UK Parliament / Open data

Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill

My hon. Friend is right: we desperately need that protection.

Other questions are likely to arise, such as whether the expression of a view on the superiority of opposite-sex marriage to same-sex marriage will be regarded as resulting in detriment to a particular group of people—namely, those who are homosexual or who are raised in families in which the parents are in a same-sex marriage. The answer is quite possibly yes. There is therefore likely to be a chilling effect on freedom of speech in particular contexts. The case of Smith has already shown a marked move in that direction. He was, as the hon. Member for Gainsborough (Mr Leigh) said, deemed to have discriminated against same-sex couples after he wrote a comment on his Facebook wall. Surely hon. Members do not intend there to be such a chilling effect on freedom of speech.

One of the ways in which this can best be addressed is by putting the Secretary of State’s reassurances in the Bill.

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
563 c956 
Session
2013-14
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
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