UK in same-sex succession row |
||
|
Seattle Gay News
click here to go to the main SGN website
posted Friday, January 25, 2013 - Volume 41 Issue 4 UK in same-sex succession rowIf the King is Gay, do you sing 'God Save the Queen'? by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer The British Parliament is facing the question of what to do if a future King or Queen happens to be Gay. Labor Party MP Paul Flynn has introduced an amendment to the law that deals with the possibility of a Gay or Lesbian royal succeeding to the throne. The amendment provides for a potential same-sex partner to be recognized as consort, just as Prince Phillip is recognized as the present Queen's consort. The governing Conservative Party is already revising the rules to make succession to the throne follow birth order, regardless if the first-born is a boy or a girl. Current rules give precedence to male heirs. Under Flynn's amendment, any children born to the couple through artificial insemination or surrogacy would succeed to the throne, provided that the couple are in a same-sex marriage or civil partnership. Currently, such children are excluded from the line of succession. BILL'S FATE UNCERTAIN In order to come to the floor of the House of Commons for a debate, the amendment must be accepted by Speaker John Bercow. He has not said whether he will accept the amendment, but he is known to be a strong supporter of LGBT rights. Although the Labor Party is not part of the government coalition, Flynn's bill is thought to have the support of Conservative Party members who back Prime Minister David Cameron's marriage equality legislation, although this is by no means all Conservative members. It is also said to have support from Liberal Democrats, the junior partners in Cameron's coalition government, and most Labor members. In addition to regulating the order of succession, the government's bill also allows heirs to marry Roman Catholics without disqualifying themselves from inheriting the throne. Since the last Catholic King, James II, was deposed in 1688, it has been illegal for British monarchs to be Catholic or marry Catholics. The future King or Queen will still have to be a member of the Church of England, however. Since 1534 the King or Queen of England has been the titular head of the church. |
next story | |
|
Obama hails Stonewall at inauguration - Calls for equal treatment of 'our Gay brothers and sisters' ------------------------------
DOMA's last gasp? - House GOP files brief in defense of discriminatory law------------------------------
Going to the mat for women - Sen. Patty Murray challenges House Republicans on VAWA------------------------------
When will BSA get a clue?------------------------------
René Jesus Valdes
------------------------------
Tying the knot - Senator Ed Murray and Michael Shiosaki ?make their engagement official------------------------------
Rhode Island House passes marriage equality bill - Measure faces uncertain fate in Senate------------------------------
Eyewitness to history - A first-person account of Inauguration Day------------------------------
The community's response -
Leading LGBTQ voices react to President Obama's inaugural address------------------------------
2016: Sooner than you think
------------------------------
New dating website seeks to connect LGBT Mormons
------------------------------
British parliament to debate marriage equality bill------------------------------
UK in same-sex succession row------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
BREAKING NEWS ------------------------------ ------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
Ontario Gets Its First Woman Premier And Canada's First Out LGBT Premier------------------------------
Thousands Rally in Paris For Same-Sex Marriage------------------------------
------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
|
||