The British Humanist Association has expressed its dismay at the decision today by Mr. Justice Briggs that the Charity Commission must reconsider its policy of promoting equality for gay people by preventing religious adoption agencies from discriminating against them.
BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson said, ‘We entirely support the Charity Commission in seeking to secure rights for lesbian and gay people in accordance with what our national parliament has decided and what public opinion supports. It is immoral for adoption services to consider anything other than the needs and rights of children and placing them with the families that will provide the most loving, stable and appropriate environment for their development and wellbeing. To allow religious dogma and prejudices to interfere in the just provision of these services fails children, as well as lesbian, gay and bisexual people.
‘This is a bad judicial decision in obvious contradiction to government policy and the decision of Parliament. We hope that the government and parliament look to close any loophole that has allowed this judgement to happen.’
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For further comment or information, please contact Andrew Copson, 020 7079 3583.
The British Humanist Association was founded in 1896 and is the national charity promoting Humanism, campaigning for a secular state and an open society and representing and supporting non-religious people.