Peter Tatchell: Human Rights, Global Justice, Democracy, LGBT Freedom, Environmentalism

Royal Wedding – Join us for gay marriage rights

If you oppose the same-sex marriage ban, celebrate with us on Monday

12 noon to 2pm
Monday 25 April 2011

Buckingham Palace (in front of the main entrance)
London SW1

Sign up to join the event on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=198721503499425

End the ban on same-sex marriage. Supporters of marriage equality will hold a celebration in front of Buckingham Palace on Easter Bank Holiday, Monday 25th April, from 12 noon to 2pm. It is a public holiday. We invite you to join us.

Coordinator of the event, Peter Tatchell of the Equal Love campaign, said:

“We plan to deliver a giant wedding card to William and Kate. As well as wishing the royal couple every happiness, we will highlight the fact that William and Kate can marry, but same-sex couples can’t.

“Our event will urge the royal couple to support moves to end the ban on gay marriage. We want equal marriage rights for all couples, regardless of sexual orientation.

“Kate and William had a choice. They could get married, or not. Same-sex couples don’t have this choice. We are banned from marriage by law.

“All welcome. Bring your friends for a party in front of Buckingham Palace. Come with flowers, rainbow flags and pink jack flags.

“Some of the couples involved in the Equal Love campaign will join us on the day.

“Even if you don’t agree with marriage, the prohibition on gay marriage is homophobic and should be overturned. Don’t let the government dictate that LGBTI people can’t get married.

“The 25 April is not a celebration of the monarchy or marriage (many of us are critical of both). It is an affirmation of our opposition to discrimination in marriage law. We want to show our support for the right of everyone to be able to choose whether or not to get married, said Mr Tatchell.

Next Monday’s event is organised by the Equal Love campaign, which seeks to overturn the twin bans on gay civil marriages and heterosexual civil partnerships: www.equallove.org.uk

It is supported by the LGBTI human rights group OutRage! and the Peter Tatchell Foundation.

More background info on the issues

Peter Tatchell writes:

“We wish William and Kate every happiness. May they have a joyful marriage and a wonderful married life together.

“The royal couple are lucky. They have the option to get married. Gay couples don’t have this option. They are barred by law from marriage.

“We urge Kate and William to support marriage equality: the right of same-sex couples to get married. Their support would mean a lot. They take for granted the right to marry. Marriage is something that many lesbian and gay couples want but cannot have.

“Gay marriage is a simple issue of respect, equality and fairness. In a democracy, we should all be equal before the law. This means an equal right to marry, regardless of sexual orientation.

“Gay couples are allowed civil partnerships. But this is not equality. They cannot get married in a register office like their heterosexual family and friends. This is discrimination and discrimination is wrong.

“There would be uproar if the government banned Jewish people from marriage and offered them civil partnerships instead. We would call it an anti-Semitic law; something we would expect in Nazi Germany not democratic Britain. Well, Jews are not banned from marriage but gay people are.

“The ban on gay civil marriages is opposed by nearly two-thirds of the British people, according to an opinion poll by Populous in June 2009. The poll found that 61% of the public believe that: “Gay couples should have an equal right to get married, not just to have civil partnerships.” Only 33% disagreed.
http://www.populuslimited.com/the-times-the-times-gay-britain-poll-100609.html

“A new poll taken today would almost certainly register even more public support for marriage equality – and for the right of heterosexual couples to have a civil partnership, from which they are banned.

“On 2 February this year, eight couples - four gay and four heterosexual - filed a joint legal application to the European Court of Human Rights, to overturn the twin bans on gay civil marriages and heterosexual civil partnerships. Their applications are sponsored by the Equal Love campaign, which seeks to end sexual orientation discrimination in both civil marriage and civil partnership law. It is supported by the Peter Tatchell Foundation and the LGBTI campaign group OutRage!,” said Mr Tatchell

Further information: Peter Tatchell

peter@petertatchellfoundation.org