THEGAYUK

Tag: Isle Of Man News

Get the latest LGBT+ Isle Of Man from THEGAYUK. Breaking news, features and interviews from the gay community in Isle Of Man.

  • TODAY IN LGBT HISTORY | Gay marriage becomes legal on the Isle of Man

    TODAY IN LGBT HISTORY | Gay marriage becomes legal on the Isle of Man

    A brand new law allowed people in same-sex relationships to become legally married on the Isle of Man in 2016.

    Chief Minister Allan Bell CBE MHK welcomed the new law and described it as a “historic moment” for the island, which is just off the coast of England.

    The Act enables same-sex couples to marry either in a civil ceremony, in a registry office or approved premises, or in religious premises (except those of the Church of England) subject to the agreement of the religious organisation in question.

    Mr Bell commented,

    “Recognition of marriage for same-sex couples in Manx law is a truly historic moment, showing just how far the Island has travelled over the past 30 years. It sends out a clear message that the Isle of Man today is a modern, open and inclusive society where equal rights are respected. I believe that the values of fairness and tolerance reflected in this legislation are shared by the overwhelming majority of our population.”

    Gay marriage becomes legal in Isle of Man
    Photo by Wallace Araujo on Pexels.com

    The first in the UK to allow heterosexual couples to get civilly partnered

    The legislation also makes the Isle of Man the first place in the British Isles to allow opposite-sex couples to enter into civil partnerships as an alternative to marriage. Civil partnerships have been available to same-sex couples in the Isle of Man since 2011.

    The Marriage and Civil Partnership Amendment Act took effect from July 22 under an appointed day order made after Royal Assent was announced in Tynwald.

  • GREEN PARTY | Isle of Wight MP “unfit to represent”

    Speaking out against, MP Andrew Turn, who stepped down after alleged homophobic comments were made to a sixth form class, the Green Party has called the Conservative MP “unfit” and says only the Green party can offer protection to LGBTs.

    MP Andrew Turner who has represented the Isle of Wight for 16 years has resigned after reports emerged that he said he thought it was “wrong” to be gay, and that he thought that it was “dangerous for society”. He allegedly made the comments to sixth form students at the Christ The King College in Newport.

    The Green Party has called the minister “unfit” and said that his comments were abhorrent. Reaching out to the LGBT community,

    Vix Lowthion, Green Party candidate for the Isle of Wight, said,

    “Andrew Turner was unfit to represent the Isle of Wight and his recent, abhorrent comments left his place in Parliament completely untenable. People here deserves someone who will stand up for them. Today the Green Party announced radical plans to protect LGBTIQA+ refugees, provide decent HIV protection and promote rights for intersex and trans people – that is the kind of politics people in the Isle of Wight need and only the Green Party can offer.”

    In their latest manifesto aimed at the LGBT community, the Greens are keen to bring in a raft of new policies which would secure rights for non-binary, trans, asexual and aromantic people.  The word bisexual is mentioned once, lesbian and gay are mentioned four times, intersex 10 times, non-binary 12 times and the word trans is written 19 times.

    However, they did use language such as “men who have sex with men” which has largely been disapproved of by the gay and bisexual male community. The manifesto also does not mention changing current divorce law to equalise it with opposite-sex marriage. They also failed to make policy on how to tackle LGBT+ homelessness.

    It is, however, the first political party to present its LGBT+ manifesto.

     

  • Isle of Man makes history with gay marriage

    A new law allowing same sex marriage in the Isle of Man will come into effect today, following the announcement of Royal Assent to the legislation in Tynwald on Tuesday

    Cake, Gay Marriage, gay wedding
    CREDIT: © ivonnewierink Depositphotos

    Final implementation of the Marriage and Civil Partnership Amendment Act has been welcomed by Chief Minister Allan Bell CBE MHK, who described the move as an ‘historic moment’ for the Isle Of Man.

    The Act enables same sex couples to marry either in a civil ceremony, in a register office or approved premises, or in religious premises (except those of the Church of England) subject to the agreement of the religious organisation in question.

    The legislation also makes the Isle of Man the first place in the British Isles to allow opposite sex couples to enter into civil partnerships as an alternative to marriage. Civil partnerships have been available to same sex couples in the Isle of Man since 2011.

    Mr Bell commented,

    “Recognition of marriage for same sex couples in Manx law is a truly historic moment, showing just how far the Island has travelled over the past 30 years. It sends out a clear message that the Isle of Man today is a modern, open and inclusive society where equal rights are respected. I believe that the values of fairness and tolerance reflected in this legislation are shared by the overwhelming majority of our population.”

    The Marriage and Civil Partnership Amendment Act takes effect from July 22 under an appointed day order made after Royal Assent was announced in Tynwald. The appointed day order is not subject to Tynwald approval.

    There will also be some consequential secondary legislation on a supplementary order paper at this sitting of Tynwald, relating to fees, social security and pension schemes.

    It will be possible for same sex couples to convert their civil partnerships into marriages free of charge, if this is done under the standard procedure in a registrar’s office before November 1 this year.

  • ISLE OF MAN is Still Holding Out On Same-Sex Marriage Rights

    Despite a huge shift of opinion across the UK and Ireland, the Isle of Man is still holding out on its LGBT+ population.

    The Isle of Man’s, Chief Minister has signalled that laws surrounding same-sex marriage are to change, but how long will same-sex couples have to wait?

    Situated in the northern Irish Sea, the Isle of Man is home to around 85,000 people and is a Crown Dependency, allowing it to make its own laws over domestic matters and with regards to same-sex marriage.

    The Chief Minister, Alan Bell has signalled his support for same-sex marriage, however, the island still remains one of the few places that have not equalised the laws with regards to same-sex marriage. Northern Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey authorities have continued to block progress in equality for the LGBT community. Mr Bell announced his intention to repeal the law that bars same-sex marriage on the island.

    In the past Mr Bell has spoken out at the inequality for LGBTs on the Island. Speaking out about how one couple was forced out of their rented home by their landlord because of their sexuality he said,

    “I am extremely disappointed that this type of ugly, out-dated prejudice survives after all the work that has been done over the past 20 years or so to make the island a more tolerant place”

    Consultation on the Isle of Man’s Equality Bill 2015 ended in November.

    Speaking to 3FM the Chief Minister said,

    “I believe in same-sex marriage.” Mr Bell added “equality and human rights must prevail.”

  • Isle Of Man Gay Couple Refused Rental Accommodation

    A couple from the Isle of Man are petitioning for a change in the law after they were refused an accommodation agreement on the basis of their sexual orientation.

    Kira Izzard and Laura Cull from the Isle of Man’s capital, Douglas, said they were ‘shocked’ to discover there was no law in place to protect them from discrimination based on sexuality.

    The BBC is reporting that the couple have launched a petition calling for introduction of the UK’s Equality Act 2010.

    The petition has gained the support of over 1000 people.

    You can sign the petition here
    http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/equality-act-2010-on-the-isle-of-man.html

    Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, Allan Bell MHK said:

    “I am extremely disappointed that this type of ugly, out-dated prejudice survives after all the work that has been done over the past 20 years or so to make the island a more tolerant place

    “I do believe that our society today is generally much more tolerant than it used to be. But this incident shows that there are still isolated pockets of bigotry that can only be tackled through legislation.

    “An Equality Bill, based on the UK Equality Act 2010, is already in the drafting process and will deal with discrimination of this kind. I have asked that preparation of this legislation be accelerated.

    The Chief Minister concluded:

    ‘I have a clear message for those inside or outside the Isle of Man who still think this is an outpost of old-fashioned prejudice. This is a modern, caring, compassionate and inclusive society and we do not want to be associated with bigots who live in the past.’

    Ms. Izzard and Ms Cull are planning to be civilly partnered later this year. The couple were told by the Citizen’s Advice Bureau that the landlord was acting within the law

    Homosexuality was outlawed under Isle Of Man law until 1992. Civil Partnerships were legalised in April 2011. Same-sex couple are also legal able to adopt.