British Naval Ship to Host First Gay Wedding
03.03.06

By Angela DтАЩAmboise

(London, UK) тАУ A battleship in the Royal Navy will host its first gay wedding later this week as a senior Navy officer is taking advantage of the United KingdomтАЩs recent legalization of civil unions by tying the knot with his longtime boyfriend.
Lieutenant Commander Jim Phillips will form a civil partnership with Marcus Rutter on Saturday aboard HMS Warrior, according to Reuters.

Phillips said he had never experienced homophobia during his work in the Royal Navy. According to Gay.com.UK, the Navy was at the center of a scandal last year when it allegedly barred an employee from entering the Mr. Gay UK contest.

Phillips told PortsmouthтАЩs The News newspaper that his sexuality had never interfered with his job as a weapons engineer officer.

тАЬI think most people are mature and educated enough for it not to be an issue,тАЭ he said. тАЬI'd say a significant proportion of my colleagues know IтАЩm gay but there have been no problems or prejudices at all. It's been work as usual.тАЭ

The civil partnership will mark the fifth anniversary of the couple, who met online.

Phillips is only the second employee of the Royal Navy to have a civil partnership, a spokesman confirmed.

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