Corabell
05-19-08, - 09:26 AM
This story appeared in The Tribune today by Taneka Thompson. According to the Rainbow Alliance there is no law preventing gays from marrying in the Bahamas.
A LOCAL gay rights activist last night challenged the Bahamian judiciary to present specific reference to any law that precludes gay couples from legally marrying in the Bahamas.
Rainbow Alliance spokesperson Erin Greene argued that one reason gays are not allowed to marry in the Bahamas is the “perpetuation of archaic fundamental beliefs.”
But the “will of the gay community” to speak out publicly against these infringements is lacking in The Bahamas, said Ms Greene.
Her comments came in the wake of an historic ruling by a California Supreme Court which overturned its ban on gay marriage last week.
“The truth is there are no laws that preclude gay people from getting married, it’s an archaic interpretation of the law or a particular archaic policy coming out of the Registrar’s Office,” Ms Greene told The Tribune.
“The Rainbow Alliance challenges any lawyer or member of the Registrar’s Office to provide the particular - the specific law - that precludes same-sex couples from getting married.
“It’s just the perpetuation of archaic fundamental beliefs that have permeated our legal system and our democracy and that’s not exclusive to the issue of gay marriage. Human beings have the right to be in relationships with whom they want, citizens of any country have the right to participate equally (in society), to have equal access to the benefits that the government or the country provides.”
Ms Greene contended the Bahamian gay community had the same desires as their American counterparts to wed, but have not been outspoken in an effort to overturn “archaic” laws for fear of being “outed” or persecuted.
“Well, everybody feels that they should have the right to get married but everybody is afraid to take those steps which require an ‘outing’ of any sort.
“Gay people want to live in healthy communities, they want to (have) healthy families and they want to build healthy relationships, but you don’t want to be martyred or crucified or murdered to do that - they would rather build their lives outside of the institutions of the country.”
She said the recent “overturn” in California is not cause for celebration because the freedom to marry is a democratic right.
“It is not a celebratory event because we know what the law says, we know that this is what a democracy provides for all of its citizens and we know that anything else is a deliberate attempt to oppress and marginalise the gay community.”
A California Supreme Court overturned a ban on gay marriage on Thursday meaning homosexual couples in the state are free to marry.
The historic ruling made California the second state - with Massachusetts being the first - in the US to effectively legalise gay marriage.
A seven-member panel voted 4-3 in favour of US plaintiffs who contend that restricting marriage to heterosexuals was discriminatory, according to the Associated Press.
California’s courts have been noted for handing down ground-breaking rulings in the past.
The state’s courts were the first to eliminate laws barring inter-racial marriage in the 20th century.
A LOCAL gay rights activist last night challenged the Bahamian judiciary to present specific reference to any law that precludes gay couples from legally marrying in the Bahamas.
Rainbow Alliance spokesperson Erin Greene argued that one reason gays are not allowed to marry in the Bahamas is the “perpetuation of archaic fundamental beliefs.”
But the “will of the gay community” to speak out publicly against these infringements is lacking in The Bahamas, said Ms Greene.
Her comments came in the wake of an historic ruling by a California Supreme Court which overturned its ban on gay marriage last week.
“The truth is there are no laws that preclude gay people from getting married, it’s an archaic interpretation of the law or a particular archaic policy coming out of the Registrar’s Office,” Ms Greene told The Tribune.
“The Rainbow Alliance challenges any lawyer or member of the Registrar’s Office to provide the particular - the specific law - that precludes same-sex couples from getting married.
“It’s just the perpetuation of archaic fundamental beliefs that have permeated our legal system and our democracy and that’s not exclusive to the issue of gay marriage. Human beings have the right to be in relationships with whom they want, citizens of any country have the right to participate equally (in society), to have equal access to the benefits that the government or the country provides.”
Ms Greene contended the Bahamian gay community had the same desires as their American counterparts to wed, but have not been outspoken in an effort to overturn “archaic” laws for fear of being “outed” or persecuted.
“Well, everybody feels that they should have the right to get married but everybody is afraid to take those steps which require an ‘outing’ of any sort.
“Gay people want to live in healthy communities, they want to (have) healthy families and they want to build healthy relationships, but you don’t want to be martyred or crucified or murdered to do that - they would rather build their lives outside of the institutions of the country.”
She said the recent “overturn” in California is not cause for celebration because the freedom to marry is a democratic right.
“It is not a celebratory event because we know what the law says, we know that this is what a democracy provides for all of its citizens and we know that anything else is a deliberate attempt to oppress and marginalise the gay community.”
A California Supreme Court overturned a ban on gay marriage on Thursday meaning homosexual couples in the state are free to marry.
The historic ruling made California the second state - with Massachusetts being the first - in the US to effectively legalise gay marriage.
A seven-member panel voted 4-3 in favour of US plaintiffs who contend that restricting marriage to heterosexuals was discriminatory, according to the Associated Press.
California’s courts have been noted for handing down ground-breaking rulings in the past.
The state’s courts were the first to eliminate laws barring inter-racial marriage in the 20th century.