Gay Today: World

British Home Secretary
Promises Section 28 Repeal

Belgium Plans Gay Marriage

By Rex Wockner
International News Report

British Home Secretary
Promises Section 28 Repeal

British Home Secretary Jack Straw said March 29 that the government will repeal Section 28, an 11-year-old law that prohibits cities from "intentionally promot[ing] homosexuality" or teaching "the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship" in schools.

He called the law a piece of "discrimination and prejudice."

UK Home Secretary Jack Straw

"It has caused confusion in schools and local councils, inhibiting teachers who are unsure about their ability to provide information, guidance and support to young people who are, or think they may be, gay," Straw said. "It undermines our commitment to fair treatment for all irrespective of their sexuality."

The U.K.-wide law was repealed locally in Scotland by the newly created Scottish parliament on June 21, 2000.

Belgium Plans Gay Marriage

Belgium plans to be the second country to let gays get married under the regular marriage laws, Health Minister Magda Alvoet said April 2.

Legislation will be introduced at the end of this month.

"The government considers that the right to marry is a constitutional right and that access to marriage is the only real guarantee that homosexual and heterosexual couples will be treated the same way," Alvoet said.

The Netherlands opened regular marriage to gay people on April 1. Amid an international media frenzy, Amsterdam Mayor Job Cohen married four same-sex couples at the stroke of midnight in the City Council chambers.

Related Stories from the GayToday Archive:

Scottish Catholics & Millionaire Promote Bias

Scottish Emergency: Section 28 Repeal Faces Defeat

On the Spot at the World's First Legal Same-Sex Marriages

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Several nations have registered-partnership laws or common-law marriage statutes that apply to gays. In some cases, up to 99 percent of the rights and obligations of marriage are granted by these laws. Only The Netherlands, however, lets gay people simply get married.

Foreigners can marry in The Netherlands after they have lived there four months.