Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender group battles for heterosexual equality in United Kingdom

All Brits Andrew O’Neill and Stephanie Munro want is a domestic partnership, however as of now, the British government only supports such civil unions for gay couples. According to Jezebel, the straight couple has drawn the support of the British LGBT firm OutRage!, which is currently campaigning the British government for heterosexual equality in domestic partnerships. This will help out not only opposite-sex couples seeking domestic partnerships, however it will aid gay couples also, argues the OutRage! campaign Equal Love.

OutRage! Started because of equal rights for heterosexual

Heterosexual equal rights getting attention is what Munro and O'Neill plan to really occur even though they know their petition for domestic partnership will be denied so the lawsuit filed will consist of three opposite-sex couples and four same-sex couples. It isn’t because Equal Love promotes a homophobic agenda. It is really not like that at all. This is what OutRage! Coordinator Peter Tatchell said:

"We support (straight couples’ bids) for heterosexual equality. In a democratic society, everyone should be equal before the law. There should be no legal discrimination. The twin bans on gay civil marriages and on heterosexual civil partnerships are forms of sexual apartheid. There is one law for straight couples and another law for gay partners. Two wrongs don’t make a right," Tatchell told the Wall Street Journal.

Why not matrimony?

Munro and O'Neill believe the marriage ritual is ridiculous. It’s just a mix of religion and secular law. "Historical baggage" like this is something O'Neill claims domestic partnerships don't have.

While many would argue the type of discrimination Munro and O’Neill are facing is not on the same level as what gay couples often endure, the fight against the segregation surrounding domestic partnerships within the U.K. is more than worthwhile, said Tatchell. The U.K. should be able to offer domestic partnerships no matter what the gender is if the United States of America can. Equal Love’s drive for heterosexual equality is meant to eliminate sexual orientation from the equation it’s asking the British Parliament to solve.

Articles cited

Equal Love

equallove.org.uk/

Jezebel

jezebel.com/5707078/straight-couples-fight-for-right-to-domestic-partnerships

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_Kingdom

Press briefing re. OutRage! Campaign

youtube.com/watch?v=L4nJsuY9UN8