A Time of Inclusion: Making Funeral Plans for Your Same-Sex Partner

A funeral should come from a place of respect and compassion, offering the bereaved a chance to say goodbye, mourn, and celebrate the life of their loved one. This respect and compassion shouldn't be in short supply simply because of the sexual orientation of your loved one. When arranging the funeral for your same-sex partner, do you need even need to take their sexuality into account?

An Important Acknowledgement

Naturally, the wishes of your partner should be fulfilled as much as is possible when it comes to their funeral. They might have left a number of requests for their funeral, and it can be up to you to honour them as best as you can. It's not as though the funeral for someone who was gay, lesbian, or bisexual needs to be any different to that of a heterosexual person, but it's important that your loved one's sexuality is acknowledged, and that their life with you is celebrated.

Funeral Service Providers

You're unlikely to encounter anything as excluding as businesses that refuse to provide goods and services to gay couples or individuals, but you want to ensure that you choose a funeral provider who will be accommodating. Online research can be hugely beneficial, and many funeral homes will make a point of listing an attitude of acceptance. If you're opting for a funeral celebrant to conduct the service, they might also be able to suggest an appropriate funeral home. You want to ensure the funeral provider will be happy to host a service that acknowledges your loved one's sexuality and your relationship to them. 

Religion

The funeral home will often offer a private funeral chapel, and then the nature of the service is up to you and other family members. If your partner wanted a religious service, you can make the necessary overtures, but sadly, the religious components of the service can be affected by the religion's official views on homosexuality. If a religious service is not possible for whatever reason, a compromise can be for a celebrant to simply acknowledge your loved one's faith during the service, with a chosen religious reading.

Though many LGBTQ might have felt discriminated against during their lifetime, their funeral needs to be a time for inclusion and a time to celebrate their life. With the appropriate planning and selection, this will certainly be the case. Reach out to funeral homes near you for more information.

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