A gay marriage bill proposed in Denmark
includes church weddings for gay and lesbian couples,
Copenhagen-based daily Jyllands-Posten (The Copenhagen Post)
reported.
If approved, gay
couples will be allowed to marry and hold weddings in the Church of
Denmark.
“It's historic,
it's the biggest thing since female ministers were allowed in the
Folkekirken,” Manu Sareen, the coalition government's church and
equality minister, said on Wednesday. Sareen added that ceremonies
might commence as early as next summer.
In 1989, Denmark
legalized registered partnerships for gay couples – the first
country to do so – but such unions are not allowed to be celebrated
in the church.
Gay rights
activists have cheered the move.
“It's
more than we had ever hoped for,” Vivi Jelstrup, chairman of LGBT
Danmark, told Politiken.
“Words mean so much and not being able to call yourself spouses
today is a sign of inequality.”
Henrik Hojlund, chairman of the
Evangelical Lutheran Network, said he opposes the plan, calling it
“fatal for the church.”
While 7 European
countries have legalized gay marriage, only 2 – Iceland and Sweden
– allow full wedding ceremonies for gay couples.
Polls show that a
large majority (69%) of Danes support allowing gay couples to marry
in the church.