Today is a day for celebration and determined reflection, for both me and for Humanists UK: the anniversary of the day the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act received Royal Assent in 2013. This was the culmination of many years of campaigning and I can say, with immense pride, that Humanists UK played a central, indispensable role in bringing this about.
The long fight for equality
Our journey towards this victory stretches back many decades. The fight for LGBT+ equality and the recognition of diverse relationships has long been at the heart of the humanist movement in the UK. From the outset, the Gay Humanist Group – founded in the late 1970s and since evolved into LGBT Humanists – campaigned for legal same-sex marriages since its inception. Humanists UK worked for the same end in parallel. In 2001, we campaigned for same-sex couples to take part in the London Partnership Register – the policy which later inspired the Civil Partnerships Act and eventually the Same Sex Marriage Act, founded by LGBT Humanists’ then patron, the Mayor of London.
Even before legal recognition was a realistic prospect, humanists were pioneering ceremonies for same-sex couples decades before 2013. We provided affirmation ceremonies, offering meaningful ways for couples to publicly declare their love and commitment when the state refused to. This wasn’t just symbolic; it laid the vital groundwork, demonstrating the clear and growing public appetite for inclusive, non-religious ceremonies. It showed that love, in all its forms, deserved to be celebrated and recognised.
The final push
When the opportunity arose to push for same-sex marriage, Humanists UK was naturally at the forefront. We were a founding member of the Coalition for Equal Marriage, the powerful alliance that spearheaded the campaign for the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill. Our advocacy saw us specifically thanked, alongside Stonewall, in the final House of Lords debate on the Bill. It was a testament to years of dedicated work, and a profound affirmation of our values. In particular, we made the time to not just win the votes in Parliament but to win the debate in public. I spent a lot of time travelling across the country doing public debates in town and village halls and although I was shocked by some of the religious arguments against marriage, and the ferocity of their attack, I saw first hand many people changing their minds in a progressive direction.
The passage of the Act was an undeniable sign of progress – not just for same-sex couples, but for the very heart of British society. As I said at the time, it recognised the fundamental right of every human being to love and marry, irrespective of any other characteristics.
The fight continues
But this anniversary is bittersweet. While the Same-Sex Marriage Act boldly advanced equality in one area, it simultaneously contained a provision that has, for over a decade, remained unfulfilled: the power for the UK Government to legally recognise humanist marriages by Order.
That fact that this order-making power remains unused twelve years on from Royal Assent makes this an especially pertinent inequality for the LGBT community. As Peter McGraith, one of the first same-sex men to legally marry and a humanist himself, aptly put it, ‘there can be no excuse for delay.’ With two-thirds of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people identifying as non-religious, and with few religious groups offering same-sex marriages, humanist ceremonies offer a vital, inclusive, and deeply personal alternative.
Last year, to mark the 10-year anniversary of the first same-sex marriages in 2014, Humanists UK delivered hundreds of handwritten wedding invitations to the Justice Secretary, calling on him ‘to afford couples freedom of choice and legally recognise humanist marriages in England and Wales’. We were joined by Peter and David, the first same-sex couple in England and Wales to legally marry, just after midnight on 29 March 2014.
The Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act was a profound step forward, and I am immensely proud of the part Humanists UK played in its realisation. But as long as humanist couples are denied the legal recognition that is their right, the work of marriage equality remains incomplete. The power to rectify this injustice lies with the Government; it’s time they used it.
For more information
For a deeper dive into the history of humanist activism for LGBT+ rights, you can explore A History of Humanist LGBT Activism.
Notes
For further comment or information, media should contact Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson at press@humanists.uk or phone 0203 675 0959.
Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 150,000 members and supporters, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. We provide ceremonies, pastoral care, education, and support services benefitting over a million people every year and our campaigns advance humanist thinking on ethical issues, human rights, and equal treatment for all.