Just six months after legalising same-sex marriage, Bermuda has moved to abolish it.
A bill to introduce domestic partnerships was approved without amendment this weekend, and replaces same-sex marriage with the partnerships.
It was approved with 24 votes for and 10 against in the Bermuda House.
The Domestic Partnership Act 2017 will replace same-sex marriage with domestic partnerships.
The bill will not roll back same-sex marriages that have already taken place since same-sex marriage became legal six months ago following a Supreme Court ruling.
It will also affect cruise ships which had begun offering same-sex wedding ceremonies on board since the ruling.
A cruise liner in August began offering legal same-sex weddings at sea following the May ruling.
Progressive Labour Party (PLP) backbencher Lawrence Scott said the bill gives “the LGBTQ community the benefits it has been asking for”, but maintains “the traditional definition of marriage”.
Adding: “As it stands now, they can have the name marriage but without the benefits. But after this Bill passes, they have the benefits and just not the name marriage. The benefits are what they really want.”
Shadow home affairs minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin spoke against the bill, however; saying a group should not be given rights just to have them removed again.
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