Isle of Man Introduces Civil Partnership Legislation

February 24, 2010

The Isle of Man will introduce legislation this week to permit civil partnerships that would afford gay and lesbian couples the same rights as married couples. 

The Civil Partnerships Bill had its first reading yesterday. If passed, couples entering such partnerships would be on par with their heterosexual couples – all but in the name of marriage.
 

Treasury minister Alan Bell welcomed the bill, saying it would alter the perceptions of the island.
"I think we have a far more tolerant and understanding community on the Isle of Man,” said Bell, according to the BBC. “Gay relationships are considered as quite acceptable to most people.
 

"I think the other changes to legislation we have brought in, in relation to the gay issue, have brought the Isle of Man in line with the United Kingdom and indeed the rest of Europe.
 

"The stigma which we suffered very badly from in the early days has largely gone now and we can hold our head up high and claim we treat all our citizens as equal."
 

Peter Tatchell, however, argued that the Isle of Man should have gone one step further and introduced marriage legislation instead.
 

"Civil partnerships are an important advance but they are a separate system which is not entirely equal,” Tatchell said.

"It would be much much better if the Isle of Man could have led the way and given lesbian and gay couples the same rights as heterosexual couples to go into a registry office and register a civil marriage.
"That would have been true and full equality."

Civil Partnerships performed in the UK are partially recognized on the island.