Same sex marriage...

... is looking promising for couples who would previously have not been allowed anything more than a civil partnership to resemble their love for each other.

Although the majority of MPs in the House of Commons on Tuesday (5th) voted "aye" for the Marriage (same sex couples) Bill to be passed the discussion was huge, with over 60 MPs taking the opportunity to voice theirs, and their constituencies' opinions on the bill. Many Conservative MPs seemed horrified at the aspect of gay marriage being acceptable and the majority of the party voted against the bills implementation. 

Yvette Cooper stood before the House of Commons and said, "Civil partnerships have been a fantastic step forward, providing for the first time proper legal recognition for same-sex relationships, and they continue to be a great source of great joy and of security. It was right of Labour to introduce them in the face of deep controversy, but it is time to take the next step for equality and to allow gay and lesbian couples the chance to marry if they choose to."

There are a huge number of couples out there who would have thanked her for making this comment on their behalf, as they long to show their love for each other through taking the step into marriage together.

A majority of 225 MPs backed the bill, as 400 voted in favour and 175 failed to acknowledge its importance and significance in stepping forward.

136 of the 175 who failed to back the bill were from the Conservative Party and therefore in contradiction to their leader and Prime Minister David Cameron.  

This second reading of the bill has shown that there is plenty of parliamentary backing for same sex marriage, but there is still many stages left for the bill to go through, including another reading in the House of Commons, followed by three readings in the House of Lords. Once the bill has been passed by MPs and Lords the bill can finally receive the Royal Assent. To follow this process check out the Parliament website.

Debate

While the debate within the House of Commons went ahead, a debate of another kind took place on social networking site Twitter. It was interesting to see the array of responses this bill was receiving, especially the debate rising between devoted catholics and those in favour of same sex relationships. 

It felt like the nation was divided on an issue which will merely give people equal rights. Equal rights were promoted when women were given the vote, when slavery was abolished and when women were given the same rights in marriage as men (e.g. rape in marriage was made illegal). Why should this even be an issue in this day and age? We've come to terms with the fact that same-gender relationships now exist, we are much less prudent than we once were. Yet we feel it is necessary to stop people getting married because of their gender. 

What if marriage was abolished for all? We would have equal rights that way. The sad matter of the fact is more people would probably take an interest, even a stance if this were the bill under review. 

We all wish to have equal rights and want to treated as we treat others; this is another step in that direction. You would not like your right to marry to be taken away from you based on the criteria which depends on the gender of the person you love. No other species is as judging and discriminating as ours, and maybe we could learn a lesson from other species on the ways of the world. Even other cultures could show us the light, as gay marriage is legal in the Netherlands, Spain, Canada, to name but a few. Even nine states of the US allow gay couples to take that step forward into marriage and the fact that we even have the nerve to sit in the comfort of our homes and even consider making judgements of others is beyond me. 

Live and let live I say. At the end of the day their relationship does not affect you, their happiness does not affect you, so just live in harmony and be happy with your life the way it is, because at the end of the day someone's going to have an issue with something, that's life I'm afraid.