An important hurdle has been taken on the path to #EqualMarriage in #Czechia! Fingers crossed for a majority in second reading
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LGBT Marriage News: BREAKING: #CZECHIA: Parliament votes to advance #EqualMarriage bill past first reading.
It heads to committee for 120 days of hearings, then another vote in Parliament.
#LGBT
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🐦🔗: https://n.respublicae.eu/SophieintVeld/status/1674471535052988432

Czech parliament voting on #EqualMarriage today. The outcome is unpredicable. 🤞🤞🤞 Hoping that after Estonia the Czech Republic will be the next EU country to allow all to marry. https://n.respublicae.eu/jsmefer/status/1674342451505426432
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Jsme fér: Férový alarm📢 @snemovna opět otevřela rozpravu o novele zákona o manželství pro všechny páry. Sledujte opět naše LIVE vlákno s komentáři. Doufáme, že bude dnes tak konečně hlasovat.
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🐦🔗: https://n.respublicae.eu/SophieintVeld/status/1674344593993637891

The petition on partnerships for same-sex and opposite-sex couples gathered 25,000 votes so now it must be considered by President Zelenskyy.

The draft law allows same-sex and heterosexual couples to obtain the status of close relatives without getting married, so not quite equal marriage, but a step inthe right direction.

According to the calculations of Ipsos Group SA, the number of LGBTIA+ people in Ukraine is 5-10%, as in any other country.

Also, according to the head of the NGO "Ukrainian LGBT+ military for equal rights" and a soldier of the 72nd mechanized brigade, Viktor Pylypenko, in the Armed Forces and the National Guard, where about 1 million people currently serve, there may be from 50 to 100 thousand people who belong to the LGBT community.

Their visibility is low due to high levels of discrimination and intolerance, which sometimes leads to real threats.
🏳️‍🌈🇺🇦 #LGBTQIA #Ukraine #EqualMarriage #EqualRights #HumanRights

Equal marriage has improved our lives, says LGBT Cubans.

Cuba’s new Family Code approves marriage, adoption and assisted reproduction rights for same-sex couples

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/equal-marriage-has-improved-our-lives-says-lgbt-cubans/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social

#LGBT #Cuba #Equalmarriage #Humanrights

3/3 #Quakers in UK were the 1st faith group to celebrate same-sex marriages, but we do have an inclusion issue. Non-theist Friends cannot marry in a Meeting house if they cannot say the prescribed words which refer to "divine assistance” & to god. The only option for them is to marry in a civil ceremony. We have not achieved equal marriage until it is open even to nontheists. #BritainYearlyMeeting #EqualMarriage

The fight for equal marriage continues in #Japan. What a fabulous photo though. #Rainbow people with style! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-64820191 #EqualMarriage #SameSexMarriage #LGBTQ

“Now here is the biggest howling silence in the whole text of LLF. Nowhere would its readership learn that the Early Church, such a touchstone for LLF’s discussion, never associated marriage with any ceremony celebrated in church.”

Diarmaid MacCulloch on the Church of England’s “Living in Love and Faith” — well worth reading, friends…

#LLF #LivingInLoveAndFaith #Marriage #EqualMarriage #ChurchOfEngland

https://modernchurch.org.uk/prof-diarmaid-macculloch-living-in-love-and-faith

Learned that this is #MarriageWeek (7-14 February). How fitting that this was the week the @churchofengland chose to recognise & affirm #EqualMarriage! Far from subverting the gift of #marriage (as some claim), this step helps value & honour it in our life together as a society.

As of today Slovenia has #equalmarriage 🎉🌈
RT @govSlovenia: Today is an important day. By providing same-sex marriage with the same rights as heterosexual marriage, Slovenia 🇸🇮 is joining the most progressive and open democracies in the world.

🐦🔗: https://n.respublicae.eu/SophieintVeld/status/1620492890882580481

In the Bible, to bless is to give thanks for God’s gift. Thanksgiving recognises what God affirms. Whatever the words of #GeneralSynod motions & amendments, the vote to bless #SameSexMarriage is to ratify the God-givenness of human loving. The C of E door is now ajar. #EqualMarriage will surely follow.

Statement by ⁦‪the Campaign for #EqualMarriage in the C of E‬⁩ about the bishops’ disappointing proposals on #SameSexRelationships. I endorse it.

If this is confirmed, it will be a bitter, bitter disappointment. And not only for the #LGBTQiA community, though I feel especially for them today. Would this ⁦‪@churchofengland‬⁩ ever be forgiven? #EqualMarriage
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/18/church-of-england-bishops-refuse-to-back-gay-marriage?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Wrote this back in 2014: why I believe the Church of England should support equal marriage - Heaven is weeping: an open letter to the House of Bishops. It remains as relevant today, methinks, as it was then:

https://philgroom.wordpress.com/2014/03/01/heaven-is-weeping-an-open-letter-to-the-house-of-bishops-c_of_e-justinwelby-johnsentamu/

#ChurchOfEngland #EqualMarriage #Marriage

Open - and welcome - letter from the Bishop of Worcester about #EqualMarriage in the C of E.
https://www.cofe-worcester.org.uk/news/an-open-letter-from-bishop-john.php

An open - & welcome - letter about #EqualMarriage in the ⁦‪C of E‬⁩ by ⁦‪#JohnInge, Bishop of Worcester.
https://2713aced-d665-4866-bcd0-8f7d81f2f5fe.usrfiles.com/ugd/2713ac_4f9a3958db324778b807e9507fb7c1b3.pdf

@POTUS #Biden passes #EqualMarriage act (its called something else) but essential to stave off #MAGA threats to #Democracy #Equality...https://twitter.com/RepAdamSchiff/status/1602793929564364802?s=20&t=PTlEu0gtW8DLNvPt9mu0xA

Congrats to my American friends celebrating the signing of the Respect for Marriage Act into law.

I know it doesn't completely resolve everything. We got the Civil Partnership Act in 2004, and The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act in 2013 which finally gave us equality.

The established Church of England is exempt from the law at the moment, but it's possible that views are starting to change.

It's a start along the road.

#equalmarriage #lgbt #lgbtq

Ooh, nice going, USA!

"House Passes Respect For Marriage Act, Sends Historic Bill To Biden"

#EqualMarriage
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/respect-for-marriage_n_6391fdd1e4b015bb5739225e

@CriticalCupcake as #lizzo sings “it’s about damn time!!!” #loveislove #equalmarriage

Blessings for trees, blessings for tractors, even blessings for submarines and toilets… blessings for almost everything from @churchofengland@twitter.com except faithful, loving same-sex relationships — how long, O Lord??

#Blessings
#ChurchOfEngland
#EqualMarriage
#SameSexMarriage