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<\/p>\nBermuda\u2019s Legislature Has Given Final Approval to Rip Marriage Rights Away from Gay People<\/b>
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Bermuda\u2019s Senate today approved a bill that will take marriage rights away from gay<\/a> people, following the House\u2019s approval earlier this week. All that remains is for the governor to sign it.<\/p>\n The AP reports<\/a>:<\/p>\n Senators approved the Domestic Partnership Act by an 8-3 vote. The House of Assembly approved it 24-10 on Friday. It must now be signed by the governor before it becomes law in the Atlantic ocean territory.<\/p>\n A Supreme Court ruling in May made same-sex<\/a> marriages legal in Bermuda amid opposition on the socially conservative island. The ruling Progressive Labor Party took up the matter after winning power in the July election.<\/p>\n The Supreme Court of Bermuda legalized same-sex marriage last May<\/a> in a case\u00a0<\/span>brought by Toronto-based Bermudian and Canadian gay couple<\/a>, Winston Godwin and Greg DeRoche (above), who\u00a0 preferred to marry in Godwin\u2019s home country Bermuda.<\/span><\/p>\n Seeing boycotts and protest on the horizon, Bermuda\u2019s Tourism Authority issued a statement before the vote.<\/p>\n \u201cSince last Friday\u2019s vote, we have seen ample evidence of negative international headlines and growing social-media hostility towards Bermuda that we feel compelled to express our concern about what the negative consequences could be for tourism if the Domestic Partnership Bill passes the Senate this week. We believe the Bill poses an unnecessary threat to the success of our tourism industry.<\/p>\n \u201cWe urge you to vote no and appreciate the opportunity to lay out the reasons why. Importantly, we do not view domestic partnerships as a negative in isolation. In fact many jurisdictions permit domestic partnerships without adverse impacts on their economies.<\/p>\n \u201cThe circumstance in Bermuda is different \u2014 and troubling \u2014 in one important way: same-sex<\/a> marriage is already the law of our island and to roll that back for what will be seen as a less equal union will cause us serious reputational damage. We are convinced it will result in lost tourism business for Bermuda.\u201d<\/p>\n The post Bermuda\u2019s Legislature Has Given Final Approval to Rip Marriage Rights Away from Gay People<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n