UK Companies Defy the Civil Partnership and Equality Act

Hi all,

One of our allies in the UK, Gino at Pink Weddings, recently sent out an email detailing several companies that are ignoring the Civil Partnership and Equality Act, the law recently passed in the UK to give gay and lesbian couples the same rights and responsibilities as straight married couples.  We thought the information was worth reprinting here, with his permission:

"Over the last few months it has been bought to my attention that a number of mainstream companies are not acting accordingly with the Civil Partnership and Equality Act. We want to share these thoughts and see if you have any stories you wish to share as part of our ongoing commitment to Equality. So far we are investigating the following ORANGE FACT : Have no way of registering a Civil Partnership, we are simply ticked under “marriage or other” UPDATE : We are awaiting news from Orange EGG CARD FACT : Do not recognise Civil Partnerships and causes problems when couples try to change their surnames on their accounts UPDATE : We have spoken to their press office and EGG are speaking with relevant managers to find out more about this PEACOCKS SHOPPING CENTRE, SURREY FACT : the charity Gay Surrey we refused access into the shopping centre to promote World Aids day and other promotional days with the NHS and THT UPDATE : this matter is still ongoing and is at present with the Equality and Human Rights. Mr Keeping, manager of the peacocks centre stated to the press "I don't think the promotion of lesbian or gay activity is appropriate in this centre but I'm not saying it isn't appropriate elsewhere" Read the full story http://www.gaysurrey.org/press.htm Please sign our petition http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/gs_peacocks Do you have a story? Please let us know. It seems strange that with all the new laws in place that these companies feel they are above the law and are able to discriminate as they see fit. This cannot happen and we must stop this immediately."

If you have stories about marriage discrimination in the UK, email them to boyzngirlz@pinkweddings.biz - Gino would love to hear from you!

--Scott