The Equal Marriage Pledge

Labour Party MSP for the Lothians region.

"Equality by its nature is only achieved when all things are equal. The Labour party introduced Civil Partnerships and I'm thrilled to see roughly 30,000 couples benefit from the law recognising their love and commitment. However, the campaign for full LGBT equality goes on and that requires a change to the law which allows same sex couples to marry and mixed couples to enter into civil partnership.

That's why I fully support the Equal Marriage Campaign and encourage all those with a commitment to equality and social justice to do the same."

Green Party MSP for the Lothians Region

"The world is moving on. Even my Church has come to a view that Christians should be allowed to make lasting vows, whatever their sexual orientation,within the church. I hope that this will be yet one more inexcusable inequality that will end up in the dustbin of history"

SNP MSP for the West of Scotland

I am privileged to have a very happy marriage. I want every human being to have the same opportunity. That people should be denied a basic right because of something as fundamental to their identity as sexual orientation is a view I cannot begin to comprehend. Extending the definition of marriage to encompass same-sex partnerships does not, in my opinion, in any way detract from the special nature of that bond and commitment.

SNP MSP for Lothians Region

Civil partnerships were a positive step forward, but while there is continued division of the law into separate systems for same-sex and mixed-sex couples inequality remains enshrined within the system. Equality is one of the founding principles of Scotland's new parliament and I would like to see Scotland lead the way on this issue.

Green MSP for Glasgow

Liberal Democrat MSP for Edinburgh West

"As someone who has taken advantage of the Civil Partnership legislation, I know what an incredible difference it has made. As a result, 30,000 gay couples have benefited from the same financial and legal rights as mixed sex married couples enjoy. But while there are two different ways to access those rights there isn't true equality. While gay people of faith are denied the change to marry in church, there isn't true equality. I support the Equal Marriage Campaign as I never understand why others see a gay couple's wish to be married as anything other than a validation of the importance of marriage and commitment for couples, for families and for society."

SNP MSP for Central Scotland

"To me it's very straightforward - the laws of the land should be applied with fairness, and this inequality is just not acceptable"

Labour Party MSP for the Mid Scotland and Fife region

Labour Party MEP for Scotland.

"I fully support the Equal Marriage Campaign. It is vital that the state recognises the value of love and relationships. A change in the law would send out a clear message that Scotland is committed to tackling bigotry towards gay, lesbian and transgender couples. To oppose same-sex marriage and mixed-sex civil partnerships is nothing more than prejudice."

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party MEP for Scotland.

"Scotland must be a nation free of discrimination and prejudice and that means the law must recognise same-sex marriages in exactly yhe same way as it recognises mixed-sex marriages"

"Lesbians, gay men and bisexuals are still treated as second-class citizens because of their sexual preferences and orientation. The Socialist Labour Party is committed to abolition of all laws, which discriminate against lesbians, gay men and bisexuals.

Homosexual partnerships should be recognised, including legally on a par with heterosexual ones. When it comes to any aspect of criminal law, homosexual behaviour should be treated exactly the same way as heterosexuality."

The Green Party in Scotland

A national organisation working for LGBT rights and equality in Scotland.

"Having separate institutions of marriage and civil partnership reserved to mixed-sex and same-sex couples is segregation and discrimination. Equality means providing the same choices to all couples regardless of their gender, and the Equality Network strongly supports equal access to both marriage and civil partnership."

A national organisation working to improve transgender inclusion, equality and rights in Scotland.

An international membership-based umbrella organisation that aims to empower its Members in better representation of LGBTQ youth and student issues.

"Marriage equality has been achieved elsewhere in Europe and is an important step towards liberation for all. When two LGBTQ people make a lasting commitment to each other, they deserve for its legitimacy to be recognised. Separate but equal partnership systems do not promote equality: they do exactly the opposite. IGLYO strongly supports Scotland's Equal Marriage campaign."

An Amnesty International affiliated society at the University of Edinburgh campaigning for Human Rights.

"Amnesty International fights to uphold human rights all over the world. We support the Equal Marriage campaign because gay rights are human rights - everyone has the right to love who they want to."

The UK section of the respected International human rights organisation.

"The first line of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that 'recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world'. Love is a human right and it is high time we saw an end to discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation."

The student Liberal Democrat society at the University of Edinburgh

"The success of civil partnerships demonstrates that there is no issue with same-sex couples having family law rights. There should be no reason then to stop short of full marriage rights under the law. Nobody is suggesting that any group be forced to marry people, but the prohibition of same-sex marriages certainly discriminates against those religions who would like to perform them. Furthermore, there is no such thing as 'separate but equal'. This campaign calls for the opening of marriage registration to same-sex couples and the opening of civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples, ending an inherent discrimination in the current family law arrangement, an aim we fully support."

The Green Party society at the University of Edinburgh

"Such clear separation is discrimination. For years campaigners have called for complete equality and it's time these calls are recognised. If the government wishes Scottish society to progress in a liberated, forward-thinking manner, these barriers between members of our society must be broken down. The Equal Marriage campaign gets to the heart of this issue and we, the Edinburgh Young Greens, put our full support behind it."

The youth wing of the Scottish Green Party

The LGBT organisation for the Liberal Democrat Party

Civil Partnerships, pioneered in Parliament by the Lib Dem Lord Lester, represent a great step forward given where we were ten or twenty years ago. But the law as it stands implies that lesbian or gay partners, and bisexuals in same-sex partnerships, need to be treated separately - as if their love and relationships are somehow different. Love is love. It's time to move on.

A voluntary organisation providing help, information and support for parents and families of LGBT children across Scotland.

"We support equality for all. This means equal rights for all and not special rights for different groups."

A national organisation that seeks to promote the well-being of lesbian, gay and bisexual people, their families and friends.

"You've got to be strong to be different, but, when you've got love on your side, you've got the most valuable gift that there is."

A national charity providing support and information to people affected by gender identity issues.

A support group based in Glasgow for Transvestites, Transsexuals and Transgendered people.

The National Transgender Police Association are happy to support the equal marriage petition as we feel that Marriage and Civil partnership should be recognised as the same thing and not as a two tier system. Marriage and Civil Partnership is a commitment between two people regardless of gender that shows a love and trust, and the union of those two people is an affirmation of this. As transgender people, the process of achieving your chosen gender is difficult enough. May trans people however have the added burden of having to divorce there long standing partners who they are still with after re-assignment to achieve their goal. It is felt that the commitment that they have shown is weakened but such a silly procedure, and the Equal marriage campaign should see an end to this.

BiScotland is proud to support the campaign to lift the ban on same-sex marriage (and mixed-sex civil partnership) in Scotland.

BiScotland is a support and social network for people who are bisexual or questioning their sexuality, which also organises training and activist activities in support of bisexual visibility and pride.

The Inverness branch of the Metropolitan Community Church

"To deny people, created beautifully in the image of God, the right to declare God as being central to their relationship, can only be wrong. As Christians, we ask simply that the State should recognise our faith. It's simple!"

An international organisation working for the interests of LGBT Jews around the world.

"The World Congress of GLBT Jews is proud to stand with progressive voices in Scotland. Marriage Equality is a key civil right that should be available to all couples regardless of sexual orientation."

The humanist society at the University of Edinburgh.

"The opposition to this campaign will come in many forms, but a large proportion will be from religious groups claiming to be protecting family values and tradition. We should no longer tolerate such thinly-veiled prejudice and discrimination, whatever form it takes. These groups call themselves 'traditionalists'. We call them bigots."

The LGBT Campaign for the National Union of Students’ Scotland.

"The NUS Scotland LGBT Campaign fully supports the fight for equal marriage rights in Scotland. We would not accept a segregated system of partnership rights that discriminates on the basis of race, so why should we accept it on the basis of sexual orientation?

The message that this ‘separate but equal’ system sends out - intentionally or not - is that same-sex couples are different, and by implication, inferior to mixed-sex couples. It reinforces homophobic prejudice in society and does not represent equality under the law."

An organisation that runs the annual national pride event for LGBT students in the UK.

"National Student Pride supports the Equal Marriage Campaign's fight to lift the ban on same-sex marriage and mixed-sex civil partnership in Scotland. Same-sex and mixed-sex couples should be equal under the law, but the current segregated system of partnership recognition treats same-sex couples as though they were inferior. It's about time the Scottish Government followed countries including Spain, South Africa, Canada and Norway in delivering equal marriage rights for all couples regardless of their sexual orientation."

The LGBT society at the University of Edinburgh

The LGBT society at the Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.

A charity dedicated to creating a world-leading student experience for students at the University of Edinburgh

The UK's National LGBT Youth Organisation

The Queer Youth Network believes the separate recognition of partnerships reinforces inequality and fully supports the Equal Marriage Campaign and its work to legalise same-sex marriage in Scotland and beyond. We would like to see a world where our love for each other is regarded just as valid as any other partnership, a world where Civil Partnerships are no longer second class and the institution of marriage is open to all regardless of gender identity or sexuality.

Edinburgh University's bisexual, lesbian, gay, trans and intersex society

"BLOGS is proud to support the Equal Marriage Campaign because we believe our members have the right to get married, whatever their sexuality. We do not believe seperate but equal is true equality. We also support the right of our members to get married wherever they want, particularly those with a religious ethos who wish to get married in a church."

The LGBT Society at Edinburgh Napier University

"Everyone has the right to choose what decisions in life are correct for them. Being unable to marry your same sex partner is stopping that decision in life being made. Edinburgh Napier LGBT Society GLOBE is proud to support the Equal Marriage Campaign for equality."

The LGBT Society at Heriot-watt University, Edinburgh

The LGBT group at the University West of Scotland

"Equality for all? Or just for the heterosexual among us? SAUWS LGBT society is supporting the equal marriage campaign because its time equality was a truth, not a rhetoric. The equal marriage campaign is an important step forward for the LGBT community if discrimination in life and work is to be eliminated. By supporting this campaign and by getting the law changed, we are one step closer to equality for all."

UK-based human rights activist.

"The homophobia of the ban on same-sex marriage is compounded by the heterophobia of the ban on opposite-sex civil partnerships. These twin discriminations reinforce and extend inequality.

Since the gay community has always demanded equal rights, why should we now settle for discrimination?

Imagine the outcry there would be if the government reserved marriage for white people and introduced a separate partnership register for black couples. It would rightly provoke accusations of racism and apartheid.

Marriage and civil partnerships are a form of sexual apartheid. They enforce separate laws for heterosexuals and homosexuals, perpetuating discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation."

Priest for St Mark's Rectory in the Diocese of Edinburgh

Litigants in same-sex marriage case Wilkingson v Kitzinger (2006).

"We welcome the launch of the Equal Marriage Campaign in Scotland. It is an important step towards equality. A segregated system of marriage for different-sex couples and civil partnerships for same-sex couples is not equality.

We hope that the Scottish Government will heed the call for equal rights to marriage and to civil partnership for ALL couples, irrespective of their sexual orientation. True equality demands no less."

Scottish Labour Candidate for the European Parliament

"I support the equal marriage campaign 100%. Marriage and Civil Partnership are two ways of celebrating and acknowleging comittment to a stable relatinship with one partner. Many same sex couples long to be married in the same way and with the same civil and religious recognition as heterosexual married couples. For them, Civil Partnership will always be second best. For other couples, both heterosexual and same sex, marriage is an institution which carries undesirable connotations, like posession, ownership, subjugation, and the obedience of one subordinate to a superior. That is why many same-sex couples believe that Civil Partnership is the best way of recognising their partnership. I have many heterosexual friends who have lived with partners for years, had children with them, and loved deeply and enduringly, but for whom marriage is a discredited institution.

I believe all couples should have the right to celebrate, solemnise, and legitimise their relationship in whatever way they choose, and that a civilised state would encourage them to do so.

If I am elected to the European Parliament, I will campaign for this right to apply throughout the countries of the EU."

Convenor of the Scottish Young Greens

Professor in History at the University of Aberdeen and Fellow (Royal Historical Society). Author of Born to be Gay: A History of Homosexuality (Tempus: Stroud, 2004) and Sex Crimes from Renaissance to Enlightenment (Tempus: Stroud, 2002).

"One of the greatest problems with the discussion of marriage and civil partnerships is the complex and entangled nature of the State and various religious bodies. This has led to enormous confusion over a simple civil contract between equal, adult, consenting citizens and religious ideas about 'appropriate' gender relations. Fundamentally, the State and society, more generally, must decide whether this is a justifiable place for state-supported 'discrimination' based on gender. Were this a question of race (e.g., black / white) or religion (Gentile / Jew), there would be no discussion at all. The question society must answer is how it can continue to discriminate in its understanding of a civil contract on the basis of gender when it would never consider doing so on the basis of race or religion."