A hetrosexual couple have lost the right to have a recognized civil partnership.<\/p>\n
Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan, from London, took their case to the Court of Appeal following a defeat at the High Court last year.<\/p>\n
They challenged a ruling that they could not have a civil partnership because they did not meet the legal requirement of being the same sex.<\/p>\n
The couple said they faced discrimination.<\/p>\n
The Civil Partnership Act 2004 – which applies throughout the UK – requires that partners be “two people of the same sex”.<\/p>\n
It grants gay couples legal rights similar to those given to married couples.<\/p>\n
The introduction of same-sex marriage – which became legal in England, Wales and Scotland in 2014 – has since given gay couples a choice between that and civil partnership.<\/p>\n
Kate Stewart and Matthew Cole, 46, decided to get a civil partnership in Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory, in June 2016, after deciding marriage was not for them.<\/p>\n
“It just felt to be a more appropriate way to formalise the recognition of our relationship,” said Dr Stewart, from Derby.<\/p>\n
“I have been married before… but Matthew and I didn’t feel that marriage reflected our relationship.<\/p>\n
“The institution [of marriage] is very much unequal depending on your religion.<\/p>\n
“We therefore felt it wasn’t a status we were comfortable with because it still had hangovers of inequality from the past.”<\/p>\n
Dr Stewart, 48, said although they believe marriage is right for some couples, it was about having the choice.<\/p>\n
They wanted recognition of their relationship after 10 years together.<\/p>\n
But their civil partnership is not legally recognised in the UK.<\/p>\n
“We paid for ceremony in pounds, we have a certificate, it was all very British, but as soon as we were back home we didn’t have legal recognition,” Dr Stewart said.<\/p>\n
“The declaration that we were both each other’s partner was quite moving… we were on an equal footing. It was surprisingly touching.”<\/p>\n
At the High Court, Ms Steinfeld and Mr Keidan argued that, as a heterosexual couple, they did not have the same choice as gay couples and were therefore discriminated against.<\/p>\n
Ms Steinfeld said: “When we started our legal battle for the right to form a civil partnership three years ago we could never have envisaged the incredible levels of support that would follow.<\/p>\n
“It really is remarkable but it just speaks to the fact that opening civil partnerships is popular, fair and would be good for families and children.”<\/p>\n
Civil Partnerships explained<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n
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