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News release - Quaker comment on Equality Act

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News Release
14 February 

Quakers in Britain welcomed section 202 of the Equality Act 2010 which will mean civil partnerships can be celebrated on some religious premises, if a faith group wishes.

Anticipating further progress this week on the Equality Act, Michael Hutchinson, Acting Recording Clerk for Quakers in Britain said: “We look forward to examining the proposals to give effect to the provision of the Equality Act.

“We are delighted that the government has heard us and others. To us this is about including all of our religious community in being able to publicly express their deep commitment. Commitment is mutual – it is the couple to each other and the couple to the community and the community to the couple. Being able to demonstrate this where we are all present in worship strengthens us all and validates them and us. We ourselves see no distinction between heterosexual or homosexual in terms of commitment and wish to move further to allow legal marriage for same sex couples, but this is a welcome step along the way to full equality.”

Ends
Notes to editor:

  • At their Yearly Meeting in York in 2009, Quakers sought a change in the law so that same sex marriages can be prepared, celebrated, witnessed, reported to the state, and recognised as legally valid, without further process, in the same way as opposite sex marriages are celebrated in Quaker meetings.  Quakers consider that they should be able to follow the insights of their membership in celebrating life-long committed relationships between a man and a man, or a woman and a woman, in exactly the same way as they currently recognise the marriage of opposite sex couples. 
  • Approximately 23,000 people attend Quaker Meetings for Worship in Great Britain, and there are more than 475 Meetings.
  • Quakers are known formally as the Religious Society of Friends.

Anne van Staveren
Quaker Media Relations Officer
Friends House 173 Euston Road
London NW1 2BJ
020 7663 1048 or 07958 009703
annev@quaker.org.uk
www.quaker.org.uk