Petition Supporting same sex marriage and religious freedom

That we the undersigned believe that the Government’s proposals for equal civil marriage strike the right balance between empowering loving same sex couples and also protecting religious freedoms and values. We believe that for same sex couples and non-religious opposite sex couples, the State should offer an equal civil marriage ceremony under the same piece of inclusive legislation. We believe that celebrating loving relationships and commitments in such a way can only benefit society as a whole.

Simultaneously, we agree that the beliefs of religious groups should be protected and that religious marriage should continue to be defined according to each religion and without interference from the State or the courts.

Thus, we strongly urge the Government to push ahead with the proposals outlined in the equal civil marriage consultation (published March 2012) which will empower same sex couples and protect religious freedom.