UK couple loses court bid for civil partnership, denial stems from not being two people of the same sex

A British couple was denied civil partnership rights for failing to meet the legal requirement of being of the same sex.

According to the BBC, Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan were told last 2014 they cannot have a civil partnership due being of different genders. 

The Civil Partnership Act 2004 requires that partners in a civil union must be two people of the same sex.  It grants homosexual couples legal rights similar to married heterosexual couples.

Ms. Steinfeld and Mr. Keidan argued that, being a heterosexual couple, they are denied the choice that homosexual couples are entitled to and therefore they feel discriminated.

The Guardian reports that the pair, who has been a couple since November of 2010, have an eight-month old baby.  Both of them reject the traditional bond of marriage, calling it a "patriarchal" institution.

Their case is based on the equality law which states that every person of any race, orientation or status must enjoy the same rights and privileges as the other.  Being denied a civil partnership, the couple claims, is a violation of this law.

Mrs. Justice Andrews dismissed their judicial review application but admits that many may sympathize with their situation.  The judge said that "that it is unfair that a route to state recognition of their relationship which is open to a same-sex couple ... remains unavailable to them because they are heterosexual."

The judge further explained that the heterosexual couple were denied a civil partnership but they were not denied all the rights, recognition and privileges that comes along with the said partnership.  They still can avail of those rights, recognition and privileges simply by getting married.

Even though the judge denied claim, ITV has confirmed that she gave the couple permission to take it to the Court of Appeal because the case raised issues of "wider importance".

After the ruling, the couple made a statement that they brought the case not just for themselves for each and every person who wishes to have an alternative aside from marriage.

They called for Parliament to take action in the wake of legal ruling to open civil partnerships to British couple of opposite sexes. 

Tags

marriage, civil partnership, civil union, homosexual rights, legal rights, High Court

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