Vibeke Nissen, a psychologist, and Inge-Lise Paulsen,
a travel books editor, relax with their cat in a light-filled house
that inspired them to get registered as legal partners.
"We married because of our banker, who said it would be better for us if we wanted to buy a house," she said as the afternoon sun warmed her and her cat on a drizzly Denmark day.
About 3,000 gays and lesbians have registered under the Danish law as of Jan. 1, 1996, with reasons ranging from the romantic to the practical.
For Paulsen, a travel books editor, and Nissen, a psychologist, registration assured inheritance rights.
"If one of us dies, all would be lost if we weren't registered," Nissen said, adding that she doesn't like the concept of marriage but wants homosexuals to have equal rights.
Nissen, 49, said love and marriage don't go together. She said commitment to a person is an individual decision that doesn't need society's stamp.
Paulsen, 50, agreed, saying the push for partnership was about money and security. She also joked about its title, saying: "It sounds as if we registered to vote."
Both women are lesbian activists who backed the law to achieve the higher goal of equality for homosexuals.
Inge-Lise Paulsen says her support for Denmark's gay partnership
law in 1989 was "about identity. It's about pride in who you are."
Both also work on lesbian literary magazines as well as munch on traditional Danish gingersnaps and brainstorm about their summer garden.
Nissen said Danes believe they are God's chosen people and seek harmony.
At the same time, in a country with little immigration, they don't know how to handle actual change.
"We can't stand it if we're different and can't accept it if we're the same," she said.
Yesterday
Push for equality: The impact of registered partnerships for same-sex couples in Denmark, the first country to legalize such unions.
Today
Related stories in today’s [Business] section online
Tomorrow
Archive of previous same-sex stories