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LGBT+ Liberal Democrats |
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In March 2012, the Liberal Democrat equalities minister Lynne Featherstone announced a Government consultation into equal civil marriage in the UK. The consultation covers:
- Making civil marriage available to couples regardless of gender or sexuality
- Allowing couples to remain married when one partner undergoes legal gender transition
- Allowing legal conversion from civil partnership to marriage without annulment
The Liberal Democrats are the first and only major political party in the UK - and the first party of Government - to support this policy. The consultation is a win for the Liberal Democrats, who have the longest and proudest record of equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans people of any UK political party.
Get Involved
How can you get involved to bring about equal marriage in the UK? Here are a few ways. LGBT Lib Dems recognise that this consultation will need people coming together from all political backgrounds to make equal marriage happen.
- Visit our campaign site for details of how to respond
- Get flyers to distribute in your local venues to tell others about the consultation
- Sign our petition for equal marriage in the UK and abroad
- Join our Facebook Page for Equal Marriage in the UK
- Add our Twibbon to your Facebook or Twitter avatar
- Join LGBT Lib Dems as a supporter or member to help our work at the forefront of LGBT equality
- Write to your MP and ask them to support equal marriage and civil partnerships - why not send them a link to this page?
- Write to your local newspaper and LGBT media and tell them you support this consultation and equal marriage. Let's keep it in the headlines so everybody knows to support equality!
If you sign our petition, join our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter, we will keep you up to date with new announcements, including when the consultation goes public so you can have your say and encourage marriage equality in this country!
More Info
Read our press release on the consultation announcement.
The Liberal Democrats' policy, voted in by party members at Federal Conference, was the first time a major UK political party, let alone a party of Government, adopted equal marriage as a policy. In addition, the policy calls for greater international recognition of all marriages and civil partnerships, including across the EU.
The policy will enable trans people to remain in their existing marriages or civil partnerships while being legally recognised in their gender. Currently, trans people are required to divorce or annul their relationship in order to achieve gender recognition.
The policy also explicitly offers civil partnerships to couples regardless of gender. This provision was included in the original Civil Partnerships Bill, introduced by Lib Dem peer Lord Lester in 2002. This Private Members Bill was withdrawn at the request of Labour, who wanted to introduce what later became the Civil Partnerships Act 2004 - and which did not include the provision for same-gender civil partnerships.