NEWS
Scottish Isle Holds First Gay Partnership Ceremony
The Isle of Lewis held its first same-sex civil partnership ceremony today- 6 years after being legalized in Scotland.
Andrew Robertson, a BBC children’s presenter on the Gaelic channel Alba, and his partner Craig Atkins will be the first couple to have a same-sex civil partnership ceremony on the Scottish Isle of Lewis.
Performing the ceremony is registrar Euphemia “Effie” MacDonald, who has been told not to comment.
The Outer Hebrides islands of northern Scotland previously stirred controversy when councilors agreed to support registrars who refused to perform same-sex partnership ceremonies because of religious beliefs.
Referring to today’s ceremony, a spokesman for the church on the island of Lewis said it was “immoral and a sin” to force the staff to conduct same-sex ceremonies. The council on the western isle stressed though that it would carry out its legal obligation, and Robertson said that so far, “everything has gone smoothly.”