Monday, December 19, 2005

In Belfast?!?!?!

My congratulations to Shannon Sickles and Grainne Close and to Henry Kane and Christopher Flanagan!

They became the first gay couples in the UK to have civil partnership ceremonies in Belfast of all places!!! I'm quite chuffed that my home town was the first. Its not often Northern Ireland manages to be on the forefront of implementing gay rights (or any other civil rights for that matter)! Naturally, the Free Ps couldn't let it go without a protest - but they protest events organised by other churches so where would we be without them, eh?! I'm quite impressed that the protest was so small and only Free P. As I said, they seem to enjoy protesting and will protest just about anything so I doubt very many will take much heed.

As it is, civil partnerships are "marriages in all but name". Personally, I'm hoping for the day when they're truly recognised as being emotionally and spiritually equal to marriage and they can be called marriage should the couple want that.

Still today is one step along the path and one piece of news to be happy about. So I toast to their happiness! I'm loving the big grins on Henry and Christophers' faces :)

10 comments:

Rich in Brooklyn said...

For the benefit of your yankee readers, please define "chuffed". From the context I take it that being "chuffed" is a good thing?

One more proof that the U.S. and the U.K. are two nations connected by the Atlantic Ocean and divided by a common language!

- - Rich Accetta-Evans

Contemplative Activist said...

LOL

chuffed adj. Someone who describes themselves as being chuffed is generally happy with life. You can also get away with saying you are unchuffed or dischuffed if something gets your back up. Make sure you only use this word in the correct tense and familiarise yourself with the meaning of the word chuff too.

Perhaps this might help:

http://english2american.com/dictionary

:D

Contemplative Activist said...

http://speaknorniron.8m.net/index.htm

This might also help, should I go all Norn Irish on you.

Morkin Monday Lorcan ;P

Anonymous said...

my dad protested. i am so angry with him.

Contemplative Activist said...

Ah, sorry to hear that Mary :(.

Be patient with him - it takes a long time for peoples' attitudes to change. If Peterson of http://a_musing.blogspot.com is ever in our fine wee cuntry, maybe you can arrange a meet-up with your dad ;).

Still, this is a huge cultural shift - just the fact of these ceremonies taking place will probably have a positive influence on attitudes towards gay people in the UK.

We can be happy about it even if others aren't so pleased.

CA

Tim Roll-Pickering said...

Naturally, the Free Ps couldn't let it go without a protest

Has anyone told them that on this they're on the same side as the Pope?

Contemplative Activist said...

Good point!!!

Perhaps we can finally see some moves made towards reconcilation between the Free Ps and the Church of Rome! The Lord works in mysterious ways...;)

Peterson Toscano said...

What lovely photos. Thanks for posting them!

Lorcan said...

Harf a mo nar, tis, Martin Monday... Aye'll-setem-strhate. Ayeyam tryn though wi wee Richee amin-tin-aye?

Joyous day to the couples.
Cheers lor

Lorcan said...

Ps, I'd say Richie is only a wee bit puggled about chuffed, no muckled about the weddin an all...
:)