‘Gays should be allowed to marry’

A gay activist has called for Bermuda to introduce gay marriage — and for same sex couples to have the same rights as married people.

DJ Valentino Tear said: “I hope the new Government of Bermuda moves swiftly forward to amend the Human Rights Act to protect young gay men and women from ever having to endure the injustices that I have experienced in this community. This discrimination has to stop.”

But he said the recent Throne Speech — the OBA Government’s to do list for the Parliamentary year — had failed to mention gay marriage.

Mr Tear added: “I feel that the new Bermuda Government showed a lack of vision in this regard.”

And he said the Matrimonial Causes Act, which lays down the law on divorce, should be extended to cover gay couples as well.

He added: “Same sex couples are not afforded the same rights that married couples are and there are many same sex couples already here on this island.”

Mr Tear, who has just returned to Bermuda after several years working as a DJ in England, has hosted several events aimed at promoting gay rights at venues like Red and Taste, both on Hamilton’s Front Street.

He said: “As an entertainer, I am committed to performing and speaking up for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community.”

Mr Tear said that Bermuda’s traditional hardline views on gay rights had softened in recent years.

He added: “I was very encouraged when Shine Hayward, a Bermudian legend in the entertainment industry, asked me if I would bring my Gay Night to his establishment.”

And he said that other venues had also asked if he would host special events. Mr Tear added that he had also received “generous support” from local businesses, including Gosling’s, which had sponsored events.

He said: “This is a whole new arena for Bermuda and an obvious indication that the island has moved forward and if we do not continue to develop GLBT rights, for example by amending the marriage laws, we could be in danger of killing off a wonderful new opportunity for Bermuda’s tourism industry.”

He added: “I ask the community to support my events and also support groups like the Rainbow Alliance of Bermuda in bringing an end to discrimination on the island.”

Community Development Minister Wayne Scott, although he has backed extending the law to protect gay people from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, has ruled out any moves to allow same-sex marriages.

The UK Parliament earlier this month voted to extend full marriage rights to gay couples in England and Wales.

England and Wales, as well as Scotland, which has devolved government, already allowed civil partnerships for same sex partners and which gave them similar rights as heterosexual couples in matters like inheritance and separation.

The Scottish Parliament is likely to vote to allow same-sex marriage later this year, although, like south of the border, no religious denomination will be legally forced to carry out same-sex marriages in churches unless they want to.

Anglican Archdeacon Andrew Doughty, in charge of the Anglican faithful until new Bishop Nicholas Dill is confirmed in the post, said the majority of Anglicans would be in favour of outlawing discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

He added: “We have not had any debate on gay marriage at all and I’m sure that our new Bishop-Elect would want to do that.”

The Church of England and the Church of Wales, which are the Established Churches in the two countries, have been specifically excluded from the UK Parliament legislation on constitutional grounds.

But Archdeacon Doughty said that the Anglican Church in Bermuda ceased to be the Established Church in 1975, so would not have the same difficulties in conducting same-sex marriages if they were to be approved.