Getting Committed

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 17 April 2012 09:21:18

So Bletchley Park has been booked as the venue for our civil partnership and blessing in July next year. It seems that the general consensus is that we are getting married - I am going for we are getting committed. It might seem like stupid language games, but for me it is important - just as I know using the language of marriage is important to others including TOH, (we are learning to use / alot and to respect where the other is coming from on this, trying to unknot the mess it creates).

On one level it is a girl marrying the guy she has fallen in love with, but we all know it's more complicated than that. The certificate we get will be recognising a civil partnership - when TOH's gender recognition certificate comes through we can then hand over some more money, (without another ceremony I hope) to get a wedding certificate. At the end of the day what matters is that in July next year I am making a public statement of commitment to the person I love and want to spend the rest of my life with and whatever legal neccessities are required there will be an ongoing legally recognised committed relationship. That's part of the reason  I want to say I am getting committed - it gives both forms of legal recognition equal status.

The other reason I want to say I am getting committed is because I want to show respect to those who I know find the idea of civil partnerships being marriage "difficult". I have friends who I know have searched scripture, as I have, but who have come to different conclusions to myself - I want to find language which recognises the commitment TOH and I are making - in the eyes of the  law and before family, friends and God but which does not alienate those who struggle with our use of the "marriage" language.

That's my explanation of why I would like you....if talking to me to be sensitive to my desire to use terms like "getting committed" in a serious way, (as well as recognising the more common use of the term and having a chuckle).