Support for equal marriage in Scotland has never been higher, according to research published on the day when the Marriage and Civil Partnership Act comes into force.
According to ScotCen Social Research, 68% of people in Scotland now agree that gay or lesbian couples should have the right to marry if they want to, compared to 61% in 2010 and 41% in 2002.
There has also been an increase in the strength of this support, with those saying they agree ‘strongly’ that gay couples should be allowed to marry increasing by 14% over the past four years, while only 7% ‘strongly disagree’ in 2014.
The legislation, which was approved by Holyrood last February by the third strongest majority for any same-sex marriage legislation in the world, allows couples in civil partnership to marry from today, and those not already in a civil partnership to do so from 31st December.
The ScotCen research also found that those who attend a place of worship once a week or more are the most likely to oppose same sex marriage, with only 31% agreeing with the proposition in 2014, compared to a slightly higher 33% in 2010.
Amongst the over-65s, a group previously more likely to oppose equal marriage, there was a 15 point increase to 44% in 2014, compared to under a third in 2010. But this remains the only age group in which less than half support same-sex marriage.
Colin MacFarlane, director of Stonewall Scotland, told the Guardian that the results proved that acceptance of equal marriage had taken hold in Scotland.
What we see is this rapid change taking support to an all-time high. People accept it, they understand it and they want to see their lesbian, gay and transgender friends being treated in the way that everybody else is.
Also from today, married transgender people will no longer have to divorce before they are allowed to have the gender they live as recognised in law.
Other findings include:
- in 2002 29% of Scots opposed same-sex marriage with 12% strongly disagreeing; compared with 17% being opposed and 7% strongly disagreeing in 2014
- 72% of women and 63% of men said they believe in the right of same-sex couples to marry in 2014. Men have been consistently less supportive of equal marriage than women since 2002
- in 2014, 83% of 18-24 year olds were in favour while less than half (44%) of the 65+ age group were
- graduates and those with Highers or A-levels have consistently been more likely to support gay marriage than those with Standard grades / GCSEs or no qualifications, with almost half (49%) doing so in 2002 rising to 72% in 2014
The first couple to convert their civil partnership to marriage in Scotland will be Scott and David Barclay from Glasgow, at the city council’s registration office on Tuesday morning.
