Civil Partnership - v - Marriage

It is probable that when the British government sanctioned marriage for same sex partners and enshrined the decision in the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 they undoubtedly thought they had squared the circle of discrimination as far as equality for all life partnerships was concerned.

However that was not to be as, since Rebecca Steinfield and Charles Keidan first decided that they would prefer to have a civil partnership rather than get married and found that they were promptly knocked back, they have been campaigning ever since to challenge the decision that they do not meet the requisite legal requirement to enable them to have a civil partnership, that of being the same sex.

The couple lost their appeal yesterday at the High Court where they contended that they were subject to discrimination and state that they intend to appeal. The government welcomed the decision on the basis that "the current regime of marriage and civil partnership does not disadvantage opposite sex couples".

Furthermore, it is felt that now that same sex couples can marry it is likely that civil partnerships will fade away and eventually be phased out at some stage in the future and to amend that legislation at this stage would be an unnecessary expense, particularly as no decision has yet been made regarding civil partnerships as the government is keen to see what impact, if any, same sex marriage has on civil partnerships.

Ms. Steinfield and Mr. Keidan however, are keen to carry on with their campaign as they feel that civil partnership focuses on equality whereas, in their eyes, marriage is less so bringing with it patriarchal history. The couple further argue that whilst gay couples have a choice of the type of partnership they wish to embrace, opposite sex...

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