Gay marriage in Scotland

[suzikettles]

Good news!

It's early days, but hurrah for common sense prevailing (so far).

Was about to start a thread with the same sentiment. Great news, and a brave step from the Scottish Goverment not to capitulate to the catholic church's well orchestrated campaign.

Delighted to hear this news, a modern, inclusive, forward thinking Scotland is exactly what we need.

There's going to be a mad pink rush North .... Big business for the Scots.

Probably a big boost for Gretna Green again Glad to hear they've made the announcement, it was expected a week or two back but they had to have another committee just to iron out a few final wrinkles.

Great news...following this discussion elsewhere and some people aren't happy but bugger them

A brave move.

However, apparently 64% (?) of the people they 'consulted' were against it, but they're doing it anyway. (I think I'm right about that). Either an extraordinary lack of regard for public opinion or they chose the wrong people to ask!

Still, a good decision from the SNP.

... But exclusing postcard and petition replies, 65% were in favour. So that's all right then.

I would imagine that approaching 100% of the people who it actually affects are in favour of it.

Solopower, there were two massive coordinated campaigns - one by the catholic church, and one by another consortium of religious groups called something like Scotland For Marriage. They galvanised supporters into responding via a postcard campaign and with template letters. It was the biggest ever response to a consultation due, in part, to this.

Really good news, and it will hopefully make the government pull their fingers out and introduce the same asap south of the border.

Thank you, AP. I realised that after I wrote the posts.

I am very glad the SNP are doing this, and they go up in my estimation. (I still don't think I can vote for them though).

The difficulty with any consultation is that people who are opposed to something are more likely to reply, and those who think "About time too" don't feel the need to say so. So the numbers replying to object really don't prove what the population in general think. In theory a referendum is better, but then people have to bother to go and vote, which again can be very one-sided when campaign groups have been mobilising their side to take action.

Ther'll probably still be a heap more opposition, as all that has been agreed so far is to put forward a bill to the parliament, so we'll be hearing a lot more whinging yet!

I can't stand Alex Salmond either but I fully support gay marriage.

How would it work if a gay couple from England got married in Scotkand but eventually their marriage broke down. Would the English court recognise their marriage? Just curious.

My understanding is that English law treats same-sex marriages from other countries as being the equivalent of civil partnerships, rather than the equivalent of marriage. But I don't think the legal position would be much different - civil partnerships were meant to give pretty much the same legal status as civil marriage anyway, though there may be subtle legal differences I don't know about.

A lot of the objections to the legislation were about perceptions that churches would be forced to marry gay couples.

As it is made crystal clear (imo) that this is not happening and was never intended to be the case and will not be the case in the future and that specific changes to existing legislation will be made to protect the religious freedoms of those who do not want to conduct gay marriages, I guess they felt it was reasonable to feel that the objections of many of the frothers had been dealt with.

As a poster above has alluded to, the only people that the legislation will actually affect are gay couples who want to be married. There has been a massive attempt by specific groups to suggest that it will lead to social anarchy and the breaking of the Seventh Seal etc. I think if people are objecting to something that will not happen then it's reasonable to disregard their objections.

Exactly. Anyone who objects to gay marriage neither has to have one nor perform one.

As someone who may like to take advantage of same sex marriage in the future, I am absolutely delighted at this step and if England doesn't pull its finger out when the time comes, I will be more than happy to take my pink pound north of the border to do the deed :) .

I am also delighted that there is not (yet) a negative post about it here. Thanks fellow MumsNetters :) It's really nice NOT to feel like my sexual orientation defines me, but my status as a mum is the most important thing here :)

Can someone tell me what the seventh seal is, I googled but it just comes up with some crappy looking film.

It's from the Book of Revelation: Seven Seals.

Tbh, I was really thinking more of the Four Horsemen so that probably should have read fourth seal or something, but you get the gist (gay marriage = blood raining from the heavens and the dead shall walk the earth or similar)

There is of course an old tradition of people heading north over the border to wed... will we soon have 'Gretna Pink'?

Just saw this on STV news, honestly such drivel.

About time too.

Re:the story linked to by Fannyfifer

I didn't know David Cairns MP, but worked with his partner Dermot a few years ago. A lovely man, and I'm so sorry for his loss of a partner of 15 years. How utterly offensive for an archbishop to claim - in an attempt to attack same sex marriage - that being gay and dead means he died of homosexuality. He died of pancreatitis, which was an unexpected complication of a severe gall bladder problem.

It is fucking disgusting the comments made in that interview. Myself and DP just sat looking at each other not quite believing what was being said
Sorry for link fail, I'm on my phone.