Equal Love

The Equal Love campaign aims to challenge the twin bans on gay marriages and heterosexual civil partnerships, with eight couples filing applications at register offices and then, when they are refused, bringing a joint legal action in the courts to secure a change in the law.

The campaign is being organised by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender human rights organisation OutRage!

Starting on Tuesday 2 November, eight couples will file applications at their local register offices. Four same-sex couples will apply for civil marriages and four heterosexual couples will apply for civil partnerships. Every week until 14 December, one couple will make an application. If the couples are turned away, as we expect they will be, we plan to take legal action. Denying them equal treatment is contrary to the Human Rights Act.

Our legal team will argue in the courts that the bans on gay marriages and heterosexual civil partnerships are an unlawful and unjustified discrimination. In a democracy, gay and straight couples should be equal before the law.

Both civil marriages and civil partnerships should be open to everyone without discrimination.

Whether or not you live in the UK, please consider taking a few moments to support the campaign. If you’re on Facebook, you can ‘like’ Equal Love’s official page and spread the word to your friends. For those of you on Twitter, you can follow Equal Love here.