Britain to legalize same-sex marriage

According to news reports, the British government is preparing to remove the final distinctions between same-sex partnerships and marriage.

British media reported Sunday the government is preparing to erase some of the last remaining distinctions between gay partnership and traditional marriage — allowing gay couples to tie the knot in churches in ceremonies that may be officially known as marriages.

While Britain has had a civil partnerships law since 2005, which essentially allows for all the rights of marriage afforded to straight couples, advocates there have been pushing for this change as a move away from the current “separate but equal” arrangement.

If the plans go through, Britain would join the Netherlands, Canada, Belgium, Portugal and Spain as another country with full marriage rights for same-sex couples.

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