British tourism island territory overturns same sex marriage law

SameSexBMD
SameSexBMD
Avatar of Juergen T Steinmetz

Tourism in Bermuda is the biggest industry and export. Bermuda, the small island nation under British rule located in the Atlantic Ocean, is trying to become the first country to re-ban same-sex marriage after its House of Assembly passed a bill on Saturday to overrule an earlier court ruling which had permitted the practice.

Bermuda is actually a British island territory in the North Atlantic Ocean known for its pink-sand beaches such as Elbow Beach and Horseshoe Bay. Its massive Royal Naval Dockyard complex combines modern attractions like the interactive Dolphin Quest with maritime history at the National Museum of Bermuda. The island has a distinctive blend of British and American culture, which can be found in the capital, Hamilton.
After 1949, Bermuda became the oldest remaining British overseas territory. After the return of Hong Kong to China in 1997, Bermuda became the most populous remaining dependent territory (from 2002 overseas territory). Its first capital, St. George’s, was established in 1612.[5]
The move to un-legalize same-sex marriage is surprising for a British Island Territory when this is no issue on the U.K. mainland

The new law, titled the Domestic Partnerships Act, would allow both heterosexual and homosexual couples to file for household status to obtain the same rights. It would replace a May ruling by the country’s Supreme Court, which granted marriage rights to same-sex couples but did not give them the full legal rights that opposite-sex couples have.

Since the court ruling, Bermudian politics has been deeply divided over the issue. Minister of Home Affairs Walton Brown argued in a speech that the bill was a compromise between people who wanted no legal recognition for same-sex couples and those who wanted full marriage equality.

The bill did not pass unanimously, however. House member Trevor Moniz was one of several who opposed it. “To take that right away from them is something that is abhorrent to me,” he said, according to the local Royal Gazette newspaper.

According to the Pew Research Center, just 26 countries have legalized same sex marriage. Overwhelmingly, the nations which have marriage equality are concentrated in Europe as well as in the Americas. No Asian countries have enacted it, and South Africa is the only nation in Africa.

About the author

Avatar of Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen Thomas Steinmetz has continuously worked in the travel and tourism industry since he was a teenager in Germany (1977).
He founded eTurboNews in 1999 as the first online newsletter for the global travel tourism industry.

1 Comment
Newest
Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Share to...