First gay marriag the UK will take place at the stroke of midnight tonight | The Inpennt | The Inpennt

Contents:

• IN PICTUR: UK'S FIRST GAY WEDDGS
• FIRST GAY UPL MARRY UK AT STROKE OF MIDNIGHT
• FIRST COUPL WED AS GAY MARRIAGE BE LEGAL UK
• ONE OF BRA'S FIRST GAY DADS TO MARRY DGHTER'S EX-BOYIEND AFTER PROPOSG ON TRIP
• I WATCHED ONE OF BRA'S FIRST-EVER GAY WEDDGS
• FIRST GAY MARRIAG THE UK WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE STROKE OF MIDNIGHT TONIGHT

IN PICTUR: UK'S FIRST GAY WEDDGS

Image source, RtersSame-sex upl England and Wal are celebratg after gay marriage beme legal.

Image source, Getty ImagSupporters gathered outsi Islgton Town Hall London to ngratulate the pair on beg among the first gay upl to marry the UK.

FIRST GAY UPL MARRY UK AT STROKE OF MIDNIGHT

Some gay upl, cludg John Coffey and Bernardo Marti London, started their ceremoni late on Friday orr to marry jt after the law changed at midnight. The first gay weddgs are expected Stland October; Northern Ireland has no plans to allow gay marriage.

Image source, Getty ImagTera Millward, pictured wh her new wife Helen Brearley after their weddg Halifax on Saturday morng, said gettg a weddg certifite would mean there was "te equaly" the law change took effect, allowg upl such as Phil Robathan and Jam Prton to marry, Liberal Democrat lear Nick Clegg said "gettg to aln ernment will have been worth " if helped jt one young gay person feel "safer, stronger, taller". Some relig groups, cludg the Catholic Church, rema opposed to gay marriage, but Archbishop of Canterbury Jt Welby said: "The law's changed; we accept the suatn. Campaigners have spent years battlg to end a distctn that many gay upl say ma them feel like send class cizens and today was the first day that gay upl uld tie the knot England and Wal.

Another uple bdg their relatnship wh marriage jt after midnight were Peter McGrah and David Cabreza, who married after 17 years pair married at Islgton Town Hall London, wh human rights mpaigner Peter Tatchell actg as chief wns at a packed McGrah said he hoped this would send to a powerful signal to other gay upl around the world. “It puts prsure on those plac where our rights are pletely nied, ” said Mr McGrah who has two adopted children wh Brish ernment, wh the backg of Mr Cameron, legalised same-sex marriage last July but was not until this month that upl uld register their tentn to marry and March 29th was the first possible date for upl have been allowed sce 2005 to enter to “civil partnerships”, nferrg the same legal rights as marriage, but mpaigners say the distctn giv the imprsn that society nsirs gay relatnships ferr.

FIRST COUPL WED AS GAY MARRIAGE BE LEGAL UK

“Put simply, Bra will no longer matter whether you are straight or gay - the state will regnise your relatnship as equal, ” said Mr the number of untri legalisg gay marriage has grown signifintly sce the Netherlands ma the first move 2000, only 17 currently allow gay upl to law’s passage Bra last summer ed ep spls Cameron’s lg Conservative Party. Dpe shiftg public attus Bra, rearch for the BBC showed on Friday that about one five Brish adults would turn down an vatn to a gay weddg.

Campaigners hailed the change the law as a “historic moment” that was marked by flyg rabow-loured flags, a symbol of the gay movement, over London’s ernment quarter. “The weddgs will send a powerful signal to every young person growg up to be lbian, gay or bisexual - you n be who you are and love who you love, regardls of your sexual orientatn, ” said Ruth Hunt, actg chief executive for leadg gay rights chary. Media ptn, Peter McGrah and David Cabreza, John Coffey and Bernardo Marti, and Andrew Wale and Neil Allard were among the first gay upl to marryThe first same-sex weddgs have taken place after gay marriage beme legal England and Wal at midnight.

ONE OF BRA'S FIRST GAY DADS TO MARRY DGHTER'S EX-BOYIEND AFTER PROPOSG ON TRIP

David Cameron said the move sent a msage that people were now equal "whether gay or straight", but some relig groups rema opposed. "The law change would enurage young people unsure of their sexualy, he source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Tera Millward and Helen Brearley married HalifaxImage source, APImage ptn, Sean Adl-Tabatabai and Sclair Treadway married the uncil chamber at Camn Town Hall LondonImage source, PAImage ptn, Sandi Toksvig and her partner Debbie renewed their civil partnership vows at an event London celebratg the law changeLater on Saturday morng, Mr Cameron tweeted: "Congratulatns to the gay upl who have already been married - and my bt wish to those about to be on this historic day. "This is an credibly happy time for so many gay upl and lbian upl who will be gettg married, but 's an credibly proud time for our untry as well, regnisg equal marriage law, " he said.

Mr Tatchell said the uple and all the others gettg married had "ma history" and "ma Bra a more tolerant, equal place" a crowd of photographers, journalists and well-wishers wag, the uple took the opportuny to highlight the ternatnal stggle for gay McGrah said: "Very few untri afford their gay and lbian cizens equal marriage rights and we believe that this change law will brg hope and strength to gay men and lbians Nigeria, Uganda, Rsia, India and elsewhere, who lack basic equaly and are beg crimalised for their sexual orientatn. "Image source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Andrew Wale and Neil Allard were the first same-sex uple to marry BrightonImage source, AFPImage ptn, Phil Robathan and Jam Prton later married at Brighton Town HallLater on Saturday, a crowd of about 2, 000 people - which clud a number of celebri - gathered to watch edian Sandi Toksvig and her partner Debbie renew their civil partnership uple, who entered to a civil partnership seven years ago, exchanged vows on stage at the Royal Ftival Hall London at a special event to celebrate the troductn of gay marriage the UK.

But some relig groups rema opposed to gay Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, said: "We n't jt refe an stutn - refe somethg that always has been - bee we say 's somethg that we want. The Roman Catholic Church oppos the change the gay virs, though, have said they are prepared to fy their bishops by sistg they have a right to ptn, The Rev Andrew Ca says he do not want nontatn wh the Church, but "mt do what is right"Among them is the Reverend Andrew Ca, who said the Church was enterg uncharted terrory, but he would not be "ightened" out of dog what he believed was Ca, who plans to marry his partner the summer, said he would do so whether the Church approved or not.

I WATCHED ONE OF BRA'S FIRST-EVER GAY WEDDGS

The first same-sex marriag Bra were held early Saturday morng after gay marriage beme legal at midnight. “Congratulatns to the gay upl who have already been married – and my bt wish to those about to be on this historic day, ” Uned Kgdom Prime Mister David Cameron tweeted Saturday morng.

Polls show about two-thirds of people the untry support gay unns, the Associated Prs reports. Gay upl England have been allowed to enter “civil partnerships, ” nferrg the same legal rights as marriage, sce 2005. Bra banned schools and thori om “promotg” homosexualy until 2003.

“Some of our policians are now promotg the LGBT rights agenda plac like Uganda, Rsia and India, but how n our Government be taken serly on the world stage when Northern Ireland law is still le wh anti-gay regim on the issue of marriage rights? Multi-lnaire Barrie Drewt-Barlow, 50, is also expectg a baby dghter October wh 25-year-old Stt Hutchson, his dghter Safon's former partnerVio LoadgVio UnavailableGay dad gets engaged to dghters ex-boyiendOne of Bra's first gay dads has proposed to his dghter’s ex-boyiend while all three holidayed Croatia together. Barry and his ex-hband Tony Drewt-Barlow ma news 1999 when they beme the first gay men to father tws through a surrogacy the UK, Star Onle reports.

FIRST GAY MARRIAG THE UK WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE STROKE OF MIDNIGHT TONIGHT

The pair, who are known as Bra’s “first gay dads”, have sce separated after a 32-year relatnship but still live together. Barrie and Tony beme the first gay men the UK to father children through surrogacy.

Photos by Jake LewisHow has taken so long for gay weddg to bee legal the UK? But for many, the passg of the law allowg gay upl to marry, which went to effect at midnight on Saturday, isn’t about weddgs.

It's about the prciple that gay people should be allowed to do everythg that straight people n do—which should be a basic human, ’s not.