Equal Marriage Bill… UK Votes Yes in 2013

3 Sep, 2014

UK MPs vote massively in favour of equal marriage, and we can all rejoice. The world feels good again!

So the UK has voted in favour of the Equal Marriage Bill. And it’s even found Richard III, all in the space of a week. Though legalised same gender marriage is far more important than the bones of Richard III, it has to be said that in both cases, it’s about time.

On 5 February 2013, UK MPS voted YES, YES, YES to equal marriage with an overwhelming majority of 400 to 175. If the law is passed, it means that same gender couples – currently only able to formally show their love with a civil partnership ceremony – can actually, finally marry.

We don’t want to get into who voted yes and who voted no, but, ahem, we can’t help mentioning that this joyous result is one in the eye for Conservative MP Edward Leigh. Why have we picked him out? Mainly because he was against same gender marriage for the marvellously odd reason that not “every single thing in life can be forced through the merciless prism of equality”, LOL LOL WTF.

These protesters for equal marriage rights were in Oz, not UK. But we love the message.

As The Independent points out, now is a great time to remember that in the UK’s first gay rights march 40 years ago, police outnumbered activists 2 to 1, and LGBT struggle for equality has been long and hard. The landmark Governmental support for this bill is nothing to do with the haves being gracious to the have-nots. It is about rejoicing in the achievement of LGBT people everywhere in their struggle to achieve basic rights in the face of endless discrimination.

It’s great to see some nationwide acknowledgement that love is love regardless of the gender identity of the people who share it. The really awesome thing about this bill, though, is that it signals the state is willing to end its lengthy prejudice against LGBT people who deserve not also 100% social acceptance for their love choices but also PROPER OFFICIAL RIGHTS.

There are still a few more steps before the UK Marriage Same Sex Couples Bill is actually passed. Let’s hope the humans don’t mess it up… but you know what the good news is? it’s unlikely that God will point a giant finger down from the heavens and say “… NO.”

Well done, UK! Well done, people! RESULT!