equal marriage factsheet

7/29/2019 Equal Marriage Factsheet

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Equal marriage

and public opinion

FACT SHEET

Public support forequal marriage

Around two-thirds of

people in Scotland believe

that same-sex couples

should have the right toget married.

Scottish opinionat a glance

64%believe same-sex couples should have

the right to get married68%believe religious organisations shouldhave the right to conduct same-sex marriages

if they want to

71%believe that mixed-sex couples shouldhave the right to get a civil partnership

64%support

Source: Ipsos MORI (June 2012)


Where is supporthighest?

Support for same-sex

marriage in Scotland is

highest among:

70% of women supportsame-sex marriage

75% of under 55s supportsame-sex marriage

74% of households withchildren support same-sex

marriage

Opinionpolls

Opinion polls and

academic studies

have consistently

shown that a clear and

growing majority of the

public support equal

marriage in Scotland.

Year Month Poll For Against

2012 June Ipsos MORI 64% 26%2012 March Populus 66% 25%

2010 Scottish Social

Attitudes Survey61% 19%

2010 April Angus Reid 58% 19%


Attitudes Survey 53% 21%


Attitudes Survey41% 29%

26%oppose

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FACT SHEET


Equal marriage and public opinion

Support amongstpolitical parties

Support amongst LGBT people72% of Scottish LiberalDemocrat supporters back

same-sex marriage, 16%

oppose

67% of Scottish LabourParty supporters back


oppose

61% of SNP supportersback same-sex marriage,

28% oppose

44% of Scottish

Conservative & UnionistParty supporters back


oppose

Support for equal marriage is highest amongst LGBT

people. In 2009/10 the Equality Network conducted

the UKs largest survey of LGBT people on the issues

surrounding Family Law.

of LGBT people said that equal

marriage was a priority issue.

67% of those in the mostdeprived areas supportsame-sex marriage, 28%

oppose

63% of those in the leastdeprived areas support


oppose

No wealth divide

Support for same-sexmarriage is at a similar

level across social classes

in Scotland.

No urban vsrural divide

Support for same-sex

marriage is at a similar

level in urban and rural

areas of Scotland.

65% of urban dwellerssupport same-sex

marriage, 26% oppose.

62% of rural dwellerssupport same-sex

marriage, 25% oppose

5%2


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FACT SHEET Equal marriage and public opinion

Scottish Government consultation

The Scottish Government consultation on same-sex marriage (Autumn 2011) received 77,508

submissions.

65% of full responses from Scotland agreedthat same-sex couples should have the right to

get married, whilst 35% disagreed.

It should be noted that the purpose of a public

consultation is to identity key issues, viewsand evidence, not to provide a representative

sample of public opinion.

65%support

35%oppose

Source: Scottish Government (July 2012)

74 MSPs have publiclyannounced their support

for same-sex marriage.

44 MSPs have yet topublicly declare their

position.

62 MSPs have signedthe Equality Networks

Equal Marriage Pledge

committing themselves

to supporting the Equal

Marriage campaign.

All the party leadersat Holyrood havepledged their support for

same-sex marriage.

4/5 political partieshad a specifc pledge

on equal marriage in

their manifestos for the

2011 Scottish Parliament

elections.

Just 10 MSPs havesaid they are likely to

vote against same-sex

marriage.

Public consultations are, by nature, unrepresentative since those who respond are

self-selecting and results can be skewed by organised campaigns.

Support in Parliament

Support

Undecided

Oppose

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FACT SHEET Equal marriage and public opinion

Support amongst faithand belief groups

Equal marriage is actively supported by faith and belief

groups across Scotland, including the United Reformed

Church, the Unitarians, the Religious Society of Friends

(Quakers), the Humanist Society Scotland, Liberal

Judaism, Reform Judaism, the Iona Community, the

Metropolitan Community Church, the Pagan Federation

Scotland, and Ekklesia amongst others.

Support in society

A wide range of groups from across Scottish society support equal marriage:

Many people of faith

also support same-sex

marriage, even when their

religious organisation

does not:

54% of Catholics supportsame-sex marriage, 21%

oppose

50% of Presbyterianssupport same-sex

marriage, 25% oppose

Equality and humanrights groups includingthe Equality Network,

Amnesty International

Scotland, the Equality &

Human Rights Commission,

the Scottish Human Rights

Commission, the Scottish

Transgender Alliance, LGBT

Youth Scotland, Stonewall

Scotland, a:gender, the Gay

Police Association, and the

Coalition for Racial Equality

and Rights.

Youth and studentgroups including NUSScotland, the Scottish

Youth Parliament, the

LGBT National Youth

Council, students

associations across

the country, Barnardos

Scotland and all the youth

and student wings of the

political parties represented

at Holyrood.

Trade Unions includingthe STUC, UNISON

Scotland, Unite, PCS, GMB

Scotland, ASLEF, and RMT

Scotland.

Source: Scottish Social Attitudes Survey (2010)

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