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Whereas
many UK cities now offer such non-formal arrangements, only Liverpool,
Swansea, Leeds and Richmond upon Thames waive any residency requirements.
The
rites carry no legal authority but allow a public statement of commitment.
It's also an opportunity for family and friends to celebrate as
at any other wedding.
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| Liverpool
is one of only 4 UK cities to waive residency requirements for
commitment ceremonies. |
"The
first service was held in August, 2002," explains Janet Taubman,
Partnership Register Manager at the Liverpool Register Office.
"Since
then we've had 30 same-sex ceremonies, 13 male and 17 female. Of
those, 7 have been held at external venues, including Leasowe Castle
and The Village Hotel.
"We're
able to travel to most if not all locations, and there are more
dates coming up over the summer months."
The
Civil Partnership Bill was announced by the government on the 31st
March 2004, and is expected to take approximately a year to come
into full effect.
It
will allow gay couples the same rights and responsibilities as married
couples.
These
will extend to taxes, social security and pension benefits, tenancy
rights and recognition within life-assurance schemes and as next-of-kin.
"For
the people who have gone through a ceremony, we hope the changes
in the law will require merely a clerical update rather than having
to repeat the process over," adds Janet Taubman.
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| Protestors
kiss in protest in the US as the issue of gay marriage reaches
crisis point. |
In
the Netherlands and Belgium, who introduced laws similar to the
proposed bill some years ago, it wasn't long before same-sex unions
were fully recognised in the eyes of the law.
But
not everyone is pleased at the speed with which the issue is gaining
momentum.
"Marrage
is a ceromony performed before God," explains Edward Kitchin,
President of John Moore's University Christian Union.
"Once
someone gets married they are bound in the eyes of God.
"We
were created to have hetrosexual partners (Genesis 2v18-22), and
the Bible makes clear that practicing homosexuality is a sin (Romans
1.v 27).
"Therefore
the marrage of two men or women, while the world might recognise
and accept it - I'm not sure if God would."
Pink
Weddings is a Surrey-based ceremony planner service, who became
headlines themselves recently by announcing their intention to launch
the UK's first gay wedding fayre.
 |
| Actress
and talk show host Rosie O'Donnell marries girlfriend Kelli
Carpenter at a ceremony in San Francisco. |
Debuting
in Brighton later this year, founder Gino Meriano told BBC Liverpool
that they hope to tour the country in 2005, including at least two
venues in the North West.
"When
we first began, our website was receiving 20,000 unique users a
month.
"Now
that figure is 15,000 every day.
"I
started the company because I was looking for information myself,
and there wasn't anything of any substance out there.
"Liverpool
is way ahead of most other cities in the UK, so many people in the
region choose to make their own arrangements rather than enlist
our services. We don't have a problem with that.
"At
least our site offers the facts. That's the big thing. Raising awareness.
People genuinely don't know what they can or can't do."
It
is expected that it will be at least a year before the Civil Partnership
Bill will take effect.
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