Couples tie knot in 'Gay Capital'

From The BBC:

Three same-sex couples from Brighton have made history by becoming among the first in England and Wales to tie the knot and form civil partnerships. The couples simultaneously signed documents making their partnerships legal at the town hall at 0800 GMT. Brighton and Hove Register Office is holding 17 "gay weddings" on Wednesday and a further 198 are due in December. Two weeks ago a terminally ill man from Brighton was given permission to "wed" his partner a day before he died. The ceremonies are now legal under the Civil Partnerships Act.

The event, held in the marriage room at Brighton and Hove Register Office, was witnessed by more than 300 people, including the couples' guests and local dignitaries. The first three couples to take their vows were the Reverend Debbie Gaston and her partner of 16 years Elaine Gaston; Gino Meriano and Mike Ullett, who have been together for seven years; and Roger Lewis and his partner of 14 years, Keith Willmott-Goodall. Mr Lewis, 57, works for Sussex Police and first met Mr Willmott-Goodall, 64, on Eastbourne seafront 14 years ago. Gino Meriano runs the Pink Weddings Planning Agency with his partner Mr Ullett.

Ms Gaston is a priest at the Metropolitan Community Church, in Hove, and her partner, who changed her surname to Gaston, has two grown-up children from a previous marriage. Speaking before the ceremony, Elaine Gaston said the occasion would cement their relationship. "It says to the world this is what I want to do, this is who I am, and this is who I'm in love with." Debbie Gaston added: "For 16 years we haven't had the opportunity to do something that all our friends and family have been able to do." Following their civil ceremony, which included readings and the exchange of vows and rings, the couple were to have a Christian blessing at the beginning of their reception at a nearby hotel. "God is so central to our lives and our relationship that we couldn't do the whole day without mentioning God and having him in it somewhere," Debbie Gaston said.

It seems that at least some sections of the Christian Church are beginning to accept the inevitable. How long will it be before the sexual orientation of an individual is no longer an issue in the others?