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.

ADVERTISING
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)

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Fark It! Digg This Facebook  Share everywhere
Send to a friend Printable version Twitter This

Your comments about this article:

#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.

more

[color=gray]Topics merged by admin
Report abuse »
#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.
Report abuse »
#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.
Report abuse »
#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.
Report abuse »
#5
23:14 July 2, 2009 by perdido
Gay people I dont mind gay vampires is another story.
Report abuse »
#6
23:14 July 2, 2009 by DDBug
So, what are the differences between a "civil union" and a "marriage". Seriously.
Report abuse »
#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.
Report abuse »
#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 ...
Report abuse »
#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.
Report abuse »
#10
23:32 July 2, 2009 by PROXAK
...Stop being overly sensitive...
Uhm, yeah, I'm thinking you should follow your own advice.
Report abuse »
#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.
Report abuse »
#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)
Report abuse »
#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.
Report abuse »
#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.
Report abuse »
#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 don't get the tax benefits but still have the duty of cae responsibility.
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
Report abuse »
#17
00:20 July 3, 2009 by xargon
Get married (or unionized?) for love, not for money.
That's crazy talk!
Report abuse »
#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.
Report abuse »
#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.
Report abuse »
#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.
Report abuse »
#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'm not a nazi because I don't agree with same sex couples. Not a 'homophic' either.
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
Report abuse »
ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
For comment quoting and other advanced formatting features,
try posting via this article's discussion forum page instead.
Today's headlines
Photo: DPA

Match-fixing ring rocks European football

Some 200 football matches in nine European countries including at least three Champions League games may have manipulated in a huge match-fixing scandal, German prosecutors said on Friday. READ (2 COMMENTS) »

Photo: a screenshot of taz.de

Editorial feud erects artistic six-metre penis

In a massive escalation of a long-standing editorial feud, the newspaper Die Tageszeitung has unveiled an artwork depicting the naked editor-in-chief of its right-wing rival Bild sporting a six-metre penis up the façade of its headquarters. READ (8 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Disabled woman fired for eating pâté meant for patients

A disabled Hannover woman working at a nursing home has been fired after 18 years on the job for eating pâté intended for patients, daily Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung reported on Friday. READ (16 COMMENTS) »

A file photo of Hitler in 1925 at an NSDAP meeting in Bavaria. Photo: DPA

France finds lost spy file on young Hitler

Secret French intelligence service documents on the young Adolf Hitler have surfaced in the country’s national archives, daily Le Monde reported on Friday. READ (4 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Von der Leyen moots expanded child subsidy for poor families

German Family Minister Ursula von der Leyen has proposed expanding a monthly child subsidy for low income parents, daily Passauer Neue Presse reported on Friday. READ (2 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Defence minister expects Karzai to take action

NATO countries expect "more than just words" from Afghan President Hamid Karzai after he promised to combat corruption, German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said Thursday. READ (3 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Springlike highs expected for weekend

Anyone planning a weekend outing will enjoy sunshine and springlike temperatures in the coming days as a high pressure system moves over the Alps and into central Germany, the DWD weather service reported on Friday. READ »

Photo: DPA

Chestnut tree kills pedestrian

A 47-year-old Frankfurt woman died late on Thursday after a chestnut tree suddenly fell and crushed her, police reported. READ (7 COMMENTS) »

More Society
More popular articles »
Highlights
Photo: DPA
SOCIETY »
Born amid Cold War rivalry yet loved by children on both sides of the Iron Curtain, Germany’s bedtime TV character the Sandman celebrates his 50th birthday this weekend

See all ads | Join the Marketplace

Sponsored Links
Jobs in Germany, in English

579 jobs in Germany, in English
323 new jobs this week
0 new jobs today

ALL JOBS »

Latest news from The Local in Sweden
Blog
Essentials

Dating
Looking for your own blonde bombshell? Or is the strong, silent type more your style? Find a German sweetheart here.

Weather
"After clouds comes clear weather," say the Germans. But what about after that? Find out in The Local's weather section.

Blog
German stuff that's distracting us today.

Noticeboard
Whether you want to buy, sell, hire, announce or promote something, here's the place to do it - completely free of charge.

Discuss
Debate the news, ask for advice, make friends - or just let off steam.

Search News


Register

Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss

REGISTER FOR FREE »

News from the Goethe-Institut
News from Young Germany
News from DeutschlandOnline
Noticeboard
SHOW ALL NOTICES »
Toytown Germany
FULL INDEX »
Sales manager - Berlin
The Local is seeking a talented and experienced media sales professional for our online advertising sales in Germany
FULL JOB DETAILS
Best Foreign exchange rates dealing - all major currencies
Foreign Currency Direct voted as offering the best exchange rates. All currency exchange transactions are managed by Ben Amrany. We guarantee that readers of The Local/Toytown receive a 5 star service
FULL DETAILS HERE>>>
Editorial intern - Berlin
The Local needs an editorial intern at its office in Berlin starting in January
FULL JOB DETAILS
JOB: Account Executive Global Brand Team
Edelman, the worlds largest privately owned PR agency, is looking for a native English speaking Account Executive (m/f) for the Global Team in Hamburg (starting in January 2010)
FULL JOB DETAILS
Food and drink gift baskets
We offer a wide range of exquisite and unique hampers, elegantly decorated for all occasions. Our service is first class and allows you to send personalised baskets to your loved ones across Europe.
FIND OUT MORE
Snappy summary of the week's best stories
The newsletter is sent out every Friday with an easily swallowed digest of the week's happenings allowing you to pepper your conversations with nuggets of news about the issues of the hour.
SIGN UP HERE>>>
Advertising 2.0
MARKETPLACE - promote your business to half a million targeted readers a month on The Local. Find great products and services in Germany or tell The Local's readers about your own business.
CLICK HERE>>>

The Local Europe GmbH
Linienstrasse 214
10119 Berlin
Germany