I'm getting married in the morning!
Ding dong! The bells are gonna chime.
Pull out the stopper!
Let's have a whopper!
But get me to the church civil registry on time!
Yes, marriage equality is almost certainly coming to England and Wales (1). As the BBC reports:
The government has launched a 12-week consultation on allowing gay couples in England and Wales to marry...
the government wants them to be legally allowed to make vows and declare they are married before the next general election, due in 2015.
And given that all three major parties in the UK, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, and Labor, support marriage equality, it's hard to believe that the bill will not pass Parliament, even though MP's will be given a conscience vote.
But there's a twist:
The Home Office's consultation paper proposes... to maintain the legal ban on same-sex couples marrying in a religious service...
Liberal Democrat Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone said: "We're not looking at changing religious marriage, even for those that might wish to do it.
"I understand the liberal Jews, the Quakers and some unitarian churches would like it, but that's not in the sight of this consultation."
Right now in the UK, churches are allowed to perform legally binding heterosexual marriages. Under the proposed legislation this will still be true, but churches will not be allowed to perform legally binding same-sex marriages -- those will have to be performed in a civil ceremony. Hence the necessity for the revisionist lyrics:
Girls, come and kiss me;
Show how you'll miss me.
But get me to the church civil registry on time!
What's the timeline for the law to pass and come into effect? The 'consultation' is to take three months, ending June 14th. It's basically a period of public comment.
Beyond that it's not clear. The Government keeps noting that it wants to have this settled "before the next election" which is scheduled for 2015. I have no idea why it would take up to three years to create and pass a piece of legislation that all three major parties support, even if the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church in England believe that fire and brimstone will descend upon England (and Wales, I suppose) should their particular conception of marriage be so perverted modified by the State.
Given that the most recent polling shows an incredible 2.5:1 margin in favor of marriage equality
Populus Polling, 1000 adults, 3/10/12
Gay couples should have an equal right to get married, not just to have civil partnerships?
Should: 65%
Should not: 27%
you'd think that the Government would just go ahead and get it over with in as quickly as is reasonable. But I guess only David Cameron and perhaps Ms. Featherstone know what the plan is there.
Interestingly, you can participate in the consultation via the Internet without providing your name, address, or citizenship! I say go for it; it only takes about five minutes -- just click here and then on the 'online form' link under 'Respond online'. The last question is a free comment; you can let them know what you think about the damage they will be doing to My Fair Lady:
Ding dong! the bells are gonna chime.
Feather and tar me;
Call out the Army;
But get me to the church civil registry.
Get me to the church civil registry...
For Gawd's sake, get me to the church civil registry on time!
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(1) Scotland is considering its own marriage equality legislation. Which leaves Northern Ireland. I guess same-sex citizens of the UK who live there will just have to fly to Iowa.