Photo: DPA

Civil unions made legal in Bavaria

Published: 2 Jul 09 08:28 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20090702-20331.html

Gay and lesbian couples in the German state of Bavaria may now officially register for civil unions, according to a bill approved by the State Parliament in Munich this week.

Civil unions have already been legalized in the states of Baden-Württemberg and Thuringia, but this is the first time homosexual partners will have the chance to apply for a civil union in Bavaria, a state known for being conservative. Previously, same sex marriages in Bavaria could only be documented by a notary.

Negotiations between the pro-business Free Demorats (FDP) and coalition partner the Christian Democratic Party (CSU) to make a readjustment to the current legal system had failed after the regional elections in autumn 2008.

The law goes into effect August 1.

DDP/DPA/The Local (news@thelocal.de)

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#1
09:36 July 2, 2009 by joses
Gay and lesbian couples in the German state of Bavaria may now officially register for civil unions, according to a bill approved by the State Parliament in Munich this week.

The law goes into effect August 1.

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[color=gray]Topics merged by admin
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#2
15:10 July 2, 2009 by Krzyszek
"Civil unions have already been legalized in the states of Baden-W?emberg and Thuringia, but this is the first time homosexual partners will have the chance to apply for a civil union in Bavaria, a state known for being conservative."

Civil Unions had already been legalized in the whole of Germany in 2001- just the "southern states" couldn't bring themselves to allow couples to register at the registry office like hetorosexual couples do. They instead preferred to continue to discriminate against them. I "married" my partner 7 years ago in Hamburg, and did so, of course, at the local registry office.
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#3
18:38 July 2, 2009 by MonksTown
Bavaria failed in its attempt to block the federal law civil unions have always been legal in Bavaria.

The CSU however decreed that a notary should perform the ceremony rather than a registrar and generally registry offices

(with the exception of Munich) were denied to lesbians and gay men wishing to marry.

Theres a lot of things wrong with them, but the FDP as a party are fairly hot on LGBT issues (look who votes for them).

And they made it a condition of the coalition with the CSU that the law was changed.

It's a small step forward which is nice.
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#4
23:10 July 2, 2009 by MonksTown
I don't mind what heterosexuals do in bed, if they are are consenting adults it's their own business.

Don't really want their sexuality rammed down my throat all the time in public though or think that they should get special legal privileges becasue of what kind of sex they like.
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#5
23:14 July 2, 2009 by perdido
Gay people I dont mind gay vampires is another story.
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#6
23:14 July 2, 2009 by DDBug
So, what are the differences between a "civil union" and a "marriage". Seriously.
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#7
23:17 July 2, 2009 by MonksTown
IIRC Civil unions don't have all the benfits of a heterosexual marriage but all the down sides.

eg My ex boyfriend was unemployed for a long time.

If we were "married" I would have been responsible to keep him, he wouldn't have got welfare.

But I couldn't have used our "marriage" to lower my tax burden.

I have my differences with the notion anyway, but this inequality is one of the reasons I wouldn't want to go give credence to such a union by entering one.

I've a number of lesbian and gay friends who are married though, and am happy for them to have that choice.
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#8
23:21 July 2, 2009 by Bell the cat
Lestat "Joined: Today, 9:54 pm"

ironic that this particular little nazi decided to use the name of a gay vampire as his monicker ...
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#9
23:29 July 2, 2009 by DDBug
Bell - Just skim posts like that.

MT - so basically, if you'd have been in a "civil union" you would not have been responsible for your ex, but "married" you would have been?

Seriously, I'm a fan of an across the board solution. All of the rights and all of the responsibilities - regardless.
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#10
23:32 July 2, 2009 by PROXAK
...Stop being overly sensitive...
Uhm, yeah, I'm thinking you should follow your own advice.
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#11
23:32 July 2, 2009 by Bell the cat
unlike the UK and some other countries, civil unions in Germany do not give the same rights or responsibilities as heterosexual marriage. This is partly because it was one of the earlier countries to introduce the legislation.
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#12
23:35 July 2, 2009 by MonksTown
What parties should encourage is family values, and cleaning up cities.
If you look at the composition of Munich City Council.

The SPD, FDP, Grün-Rosa and Linke fractions already have a LGBT friendly position.

In the last elections, at a city level, even the CSU took part in 2 podium discussions on sexuality issues.

The only party with a council seat pushing "family values" and wanting a "clean up" is one you are quite possibly familiar with:

Bürgerinitiative Ausländerstopp (Wikipedia)
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#13
23:37 July 2, 2009 by MonksTown
Sorry DDBug I should have been more precise.

Heteros get the tax splitting benefits and the duty of care responsibilty.

Homos don't get the tax benefits but still have the duty of cae responsibility.
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#14
23:40 July 2, 2009 by leeza
Lestat "Joined: Today, 9:54 pm"

ironic that this particular little nazi decided to use the name of a gay vampire as his monicker …
Uhm, yeah, I'm thinking you should follow your own advice.
Tsk, tsk, boys - DON'T feed the troll.
Report abuse »
#15
00:08 July 3, 2009 by MonksTown
There's been loads of LGBT stories in the papers recently.

I guess they know it's the CSD season.

Hope to see some of your reprobrates shamelessly flaunting it next week.
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#16
00:15 July 3, 2009 by DDBug
Sorry DDBug I should have been more precise.

Heteros get the tax splitting benefits and the duty of care responsibilty.

Homos do…
Ah - ok.

Though, seriously, the tax splitting thing is not worth the hassle. Get married (or unionized?) for love, not for money.

And , get divorced for the same reasons, for lack of love, not for "saving taxes" - but that's another soapbox
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#17
00:20 July 3, 2009 by xargon
Get married (or unionized?) for love, not for money.
That's crazy talk!
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#18
12:03 July 3, 2009 by omjoi
marriage for love?! marriage is a contract, it has little to do with love.
Report abuse »
#19
12:26 July 3, 2009 by sas
Lestat "Joined: Today, 9:54 pm"

ironic that this particular little nazi decided to use the name of a gay vampire as his monicker …
These seem to be automatically generated when someone posts on The Local website. Unfortunately, the ones that I've seen on here tend to be unbelievably ignorant.
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#20
13:04 July 3, 2009 by Hutcho
Though, seriously, the tax splitting thing is not worth the hassle. Get married (or unionized?) for love, not for money.
Huh? The hassle of getting married is only worth it for the tax benefits. If you only care about the "love" side of things, getting married should be of no consequence.

This whole thing seems like a crock of really unless the same rights that hetero couples are given are given to gay couples as well.
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#21
13:06 July 3, 2009 by Owain Glyndwr
if both are working and earning similar wages then the tax benefit is negligible or non-existent. Only if one partner earns significantly less than the other or not at all do you get any decent benefit.
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#22
13:11 July 8, 2009 by punkinside
I mean really, the Godwin's law thing is getting out of hand around here. Must be because of the whole "we're in germany" thing. Try and think of better insults than "you're a nazi"

That being said...
Hollywood for years implanted that impression, now people like you use it on anyone who disagrees with the 'politically correct'.

I…
Whats not to agree with? Don't you agree that people that love each other should be together, regardless of sex, and that each and every couple should have the same rights granted by the state?

Do you not agree with people expressing their love in public, hetero or homo?

What don't you agree with??
This might puzzle you, but just because someone does not agree with something, it doesn't always mean they hate it either.
We know, but this is not something to agree to.

You live your life, others live theirs, everybody gets equal rights.
I believe on old values, tradition, pride and honor. Same sex to me, is just not healthy or natural.
How is it not healthy?

And

What is natural? There are documented cases of homosexual behaviour in other animals.

And in the end... what's it to you what other people stick in their bums, kiss on the street or file taxes with?

Live by your old values, let others live our degenerate lives. We'll all meet again in hell someday
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