Researchers at Leeds and York universities have concluded 182 venues have registered to hold same-sex weddings, while approximately half of those have actually hosted one.
They reported: “Over half of the places of worship that have solemnized a same-sex marriage have done so on only one occasion.
“Nineteen places of worship report that they have solemnized one same-sex marriage, eight report that they have solemnized two same-sex marriages, and four report that they have solemnized three same-sex marriages.
“Only five places of worship have solemnized four or more same-sex marriages, with the highest number of same-sex marriages solemnized in any place of worship reported as 10.”
The academics said the number remains “very small”, compared to the 40,000 places of worships currently prohibited from holding same-sex weddings.
Baptists, Lutherans, Unitarians, the United Reformed Church, and other designated religions – included Buddhists – were included in the study.
The academics conclude that same-sex couples wanting to marry in a religious setting face a “significant disadvantage”, compared to heterosexual couples.
Study co-author, Dr Silvia Falcetta, from York’s Department of Sociology, said: “This report shows that same-sex couples are at a significant disadvantage to different-sex couples, because same-sex couples are more likely to live in an area where there is no scope to be married in a place of…
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