Elton John: Gays Need Global Equal
Rights
Sun Dec 18, 3:39 PM ET
Elton John said forming a civil partnership with his longtime lover
David Furnish in England this week will be "the happiest day of my
life."
But, the pop star added, he will feel sorry for the many gay
couples who live in countries that prohibit such unions.
"It has been a long struggle for equal rights to gay people in
Britain, but now, in the 21st century, we have real civil rights,
tolerance and final acceptance in our lives," John wrote in The
Observer, a Sunday newspaper.
"Next Wednesday, on the happiest day of my life, when I celebrate a
civil partnership with David, I will be thinking, however, about
those less fortunate than we are. In many countries, having a
same-sex partner is still outlawed."
Quoting Amnesty International, John said an estimated 80 countries
still have laws that criminalize adult same-sex relations. He also
cited specific cases of abuse in countries such as the United Arab
Emirates, Jamaica, Uganda, Iraq and Poland.
"Throughout history, gay people such as myself and David have often
been made scapegoats by those who fear that we are a threat to the
status quo," John said.
More than 600 same-sex couples plan to form civil partnerships in
England and Wales on Wednesday, the first day that such ceremonies
become possible. In order to get the law passed that allow such
unions, the British government avoided potential opposition by
avoiding the term "marriage."
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Heterosexual and homosexual here... any
comments?
