Bi Do!
Act Now!
The House of Commons will debate same-sex marriage on Tuesday 5th February. If you have not done so already, now is the time for writing to MPs and members of the House of Lords urging them to support the change. Even if you have written before, write again: opponents of same-sex marriage are deluging MPs with letters opposing the measure.
- The bill as published is a significant step forward for equality.
- It could be better
- However we won’t get another chance at this change to the law in the next few years if this fails
- Find your MP on WriteToThem
- Write in your own words asking them to vote for equal marriage
It is likely that in the next few days amendments will be put forward to alter the bill. Watch this space!
The most likely positive improvement would be to change the bill so that civil partnerships are opened up to mixed-sex couples as well: we think this one is so likely to come forward that it would be worth asking your MP to support such a change if it is proposed.
The Coalition For Equal Marriage website is keeping tally of MPs and their stances on the proposals. You may want to check their list and pass on the outcome of your correspondence with your MP.
Background
The UK government ran a public consultation in 2012 on changing the laws on marriage in England and Wales, to take gender out of the equation and make marriage open to any couple. This has now closed and the official response published. The Scottish Parliament is doing something very similar – it’s a devolved matter and legislation there is moving more or less in parallel with that for England and Wales.
Our reader’s survey last year showed more than 80% support for this change.
Coalition
We were proud to be one of the first organisations to declare support for a new grassroots same-sex marriage campaign.
The pro- same-sex marriage campaign group Coalition For Equal Marriage has unveiled a broad coalition of members and supporters. BCN was one of the first eight coalition members to be announced, with Humanist & Secularist groups, LGBT organisations, political organisations and now also other LGBT magazines signing up since.
March 15, 2012
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