Straight couple battle for civil partnership in High Court

A straight couple who were refused the chance to enter into a civil partnership are taking their fight to the High Court.

Charles Keidan and Rebecca Steinfeld – who argue that marriage is still not equal under UK law – are set to begin their legal battle at the High Court tomorrow (December 23), after they were denied the right to enter a civil partnership earlier this year on the grounds that they are a heterosexual couple.

“Our objection to marriage is partly to do with its history, a union in which women were exploited for their domestic and sexual services. There are still sexist trappings to weddings: there’s only space for the father to sign on the registry form,” the couple told The Guardian.

“It’s almost about the social expectations of marriage: the father giving away his daughter to the groom, hen and stag events, the virginal white dresses. That’s not the type of relationship we want,” they added.

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