Once it was the love that dared not speak its name. Now it's announced in The Times
By Stefanie Marsh

A GAY couple have made history by announcing their engagement in The Times today. John O'Connor and Mark Jones, from London, plan to take advantage of legislation expected to come into force in the autumn which allows gay and lesbian couples to form legally recognised unions.

After their civil union, Mr O'Connor and Dr Jones will have their partnership blessed at an Anglican church in West London, followed by a reception for 50 people at Dr Jones's club, the Athenaeum.

It is the first time that the announcement of a civil partnership between a same-sex couple has been printed in The Times's Forthcoming Marriages column in the paper's 220-year history.

The announcement reads: "A period of engagement is announced between Mr John Christopher O'Connor and Dr Mark Bryan Jones, both of Islington, London. Following the enactment of the 'Civil Partnership' legislation expected later this year, the couple will announce the time and location of both the civil union and subsequent church blessing ceremonies to interested parties."

Many of their relations will have been unaware that they intend to have their partnership officially recognised until today's announcement.

Dr Jones, 41, a psychiatrist, had a five-month internet courtship with Mr O'Connor, 33, before meeting him. He said yesterday that he hoped that issuing a public statement would encourage people, including his own and Mr O'Connor's parents, "seriously to consider the value of gay relationships".

When they met in 2002, Dr Jones was to marry a woman - and had announced that engagement in The Times. His middle-class, Catholic background had made it difficult for him fully to come to terms with his sexuality until then, he said. When he was in his early twenties, he broached it with his father, who he says refused to speak to him for a decade.

"I do not think a civil partnership is the same as marriage because marriage is, in a sense, about children," he said. "But there are parallels in terms of the equality and validity of our relationship. We have lived together for 17 months and John has loved me through the ups and downs of quite a serious illness."
full details from the times