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Showing posts from April, 2019

Same-Sex Marriage in Taiwan: Deadline May 24th

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Taiwan could be the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage. On May 24 th 2017, Taiwan’s Constitutional Court ruled that the country’s ban on equal marriage was unfair to same-sex couples .  Giving the Taiwanese Government two years to put the law into place, the Constitutional Court’s deadline is now fast approaching: May 24 th 2019. Taiwan News reports that 157 gay couples have so far registered to get married on May24th despite the fact there’s ‘ongoing uncertainty over how Taiwan's legislature will handle competing demands from groups in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage and those opposed’ Taiwan news goes on to say that the Taipei City Government has opened telephone and on-site bookings for couples. Despite the ruling of the Constitutional Court, the road to legalisation hasn’t been as smooth as campaigners had hoped.  During a referendum in November 2018, most voters elected to demonstrate that they did not agree with guaranteeing s

In Which Countries is Gay Marriage Legal?

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In 2001, The Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage. Since then many others have followed suit bringing the current total (in April 2019) to 28.  In Which Countries is Gay Marriage Legal?  Argentina (2010) Australia (2017) Austria Belgium (2003) Brazil (2013) Canada (2005) Columbia (2011) Denmark (2012) England (2014) Finland (2017) France (2013) Germany (2017) Iceland (2010) Ireland (2015) Luxembourg (2014) Malta (2017) Mexico (2009) Netherlands (2001) New Zealand (2013) Norway (2009) Portugal (2010) Scotland (2014) South Africa (2006) Spain (2005) Sweden (2009) United States (2015) Uruguay (2012) Wales (2014) We’re hopeful that 2019, 2020 and beyond will see more countries legalising gay marriage and allowing gay couples the same relationship rights as heterosexuals.  Where Might Gay Marriage become Legal in 2019? Japanese LGBTQ campaigners have taken their case to a hearing , but

Should You Invite a Homophobic Relative to Your Gay Wedding?

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It doesn’t matter whether you’re planning a straight, gay or bi wedding – families can make things difficult .  LGBTQ couples have the additional headache of deciding whether or not to invite relatives that don’t support same-sex marriage .  It’s hurtful and it adds additional pressure and stress onto what is already a difficult time of planning.  When you’re curating your guest list the question is: should you invite a homophobic relative to your gay wedding?   No – that’s our gut reaction.   If someone can’t give you 100% love and support on your wedding day, then they shouldn’t be there.  For some couples, it’s as straightforward as that.   But it isn’t always that simple, is it? It rarely is when family are involved.  Only you can decide whether or not that person (or those people) deserves to be a guest at your wedding.  You hold the power.  You’re the inviter-in-chief.  But before you make a decision, there are a few things that you might like

Survey Reveals the Most Places to Propose in 2019

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Anyone with a social media account knows the saying “location, location, location” is as true for romance as it is for real estate. Eager to uncover the most romantic places to pop the question, premium dating site EliteSingles asked  1600 people  for their opinion on proposal destinations, romantic getaways and their thoughts on the modern proposal in the 21st Century. Venice knocks Paris off the top spot as the most romantic place to propose in 2019 Hawaii, The Bahamas and Fiji round out the top 5 ‘At home' makes it into top 10 places to propose! 1 in 5 men would prefer to be proposed to True romance: The most romantic place can be a person, not only a location While it’s certainly no surprise to see romantic European cities at the top of the list, the top 12 destinations certainly reveal a lot about the locations couples want to have associated with their big moment. Particularly interesting was the shunning of a flashy locale in favour of familiar turf with a

Cayman Islands Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

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The Cayman Islands has legalised same-sex marriage after a court ruled that its gay wedding ban was unconstitutional.  The Cayman Islands are a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean Sea between Cuba and Jamaica. Despite abundant natural beauty and wall-to-wall sunshine, the islands are probably best known as being a tax haven for the super-rich. Last week, the islands were put on the map for something altogether more heart-warming: the right for individuals to marry regardless of sexuality. Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden applied to be married in 2018 but were turned down on account of their sexuality.   According to Reuters, Chantelle Day was denied a spousal visa and was not recognised as the legal mother of the couple’s adopted daughter. What the case proves is that legalising same-sex marriage isn’t only about allowing two people to become wife and wife or husband and husband but about giving couples access to the raft of spousal benefits and legal entitlem