Bermuda Parliament Approves Bill That Repeals Marriage Rights For Gay Couples
- By
- Carlos Santoscoy
- | December 14, 2017
Lawmakers in Bermuda have approved a bill that if signed by the governor would repeal marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples.
On Wednesday, the Bermuda Senate approved the bill with an 8-3 vote, less than a week after it cleared the House of Representatives.
The move comes just months after gay couples in the British overseas territory gained marriage equality. In May, a judge ruled in favor of gay couples seeking to marry.
The bill, known as the Domestic Partnership Bill, would recognize gay couples with civil partnerships.
Governor John Rankin has previously expressed his support for civil unions, but has not said where he stands on the new bill.
“If Governor Rankin signs this measure into law, it will rip away the right of loving same-sex couples in Bermuda to marry. That's unconscionable,” said Ty Cobb, director of HRC Global. “With international business and tourism as its major industries, Bermuda’s people, international reputation, and economy would all be harmed by this legislation. It is crucial that Governor Rankin reject this assault on equality.”
The Bermuda Tourism Authority warned that the bill would negatively impact tourism.
“We are convinced it will result in lost tourism for Bermuda,” the board said in a letter to lawmakers. “While we cannot responsibly estimate what the scale of those losses will be, we can point to contemporary examples that tell a cautionary tale.”
According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest LGBT rights advocate, Bermuda would become the first territory in the world to take away marriage equality if the legislation becomes law.