Anglican Mainstream

Islington Gazette

A HETEROSEXUAL Islington couple want to become the first in Britain to have a "gay" civil partnership – because they do not believe in marriage.

Civil servants Tom Freeman and Katherine Doyle, both 25, of North Road, Holloway, do not agree with marriage because they say it is "an apartheid" that segregates straight and gay people.

The couple, who have been together for nearly four years, want the same legal rights as a husband and wife – but they do not want to enter an institution that is closed to homosexuals. So, in the interests of equality, they are demanding that they be allowed to enter a civil partnership.

Mr Freeman said: "Ideally we'd have the option of a civil partnership or a marriage, regardless of whether we were straight or gay. Effectively marriage and civil partnerships are exactly the same – it's a duplicate law. The effects and legal processes are identical. The rights and obligations are identical. Civil partnerships are equality in all but name – so why not just have equality?

"The answer is there are conservative people who feel offended by having gay people in their precious institution. It's quite an insulting compromise."

On November 24 the couple are set to give "notice of their intention to form a civil partnership" at Islington Town Hall, in Upper Street, after duping council registrars by only giving their initials.

The venue is one of the most popular in Britain for so-called "gay marriages" – civil partnerhips which legally recognise relationships between gay couples who are not legally entitled to marry.

"We're the first straight couple in the country who have tried to get a civil partnership," said Mr Freeman. "We've been together for almost four years, we're totally committed to each other, we're at the stage other couples might usually get married but we feel the only course of action is to campaign for desegregation."

Supportive

Ms Doyle, who says their parents have been "very supportive" of their stance, said: "It's an apartheid of sorts. Getting married would condone that and the whole idea of common law partnerships is an urban myth – they don't exist, so we are excluded from the legal benefits. For Tom and I a civil partnership is the obvious alternative but we can't have it."

She added: "Marriage is patriarchal. The whole idea of dressing up in a big white dress and being given away by your father and taking your husband's name is a bit old fashioned."

The couple have the backing of gay and human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell and have received widespread support in the gay community. Mr Tatchell said: "The ban on heterosexual civil partnerships is heterophobic. It is discriminatory and offensive. I want to see it ended so that straight couples like Tom and Katherine can have the option of a civil partnership. I applaud their challenge to this unjust law."

Islington Council is currently at the centre of a storm after threatening to sack Christian marriage registrar Lillian Ladele after she refused to carry out civil partnerships. The case is currently at the High Court.

Newington Green Unitarian Church, in Newington Green, has banned full wedding ceremonies until the law is changed to allow gay couples the same religious marriage rights as heterosexual couples.

Reverend Andy Pakula said: "I'm impressed with their commitment and support them completely.
 

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