Gay marriage approved in England and Wales. All of it.
by digby
So this happened today. In a whole country. On a bipartisan basis no less:
Same-sex couples will be able to get married in England and Wales after new measures became law.
The government's controversial legislation on the issue received Royal Assent on Wednesday.
The Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat leaderships all backed the proposals, which were finally approved by MPs and peers earlier this week.
It is expected that the first gay and lesbian wedding ceremonies will take place by summer next year.
Under the terms of the the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, religious organisations will have to "opt in" to offering weddings, with the Church of England and Church in Wales being banned in law from doing so.
Commons Speaker John Bercow announced the bill had received Royal Assent - the formal approval of the sovereign required for all legislation. The news was greeted with cheers in the Commons chamber.
They make it look easy.
Of course out country's system was constructed to make the rights we all cherish often difficult to access on a national basis. Often it's taken violence before we are able to get all the states to agree to do it. Maybe they figured we'd appreciate them more?
Anyway, congrats to our gay British cousins. I'm sure the devout will still fight the battle to be allowed to marry in the church, but at least they'll now have the right to all the legal protections that the state offers to married couples. That's all I would have ever cared about in the first place.
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