One of the UK’s second queer married men has called for LGBT+ rights to be prioritized in the Government’s international policy, as legalized same-sex weddings mark their 10-year celebration on Friday.
Only after midnight on March 29, 2014, Peter McGraith, 59, married his partner David Cabreza at Islington Town Hall in London, where the law in England and Wales was signed into law.
The pair, who first met in 1997, then lived in north London with their two adopted children.
According to Mr. McGraith, discussions of LGBT+ issues in social settings must be as prominent as those involving other human rights movements.
Speaking to the PA media company, he said: “I think I definitely want to use this celebration very much to send a message to our officials.
“The UK has promoted women’s and girls’ rights through all its dealings, it’s baked into all sorts of work that we do in disaster relief, international treaties, bilateral and multilateral working.
“Those privileges are present, and LGBT freedom should be as well.”
Same-sex marriages have increased year-on-year since being legalized, with the estimated number of people in such marriages at 167,000 in 2022, up from 26,000 in 2015.
Of these, men accounted for around six in 10 (61.2%), while females accounted for around four in 10 (38.8%).
Mr. McGraith argued that the legalization was a significant development that needed to be put in perspective because other nations were also persecuting homosexuals and he had often felt part of a worldwide community.
He continued, “It just seemed to me that at that time in the spotlight would likely give to the person who married first the right to speak out about LGBT rights forever.”
“I don’t like the idea that these are people handing back their gay cards and saying, ‘I’m alright Jack,’ because in reality, we were saying, ‘Yes, we might have some cause for a party here, but I really don’t want to be seen doing this,’ I said, “and I wasn’t willing to be photographed clinking champagne glasses and looking privileged.”
Mr. Wale, 59, and Neil Allard, 58, wed at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton on March 29, 2014, and had put off having a civil partnership as they “didn’t really consider it to be full equality”.
The couple, who currently reside in Malaga, Spain, claim that their primary motivation for getting married was to have legal protections, such as securing the future of their family.
Mr. Wale said he wanted to make sure the marriage didn’t just turn into a romantic event because it “is more than that.”
He continued, “We were living in Brighton and we were very fortunate to be living there. As far as being gay was concerned, we were relatively safe. However, some of our friends were beaten up in the street in Brighton a few months before we were married because they were holding hands.
“So I hope equal marriage has helped change that situation.
Mr. Wale added: “Nothing is entirely solved, but I think things have improved considerably in 10 years.”
Jesse Sperling, the executive producer of LGBT+ rights charity Kaleidoscope Trust, said: “As we celebrate 10 years of same-sex relationships being legalized in England and Wales, we also acknowledge that there is still a long way to go in the global fight for equality.
“As an institution that works to promote LGBTI+ rights around the world, we see first-hand the important role that the UK government has played in advancing LGBTI+ rights globally. However, we agree that much more needs to be done to ensure that all foreign policy includes the protection of LGBTI+ people’s rights.
“We are calling for the next British government to implement the strategic priorities set forth in our policy declaration, including prioritizing addressing violence and discrimination against LGBTI+ people. The UK Special Envoy on LGBT+ Rights will receive 3% of all foreign support, focusing on advancing LGBTI+ rights and strengthening the role of the UK Special Envoy.”
