UK: News giant Reuters announces support for same-sex marriage bill
International news and media giant Thomson Reuters, which runs the Reuters news agency, is throwing its weight behind the same-sex marriage bill for England and Wales.
After that stage, it will then continue its passage on to the House of Lords.
Other large-scale media companies that have announced their support for marriage equality in the past year include, The Times newspaper (a subsidiary of News International), the London Evening Standard, the Guardian and the Independent.
In a statement on its blog, US-based Thomson Reuters, which was created by the Thomson Corporation’s purchase of the Reuters Group in 2008, said:
Thomson Reuters applauds the latest passage of the bill and encourages its completion through the legislative process. By voicing our endorsement of the UK’s Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, we continue to demonstrate our active support for equal opportunities for all our staff and all government legislation that promotes equality.
Many leading companies – many of whom are our global clients – take active positions in supporting marriage equality. We are pleased to join them. Supporting this legislation is consistent with our diversity and inclusion policies and agenda, and positions us well in the eyes of our people – current and prospective – as well as the LGBT community.
Our support of the UK Marriage Bill is the latest example of our commitment to marriage equality. In the US, our participation in the US Business Coalition for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) Repeal put into action our company’s stance on diversity, equality and fairness. This recent partnership deepened our commitment in the US, which began with our public stance on the Minnesota Marriage Amendment in 2012.
Herndon Graddick, president of America’s gay rights group GLAAD said: “The AP needs to quit obfuscating and delaying and must fix its style guidance now so that reporters describe people in same-sex marriages accurately”.
