Well, she was obliged to.
Queen Elizabeth II has given her royal assent to the Bill that will give gays, lesbians, bi and trans people the right to marry in England and Wales, after it was passed by both houses of British Parliament.
This means the first legal same-sex marriage is due to take place there by early next year, allowing time for the impact on pensions to be considered.
Churches can choose to ‘opt in’ and allow weddings for same-sex couples, but aren’t compelled to do them.
The photo above of the ‘Rainbow Queen’ has been shared around a lot on social media today, but in truth, she’s compelled to sign off on laws made by her government – if she vetoes a piece of legislation, affectively it would trigger a crisis of ineffectual democracy, which would easily be resolved by a parliament vote to strip her of what little authority she has left.
In decades of speeches given around her Commonwealth, The Queen has never once mentioned gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
And while LGBTI people will soon be able to marry in 2014 in England and Wales, lobby group All Out reminds us that the Queen is also the Head of the Commonwealth where gays and lesbians are regularly persecuted, arrested, murdered, and executed in 36 countries of the 54 member nations.
“While this is an incredible moment for England, it is time for the government of England to be more outspoken about anti-gay violence happening in the Commonwealth,” says Andre Banks of All Out.
“Many of the laws that persecute gays and lesbians are a direct result of old colonial-era laws inherited from England. In places like Cameroon, Nigeria, Uganda, and 36 Commonwealth nations, gay, lesbian, bi, and trans people aren’t fighting for marriage, they are fighting for their lives.”
In Cameroon, the punishment for being gay or lesbian, or even looking gay or lesbian, can be up to 10 years. Often the accused are jailed without even facing trial.
In Uganda, gays and lesbians are continually under the threat of a bill that would punish gays and lesbians with the death penalty.
In Nigeria, not only is it a crime to be gay or lesbian, but anyone who attends a marriage ceremony between two men or two women could face up to 10 years in prison if they do not turn the couple in. Religious leaders who perform these ceremonies are also under threat of arrest.
Gay Jamaicans are threatened by a law that punishes same gender relationships. Homophobic and transphobic attacks make it incredibly difficult for any LGBT people to live in Jamaica.
These are real human rights crises happening now, and a real leader should be speaking out and standing up to address these wrongs.
Author: Matt Akersten
Publication: same same
Publication Date: 18 July 2013