Date: Mon, 16 May 1994 11:02:49 -0700 (PDT) From: Richard Isaac I am not on your lists, but thought this letter I received today from the Swedish Prime Minister's office might be of some interest, as it concerns Sweden's considering new and progressive legislation on the subject of your lists (i.e. gay/lesbian partnership/marriage and adoption/parenthood). It arrived in response to a brief note I sent just a few days ago, urging government support of g/l partnership legislation in the Riksdag (Parliament). To write the Swedish PM, use the address on the 'From:' line below. In solidarity, * Richard Isaac __*_*___ \* * / Seattle *\ * ***\**/** rmisaac \/ @eskimo.com ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: 16 May 1994 14:47:25 -0000 From: Carl Bildt Subject: Re: 94/217: Legal partnership Richard! On behalf of the Swedish Prime Minister, Mr Carl Bildt, I thank you for your mail. Mr Bildt appreciates your interest in Sweden and Swedish politics. The question regarding legal partnership has been analysed by the so called Partnership Committee. The committee has evaluated the present legislation concerning homosexual couples and presented a proposal for new legislation. The government will not introduce a bill on this matter. Instead, the parliament (the Riksdag) has to take a vote on the Partnership Committee's proposal. The committee's proposal takes stand from a ideological point of view: the principle of the same value of every man and woman. We accept the homosexual love as equivalent to the heterosexual. The love is an important force to personal as well as social development, and should therefor not be denied. The proposal means that two individuals of the same sex will get the opportunity to enter a partnership relation, by going through a registration procedure comparable with civil marriage. Partnership, as term, means that most of the important regulations - rights as well as obligations - that are valid for married couples will be valid also for partners. One exception from the regulations valid for married couples is the partners opportunity to parenthood, for example adoption of children. Also the regulations wich applicability is depending of the fact that the couple consists of a man and a women, for example some economical benefits to widows or married women. The proposal is however a big step towards better acceptance for homosexuals and homosexuality. We do not mean that it is a public duty to have attitudes about individuals selection of way of living together. The proposed legislations is a part of the work of making it easier for two individuals to live in accordance with their own points of view. This change is, after all, depending on the fact that the society wants to and can accept it. Our wish is to create a consciousness, acceptance and understanding for homosexuality and homosexual relations. The acual legislation proposal an important part in this process. Best regards, Niklas Claesson, Political Advisor to the Prime Minister of Sweden