The interesting case of Rebecca Steinfield and Charles Keidan will be heard this week, where they await to see if a High Court judge will allow them to form a civil partnership - much like the thousands of same-sex couples who have this union.
Steinfield argues that the 2004 Civil Partnership Act is discriminative, as a civil partnership is not open to “anybody and everybody regardless of sex or sexual orientation.”
Their claim is against the government’s equalities office.
Steinfield also draws upon the fact that staying as a cohabiting couple, they would lack the legal protections afforded to married couples and particularly legal protections for women - who she argues can often be left in a more vulnerable position.
The pending decision could affect around three million heterosexual couples who live together outside wedlock and lawyers estimate that more than half a million of them could opt for a civil partnership if given the chance.
An online petition in favour of civil partnerships for opposite-sex couples has so far obtained over 33,000 signatures.
To read the full story in The Independent here.
No comments:
Post a Comment