine, I鈥檇 want him to make the decisions.鈥澨 Keith and his partner own a home together. Once they are civil partners, if either of them died, the other would automatically inherit each other鈥檚 property without having to pay 40% inheritance tax.

Some venues and services in Suffolk are actively promoting themselves as gay-friendly. These include the Woodlands Hotel in Haverhill, Glemham Hall near Woodbridge and Heath Court Hotel in Newmarket.听 Tarnia Robertson, who's the Sales & Marketing Director at the Best Western Ufford Park Hotel says: 鈥淲e have always been a progressive family run business, and when we read about the change in the laws for gay couples to marry, we felt more than happy to welcome them.鈥

choir in St.Edmundsbury Cathedral
Bury cathedral - no plans for gay weddings

These are only civil services of course.听 Within the Church of England the debate rages on.听 The Bishop of St.Edmundsbury and Ipswich, the Right Reverend Richard Lewis, has spoken in favour of gay relationships before.听 The Anglican position on gay clergy is that they could have a civil partnership, but should remain celibate.

The Civil Partnership Act has given homosexual couples the same rights as heterosexuals -

  • 听equal treatment for tax purposes, including inheritance tax
  • 听recognition for immigration purposes
  • 听rights to survivor鈥檚 pension
  • 听next of kin rights
  • 听exemption from testifying against each other in court
  • 听court administered dissolution process
  • 听domestic violence protection
  • 听automatic revocation of will on registration of partnership
  • 听on intestacy surviving partner automatically inherits their partner's property
  • 听maintenance on dissolution

So, if you're a gay or lesbian couple getting married in Suffolk, email your pictures to us ...

last updated: 17/09/07
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anonymous, 20, suffolk
I am a 20 year old gay man, but more importantly a devoted Christian. I think the church is wrong to judge homosexual people, and the sooner they realise that they are turning people away from God rathe than bringing people to him the better! Jesus said this: I leave you with two things, Love the Lord your God and two, Love your neighbour as yourself, there are no other commandments greater than these. Everything depends on these two commandments.Jesus never talked or mentioned homosexuality, and therefore it should be a secondary subject. I dont believe God has problems with homosexuals in loving committed relationships. He does have a problem with people (not just homosexuals either) for using homosexuality wrongly, for sleeping around, lust, and shaming what relationships stand for.Jesus loves everyone, regardless of sexuality, age, size, colour etc (and even creed!) and he acknowledges those in relationships and acknowledge their sexual union, as long as it stays that way. If the church were to teach these two great commandments, we'd progress a lot further as a society and as a church too.Gay partnerships in my eyes, stop what the church calls 'sinners' (gays!) from sinning, because we are acknowledging a holy relationship with each other.I am in a relationship, and I will have a Christian marriage service (partnership), but i realise that the long battl with the church to accept ALL people who love God and love their neighbour, which is most important will be a hard journey, and i pray for anyone on that journey.

callum ,, age 13 ,, from manchester
marriage is about love, not gender.yeah, i'm gay, and open, and i get descriminated for who i am. i don't really mind, as i am who i am, and it can't be helped. but most gay people arn't okay with being bullied for who they are, so why can't people just accept gays are just another person, with human rights just like them ...

Nathan
My point is if all these homosexual "Christian" know its wrong to be gay, well to lay next to another man, why dont they suck up the pain of being lonely and devote there time to god, knowing that if they follow his word for 60 to 90 years or until you die that you will live forever in the glorious gates of heaven. Exactly. They dont care.

natalie
yes i am glad that now that law has come in that gay, lesbians can get married now

PK
Utter rubbish- you haven't the courage to face the emotional issues in your upbringing -and explor how your emotional and psychological make up got so skewed to even consider that it's an actual choice.

D
Would God condemn someone for something that they cannot help? I think not. Being gay is not a choice and it is not something that you can ever change no matter how hard you try! I used to try to force myself time and time again to feel attracted to girls but there was nothing ever felt and now I have come to my senses and I accept the fact that I am gay. Would the Lord really prefer homosexuals to brush their attraction to men aside and to marry a woman in a loveless marriage? I personally feel that this is more of a sin than homosexuality. And who's to say that homosexuality is a sin? The Bible is a set of guidelines that humans should follow, not an instruction book; it is to be interpreted as you wish. For anyone out there who feels 'ashamed' to be gay then I urge you to accept your homosexual feelings, even welcome them, because take it from me, you will be much, much happier that way! :)

CH
the question I ask is..do gay men 'lay' with both men and women in the same way? Man shall not lay with man as he does with woman. He doesn't...he is gay, therefore would this apply to a gay man? Or is it more appropriate to a straight man who also has gay sex. If God wanted to condemn homosexual acts then wouldn't he have been plain and clear and said.. men dont have sex with men, he is very clear and direct about the sins listed before this! Its a tricky topic and I think its best if we all trust God to be the judge of things. Remember that Love is the most important thing, spread love, feel love, be love and great things will follow x In Jesus name, Amen xx

Tricia Ross
I believe as the Bible. God made Adam first and then he created Eve. If God thought homosexuality was ok would he not of created a man for Adam? Adam and Eve....not Adam and Steve! It's not only gays who should go by the Bible, it is everyone who is not following God. Liars, drunkards, idol worshippers, thieves,and so on.

sarah barnes
i think people should leave gays alone there deserve to be happy just like every one else in dis country

Carl
I find it disgusting for people to spit out random quotes from the bible against gays. You are quoting a book. A BOOK. Why not make your own opinions based on people and their values. I would much rather someone be happy with themselves then to hide behind something like religion and have no idea as what it is like to be of difference. The bible is just a book. A story. I am disgusted that people still throw that down gay peoples throats in this day and age.

Donal
As an 'ex' monk I find it quite amusing how many religious (and not necessarily spiritual) individuals can quote one or two verses from The Bible and then state that gay unions are against EVERYTHING in The Bible. I am also entertained at how many forget literally thousands of other commands in The Bible who are addressed more numerously than the 'man lying with a man' verse. (I must assume that lesbians have nothing to worry about since it never mentions 'women lying with women'.) The Bible states more often that a woman should have her head covered at all times...and in literal translation it DOES NOT refer to her hair. The Bible also states in several passages that Jesus was led into the wilderness and experienced EVERY temptation on earth. I wonder if this is why Jesus NEVER condemned 'men lying with men' since He Himself had experienced the temptation to be with another man. It DOES say EVERY temptation. St. Paul also strongly recommended that ALL people remain single such as himself. The civil union is a rather simple idea, is it not? It simple allows two people who love each other to have legal protection. It does not change the life of my neighbour. Our country has yet to be thrust into the lake of hellfire. Those who have completed civil unions have continued to work in our schools, hospitals, churches, stores, LEAs, colleges, universities, chippies, petrol stations, etc. I do feel sorry for the religious ones who fail to focus on Christ's comman to love and not judge. I wonder if He will even know them.....as that, too, is in The Bible.

katie age 13 portsmouth
i think rights for gay people is great. i am NOT gay but still feel that everyone should be equal. Everyone would think it was an outrage if black people could not be married but if its gay people they do not care. Good luck with everyones weddings!! :]

stephen
everyone uses leviticus against homosexuals like me, yet in that same book God seems to forbid; clothing woven of more than one wool, preists marrying foriegners, women teaching, people eating blood or fat that could be used for sacrifice. so unless we intend to set back the womens rights movement, ban black pudding, run an ethnicity tests on people married to clergy and arrest owners of leading clothing companies leviticus is not acceptable evidence that God is against homosexuality. it's easy to condemn a group when it is someone elses.

leila
There's little enough love in the world. Does it really matter what gender you are? Love and be happy, good luck to you all.

Luke- Wolverhampton
To Sophie in Skegness despite your disbelief gay guys and gals (some born physically as the opposite gender) do actually exist, I think your thinking of elves and hobbits, a common mistake. Anyway someone said that gay marriage goes against everything it says in the Bible but all anyone comes up with the whole "Man should not lie with man" (part of the Old Testament I believe). Have any others? because the Bible doesn't say a lot about it. Additionally modern christians s are supposed to follow the teachings of Christ (clues in the name CHRISTians)and asfaik he never made any comment for or against homosexuality (personally I think this is because he couldn't really say anything positive due to the social situation at the time in which he lived or at least if he did it could not be concluded or people did not believe him due to their own ignorance, a common problem for him during his ministry). And if you read the full Bible and asess it's content, you will probably discover adhering to some 'teachings' (written by men- people are imperfect beings according to the 'Good Book'and they would have an agenda)will conflict with some of the ideas you hold, for example on the role and treatment of women which highlights the mysoganistic attitude of the time, after all the Bible has been interpretated in the past to prevent women from providing testimony in law courts. In relation to the article Civil Partnership (not marriage which is part of religious tradition/belief and is between man and woman) is wonderful because of the new rights and equality it grants us (gay people). It makes me happy to be British :)

Gays are okay (An American)
Good luck to everyone. I have nothing against gays. Everyone should have their rights. God said love one another no matter what. This is a great breakthrough for England. Good job!

katie cheshire
i am christian and a lesbian and i totally agree with it there needs to b more info for all gay

Melissa B
Remeber the story of Sodom and Gollith in the bible....the one where the two cities were burned suppodsly because of homosexuality? well in the end Jesus says they were destroyed because of INHOSPITIALITY!!! NOT homosexuality

Yvonne (North London)
I personally believe that civil partnerships is a sinful act against God because it goes against everything the bible says. I dont have a problem with Gay people i just dont agree with their sexuality.

Jed
Unrelated comment-god? all a delusion, crutch of the insecure

sophie SKEGNESS
i think this website is absolutely discusting because i do not believe in gays, lesbians and transexuals GOODBYE

Paul
Cheers to one and all gay couples out there whether getting married or not! I am straight, by the way, but do remember - "he's not the messiah, he's just a very naughty boy!"

Gary - near Clare
The main message from Christ's teachings is one of love so if someone love's anyone else surely this should be condoned, especially if you are a Christian - surely better than promoting people not to love and engendering a new generation of ghettoised sections of society that become to resent each other - everyone should be treated equally whatever their sexual partner's gender, race or religion. Remember too that it is not only Christians who get married.

Claire
I am a Christian!!!!!!

Chris T. Ian
Claire,the point you make is valid but as a Christian I belive you should love the sinner and hate the sin. Helen is right to quote "man shall not lay with man," the bible is very clear on that, therefore gay marriage is wrong but it is no reason to hate the individuals involved!

Mark - Ipswich
"man shall not lay with man" - cos we all have to follow a book that was written years ago?! If it was your son or daughter and they just wanted to be happy would you really stand in their way? The change in law is great news!

Claire - Ipswich
And have you read the line Love your neighbour as you love thy self!

Helen, Bury
Can you please explain what gay clergymen etc. make of the sentence in the bible saying "man shall not lay with man" and how can the church accept these marriages?

Kent Williams
I am from the US and will be going to see an attorney in London in January to help with the application for Civil Partnership. Hopefully, we will be married by February.

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