Sexual citizenship and the Civil Union Act 2004

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dc.contributor.authorSeuffert, Nanen_US
dc.date.accessioned2008-03-19T05:02:45Z
dc.date.available2007-09-06en_US
dc.date.available2008-03-19T05:02:45Z
dc.date.issued2006-07-01en_US
dc.description.abstractThis article analyses the parliamentary debates on the Civil Union Act 2004, which provides for legal recognition of same sex relationships, for stories of national identity. A close reading of the parliamentary debates on the Act suggests that although the supporters and opponents of the legislation seemed to be worlds apart, many told similar stories about New Zealand as a nation, and citizens within that nation, emphasising similar values and aspirations. Both sides told stories of citizens, of New Zealanders, as tolerant and fair, as forwarding looking progressives who value stable longterm, committed relationships, warm loving communities for children, and strong families and family relationships. Both sides generally saw marriage as a positive institution, a cornerstone of society and a building block for society and the nation. While some talked of existing alternatives to marriage, such as de facto relationships, and there was some recognition that not all marriages are good ones, with a few notable exceptions, there was little mention of critiques of marriage as an institution and little or no positive mention of relationships outside of the paradigm of longterm committed, monogamous relationships. Further, while there were arguments, reflecting a privatisation paradigm, that the Civil Union Act 2004 was not necessary since the rights and duties of same sex couples could be structured using the private law of contract and trusts (a claim that was debated), there was no suggestion that state recognition of marriage should be abolished, or that longterm heterosexual relationships should be structured through private law.en_US
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.citationSeuffert, N. (2006). Sexual citizenship and the Civil Union Act 2004. Victoria University of Wellington Law Review, 37(2), 281-306en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10289/555
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherVictoria University of Welingtonen_NZ
dc.relation.isPartOfVictoria University of Wellington Law Reviewen_NZ
dc.relation.urihttp://www.victoria.ac.nz/law/research/publications/vuwlr/prev-issuesen_US
dc.rightsThis article has been published in the journal: Victoria University of Wellington Law Review. (c) Copyright 2006 Nan Seuffert.en_US
dc.subjectNew Zealand
dc.subjectlaw
dc.subjectCivil Union Act 2004
dc.subjectsame sex relationships
dc.titleSexual citizenship and the Civil Union Act 2004en_US
dc.typeJournal Articleen_US
pubs.begin-page281en_NZ
pubs.editionJulyen_NZ
pubs.elements-id32179
pubs.end-page306en_NZ
pubs.issue2en_NZ
pubs.volume37en_NZ
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