Carnival Applauds Bermuda’s Reversal of Same-Sex Marriage Ban
by Jessica Montevago
After becoming the only nation in the world to reverse legalized same-sex marriage in February, Bermuda overturned the ban this week, allowing same-sex couples to once again marry.
Bermuda’s Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a new law replacing same-sex marriage with domestic partnerships is unconstitutional. Chief Justice Ian Kawaley wrote that “Parliament could not validly reverse this Court’s decision that same-sex marriage was a right guaranteed by Bermudian law.” The Domestic Partnership Act was signed into law in February and banned same-sex marriage, which was first legalized by the Supreme Court in May 2017.
Carnival Corp. spoke out against the gay marriage ban, becoming engaged in efforts by OUTBermuda, the gay rights organization on the island. OUTBermuda was one of the plaintiffs in the case along with several Bermudians arguing for the right to marry their partners.
The law meant that Carnival Corp.’s 25 registered ships in Bermuda in its Cunard, Princess and P&O fleets were unable to perform same-sex marriages at sea, which it began in August of last year.
