Bermuda reverses legalisation of same-sex marriage in world first

Governor John Rankin has signed into law a bill which reverses the legalisation of same-sex marriage by Bermuda’s Supreme Court last year.

The bill provides for same-sex civil partnerships instead of marriages.

The legislative move follows a non-binding referendum in 2016 in which 69 per cent of voters in Bermuda said they opposed the legalisation of same-sex marriage, albeit on a low turnout of just 47 per cent.

The same referendum saw 63 per cent of voters reject the legalisation of same-sex civil unions on the same turnout.

Home Affairs Minister Walton Brown said: “The act is intended to strike a fair balance between two currently irreconcilable groups in Bermuda, by restating that marriage must be between a male and a female while at the same time recognising and protecting the rights of same-sex couple.”

However, Ty Cobb, director of Human Rights Campaign Global, said: “Governor Rankin and the Bermuda parliament have shamefully made Bermuda the first national territory in the world to repeal marriage equality.”