Sweden may allow homosexuals to wed in the Lutheran Church or civil ceremonies as of May if parliament adopts legislation presented to parliament Wednesday, the prime minister's party said.
Sweden may allow homosexuals to wed in the Lutheran Church or civil ceremonies as of May if parliament adopts legislation presented to parliament Wednesday, the prime minister's party said.
"The main proposal in the motion is that ... a person's gender will no longer have any bearing on whether they can marry. The marriage law and other laws concerning spouses will be rendered gender neutral according to the proposal," a statement from Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt's conservative Moderates said.
Most Swedes Support Gay Marriages
Nearly three quarters of Swedes are in favour of allowing homosexuals to wed, according to a poll published by the Svenska Dagbladet daily on Monday.
Nearly three quarters of Swedes are in favour of allowing homosexuals to wed, according to a poll published by the Svenska Dagbladet daily on Monday.
While heterosexuals in Sweden can choose to marry in either a civil ceremony or a church ceremony, homosexuals are currently only allowed to register their "partnerships" in a civil ceremony.
Civil unions granting gays and lesbians the same legal status as married couples have been allowed in Sweden since 1995.
Thousands Across US Protest California Gay Marriage Ban
Tens of thousands of gay rights advocates took to the streets across the United States on Saturday to protest California's recent vote to ban same-sex marriage.
Tens of thousands of gay rights advocates took to the streets across the United States on Saturday to protest California's recent vote to ban same-sex marriage.
In 2007, 74 percent of Swedes were members of the Lutheran Church.
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US State Connecticut Legalizes Gay Marriage
Connecticut on Friday became the third US state to legalize gay marriage, following a contested ruling by the northeastern state's supreme court.
Connecticut on Friday became the third US state to legalize gay marriage, following a contested ruling by the northeastern state's supreme court.
It has previously said it wants the word "marriage" reserved for heterosexual unions, and a Church synod late this year is expected to take a formal decision on Wednesday's proposal.
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Differently Wired and Gay 'Are They Children of a Lesser God'
Marriages (read heterosexual) are made in heaven, they say. But what about homosexual partnerships? Are they made for each other?
Marriages (read heterosexual) are made in heaven, they say. But what about homosexual partnerships? Are they made for each other?
The Swedish Association for Sexuality Education said that gave "authorities a legal right to discriminate", and suggested that all religious communities' right to perform marriage ceremonies be withdrawn.
Sweden's four-party centre-right government has been split on the issue, with the junior partner Christian Democrats also opposed to the use of the word "marriage" for homosexual unions.
However the three other coalition members, the Moderates, the Liberals and the Centre Party, as well as the opposition Social Democrats, the country's biggest party, are in favour of a gender neutral law and would together garner enough support to adopt the legislation in parliament.
Source-AFP
SRM
