Scotland leads the way in same-sex marriage reform

The Scottish government is set for a row with church leaders by pressing ahead with new powers to legalise same-sex marriage in churches and civil ceremonies.

A draft bill is expected to come into force next year which will allow gay and lesbian couples to have the same legal rights as others, though it will have protections and “conscience clauses” for those clergy who object on religious grounds. The move means that Scotland will go further than England and Wales which are expected to support the right for same-sex marriages to take place in registry offices in a civil ceremony only.

The First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said there was a strong majority in the country in favour of legalising same-sex marriage, though there was opposition notably from the Roman Catholic church in Scotland which, along with Muslim organisations and other churches, organised a postcard and internet campaign against the proposals.

The move has been welcomed by gay and lesbian groups in Scotland, among them Tom French, from the Equality Network umbrella group, who said that it was a proud day for Scotland and it was right that the country was behind the plans while, at the same time allowing religious leaders to “opt out” if they wished to do so.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/jul/25/scotland-legalise-same-sex...