A heterosexual couple have won the right to enter a civil partnership after the UK Supreme Court ruled in their favour. The couple sued the State as legislation allows only same-sex couples engage in civil partnership. They claimed the government’s position was “incompatible with equality law” and the Supreme Court in London has now ruled they are being discriminated against. Their lawyer had told the Court they have “deep-rooted and genuine ideological objections to marriage” and were “not alone” in their views. Barrister Karon Monaghan QC said matrimony was “historically heteronormative and patriarchal” and the couple’s objections were “not frivolous”.

Since marriage was redefined in the UK, same-sex couples can choose whether to enter a civil partnership or to marry. But this has not been possible for opposite sex couples which led Ms Steinfeld and Mr Keidan to claim the law was discriminatory. They, and all other such couples, may now legally enter into a civil partnership instead of marriage.