MARCH 21, 2008
JUStpUt 23
The couple met 14 months ago at a
dinner party, and Duncan, 50, asked
Dunseath, 39, to marry him this past
Valentine’s Day as the couple vacationed
in Oman.
“You could not find two more conven
tional people to enter into a civil partner
ship,” Duncan told local media.
Dunseath told The Daily Telegraph:
“Our friends say we are inseparable. He
may be a politician, but he’s great fun.
We both feel it’s so right and we’re very
lucky.”
Tory leader David Cameron said he was
“thrilled” to learn of the couple’s engage
ment and plans to attend the ceremony.
In 2002, Duncan betame the first Tory
MP to publicly come out of the closet.
“Living in disguise as a politician in the
modem world simply isn’t an option,” he
Argentines expect new President Cristina Fernandez
de Kirchner to support same-sex marriage.
said at the time. “The Tory view has always been,
that gives origin to the family in the Venezuelan
‘We don’t mind, but don’t say.’ Well, that doesn’t
work anymore. The only realistic way to behave
historic and cultural context, the extension of its
{marriage’s] effects to common-{pw unions should
these days is to be absolutely honest and upfront,
require, at the least, that these {unions] fulfill the
however inconvenient that may be at first.”
same essential requirements—that they are stable
In a new interview March 5 with the Telegraph,
and monogamous unions between a man and a
Duncan added: “I knew that one day I would have
woman who have no marriage impediment and
to say something, because I believed honesty to be
that the union is based on the free consent of the
the best policy. But I wanted to do it when I was
sufficiently well-established as an MP for it not
parties.”
But the tribunal added, “The court wants to
to be my only label thereafter. I didn’t want to be
emphasize that the constitutional norm does not
known just as ‘the gay MP Alan Duncan.’ To me,
prohibit or condemn common-law unions be
I’m an MP who happens to be gay.”
Duncan also noted: “This is not a wedding.
tween persons of the same sex, which find con
stitutional cover in the fundamental right of free
You really just go into the register office and sign.
development of the personality; it simply does not
There will be no Elton John-style stuff: no white
grant them reinforced protection, which does not
suits, no John Inman, no flouncing about.”
constitute a discriminatory act in regard to sexual
The United Kingdom’s Civil Partnership Act,
orientation.”
which took effect in December 2005, grants reg
Judge Carmen Zuleta de Merchán dissented
istered same-sex couples all rights and obligations
from the decision, arguing that the constitution
of marriage.
Swedish Government to Sell Dildos
grants implicit rights to same-sex couples and that
the other justices were influenced by ingrained
social and religious prejudices.
Sweden’s government-run Apoteket pharmacy
The gay group Affirmative Union of Venezuela
chain will begin selling dildos because customers
commented: “We see this decision as an advance
want them, the Stockholm English-language pub
with respect to the previous situation in which we
lication The Local reported March 6.
had no legal existence, we were invisibilized and
“We are aware that sex"is a very important part
of everyone’s life. It is important to help people
our human condition was negated in this society.
in this area, and there is a certain demand for the
all legal means within our reach, to obtain what
products,” spokeswoman Elisabet Linge Bergman
should be common sense: the overcoming of dis
told the newspaper.
In a survey conducted last year by Apoteket
crimination in Venezuelan society.”
and the Swedish Association for Sexuality Edu
Argentine President Said to
Support Gay Marriage
cation, customers chose dildos and massage oils
as the top items they’d like to see added to the
We commit ourselves to continue fighting, with
New Argentine President Cristina Fernandez
de Kirchner supports legalization of same-sex mar
chain’s stock.
The dildos, oils and possibly other sex toys will
riage, according to the president of the National
become available in 50 of the chain’s stores start
Institute Against Discrimination, Xenophobia
ing in May, for a one-year trial period, The Local
and Racism (IN A DI).
In a Feb. 24 interview with the Buenos Ai
said.
res newspaper Clarín, María José Lubertino was
AMERICAS
Venezuelan Supremes Nix
Same-Sex Marriage
The constitutional arm of Venezuela’s Supreme
Tribunal of Justice ruled March 4 that same-sex
marriages cannot be constitutionally authorized
asked: “With {former President Raúl] Alfonsin
the divorce law was established. Will Cristina’s
accomplishment be gay marriage?”
Lubertino responded: “1 have no doubt. If
they didn’t want me to advance this issue, they
wouldn’t have put me in charge of INADI.' ©
even though the constitution bans discrimination
based on sexual orientation.
The court said, “If the 1999 constitutional body
opted to protect monogamous matrimony be
tween a man and a woman as the essential nucleus
R ex W ockner has reported for the gay
press since 1985. He has a bachelor's degree
in journalism from Drake University and
started his career as a radio reporter.
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