In the recent hoo-ha over what was possibly the first gay celebrity divorce in the world — Little Britain star Matt Lucas split from his long-term partner Kevin McGee, a TV producer. They were in a civil union for 18 months after living together for four years.

This is not the first gay “divorce” to emerge several years after civil partnerships were allowed in various countries.

One landmark case that happened just last February was a Canadian lesbian couple got their civil union dissolved by in New York although the state does not allow gay couples to wed officially.

But a Spanish couple beat them to their divorce in 2006, fairly soon after Spain was one of four nations that allowed same-sex civil unions. An even earlier break up between a married gay couple was in Boston in 2004.

Perhaps our world would be very much like what soon-to-be-bride lesbian talk show host Ellen DeGeneres said, “I can’t wait to be married. I feel like it is long overdue,” she said. “And I think someday people will look back on this like women not having the right to vote and segregation and anything else that seems ridiculous like we all don’t have the same rights.”

Perhaps gay divorces wouldn’t hit headlines in such a big way in time to come, too, as it will be part of our social fabric.

Related posts:

1. First gay divorce in New York
2. Should you change your name after a divorce?
3. After gay marriage, divorce is even tougher

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