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Gay marriage case registrar in legal battle
Neil Millard and Benedict Moore-Bridger22.06.09
A Christian registrar demoted to receptionist after refusing to marry gay couples in civil ceremonies was due to take her case to the House of Lords today.
Theresa Davies, 58, claimed she faces the sack after telling council bosses she would not take part in the proceedings due to her religious opposition to same-sex partnerships.
Her fight against Islington Council echoes that of her friend and colleague Lillian Ladele, 48, who won a similar case against the same council last July.
Ms Davies is now launching a grievance procedure against the council and has appealed to the House of Lords for help, complaining of a “militant political-sexual libertarian lobby” at the council.
Ms Davies, who has worked for the council for 18 years, said she was being forced out of the £26,000-a-year post because of her views. She insists she has “nothing against homosexuals”, but said her preference not to marry them should be respected by the council.
She claims to have been the victim of discrimination on the grounds of her religious beliefs. She felt under so much pressure to carry out the ceremonies after their introduction in 2005 that the following year she took four months off with stress, she said.
On her return she was told she would have to be demoted or dismissed. She accepted a receptionist position, where she remained for two years.
Ms Davies said: “Britain is supposed to be a nation that respects freedom of conscience.”
Reader views (16)
Her colleague Lillian Ladele might have won her original case, but her win was overturned on appeal.
In which case, I wouldn't give Ms Davies much hope of being any more successful in her daft campaign.
- Quentin, London
Her attitude is simple homophobic bigotry, and has nothing to do with her religion. If she were the devout Christian she claims to be, then she would belive that only God can join a man and a woman in holy matrimony, and would therefore find any form of civil marriage abhorrent. Yet this "devout Christian" has spent the last 18 years happily performing male-female civil ceremonies that are against the teachings of Christ.
- Mike, Singapore
What a mess this country has truely become.
- Russell, London
As people here point out, civil partnership has no basis in religion, it is simply a legal state of union. This woman is simply refusing to do her job. She should be sacked.
- Civil Partner, London
As a public servant I can not pick and choose who to serve, you treat everyone the same, you can not work in the public sector has have this attitude.
- Ian, London
This woman should hang her head in shame. I am gay and it makes me very sad to think that people think that they can behave like this to certain groups in society. Indeed, this type of prejudice makes me wish I was straight and could lead a "normal" life but I was born gay and know I can't change it however much I want to. It's just like being born with a different skin colour - nothing you can do about it.
She should really reflect on her prejudice and think how she would feel if a white person refused to marry her because she is black. Same difference - prejudice is prejudice, and prejudice is hurtful, unnecessary and ignorant.
- Paul, London, UK
A civil partnership is different from marriage. It is a civil and not a religious registration and therefore her so-called 'religious opposition' is simply pure bigotry. I fail to see why Islington Council Tax payers should have to pay for this woman to pick and chose who she serves. As a public employee, serve everyone or do the decent thing and get a different job.
- Seanwc1, London
If it is against her beliefs to perform the job then she should of looked for a new job. However saying this, their are many Muslims that refuse to do their jobs because of their religious beliefs and they win cases like this all the time in Britain. So insuring that the beliefs of Christians are as important of that of other mostly foriegn religions to our country, she should win the case.
- Dirk Diggler, Soho, London
She's not being persecuted for her beliefs. She's been demoted for not doing her job.
- Alex C, London
I really think Theresa Davies should consult her bible before she takes this any further... “Do not judge so that you will not be judged” (Matthew 7:1)
She is entitled to her views, like we are. But to gain money from this is disgusting... “The love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things.” (1 Tim. 6:10)
If she is not happy doing civil partnerships, then she sould leave. The same goes for all of us... When I take on a job, I am expected to cover all aspects. If I don't want to do the job, I would leave...
- Lee, London
My understanding from the case is that she took this job AFTER civil partnerships came into existence - so she knew what the job involved when she applied for the job.
She is perfectly entitled to her views but she is NOT allowed to discriminate on the grounds of colour, race or sexuality. That she has clearly breached the discrimination laws, which in many jobs would have lead to her dismissal, she is lucky she still has a job at all. I pity the people she has to work with if they are not heterosexual christians!
- Andy, london
She's not being asked to marry gay couples! It's a civil partnership - stripped of any religious connotations or reference to marriage. There is nothing here to conflict with religious beliefs at all, it's just the registrar's personal prejudices - which she should leave at the door when performing a role as a public servant - or do her beliefs extend jumping on the bandwagon to get a pay out from the taxpayer?
- Aidan Reid, london, uk
Willie Mack makes an excellent point. It is illegal to discriminate against race, gender sexuality and others. If she refused to marry white people her case would rightfully have been chucked out. She is just after a big pay off, I really really hope that Islington Council wins and I applaud them for taking her this far. I wish them luck in their fight against this homophobic cretin.
- Katie Price, Sussex (& Ibiza)
This lady is being persecuted for her beliefs as a Christian. If she were a muslim she would be accomodated, but Christians are seen as an easy target for persecution.
- Bob Hutton, Broadstairs, England (where freedon is dead).
I suppose according to her principles, Ms Davies would have no trouble with a White Supremacist declining to marry Black couples? As a public servant, she has an obligation to carry out public policy without favour or prejudice. The alternative is to resign.
- Willie Mack, Ottawa, Canada
Freedom of conscience is not the issue here. Ms Davies is free to have whatever opinion she likes, however she cannot use her personal views to elect to not carry out her job responsibilities. I wonder what her reaction would be if she went to a bank and the teller refused to serve her, because the teller does not approve of christians having money, or people of African origin residing in the UK.
- Nick, sydney, australia
