SWEDEN: The change of Swedish matrimony law, which at present allows gay couples to register unions but not formal marriage, could come into force at year-end

Record ID: 276994

  • Title: SWEDEN: The change of Swedish matrimony law, which at present allows gay couples to register unions but not formal marriage, could come into force at year-end
  • Date: 22nd March 2007
  • Summary: (BN17) STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (MARCH 20, 2007)(REUTERS) SIGN SAYING: "RFSL" (The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights) HEAD OF RFSL SOREN ANDERSSON STANDING READING (SOUNDBITE) (English) HEAD OF THE RFSL SOREN ANDERSSON SAYING: "I think it will be received with mixed emotions. For some people it is very important, it is a very good step. Other
  • Embargoed: 6th April 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Sweden
  • Country: Sweden
  • Topics: Lifestyle
  • Reuters ID: LVA5M8INEJUQVAAT07XYL7OLFQE4
  • Story Text: Sweden should pass laws to permit gay marriage on equal terms to heterosexual couples, according to a proposal made by a Swedish government commission on Wednesday (March 21).
    While the proposal was presented to the parliament in Stockholm, the Arch bishop of Sweden held a news conference in the southern Swedish city of Lund to outline the Lutheran Church support for parts of this proposal:
    "To us the important thing is not where the vows are given. They are always given, we think, before God, even in a civil registering. There is no difference between a wedding, matrimony, for us if it has been done in a civil manner or if it has been done in church. It has the same value for God.

    Therefore we do mean that where the vows are given is not so central," Archbishop Anders Weyjryd told Reuters Television after the news conference.
    The change of Swedish matrimony law, which at present allows gay couples to register unions but not formal marriage, could come into force at year-end.
    The proposed new legislation would eliminate distinctions in matrimony law between heterosexual and homosexual, this is something the Swedish Lutheran Church can not agree with:
    "That the term matrimony or marriage should be used for both same sex unions and for heterosexual couples..and that we oppose," Archbishop Anders Weijryd concluded.
    By supporting this proposal, the Swedish Lutheran Church is the first church in the world to make the previous ceremonial blessing ceremony into a equal, legally binding act.
    That this still is a controversial decision was evident when talking to people in the streets of the old University city of Lund.
    "I think it is a good proposal since all humans are equal and therefore this should also be within the church," Stig Larsen told Reuters Television.
    Francis Paard was not as supportive when she heard about this new proposal: "I don't believe that God wants this."
    The separate opinion made to the proposal by the Swedish Lutheran Church, asks to hold the right for each individual priest within the church to have the right not to wed same sex couples if they do not feel comfortable with it.
    The head of the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights (RFSL), Soren Andersson therefore had some mixed emotions in regards of this new proposal.
    "I think it will be received with mixed emotions. For some people it is very important, it is a very good step. Other people say, why can they not accept us on the same level as anybody else."
    Chris Jonasson and Matilda Sjodell, two RFSL activists and openly gay, where not sure if this proposal was a step back or a step ahead.
    "Some parts of the proposal gives some equality within the law, that I will be able to get married the same way as my heterosexual friends which means when I go on travels I will have the same rights as my heterosexual friends, since we will be legally married instead of legally registrated," explained Chris Jonasson.
    Matilda Sjodell added that: "The fact that people performing the actual ceremony of marriage can choose whether to marry a same-sex couple or not and that choice shouldn't be there, especially it should not be written down in a law because that means that the government is actually giving them the permission to discriminate against people because of their choice of partner which I think is completely ridiculous."
    The Swedish Lutheran church, which split from the state in 2000, said last week it was open to celebrating and registering same-sex unions, though it wanted to reserve the term matrimony for heterosexual marriages.
    The church already performs blessing ceremonies for gay couples who have registered unions with civil authorities after a church council decision in 2005 which outraged conservatives.
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