Marie Osmond comes out in support of equal marriage

Marie Osmond, a member of the show business family The Osmonds has said that she supports equal marriage, and cited her daughter as one of the reasons she was in support.

Speaking in an interview with ABC Wold News with Diane Sawyer, Osmond referred to her openly gay daughter Jessica as a reason for her position.

She said: “The God that I believe in is a god of love, not fear,” 

She continued: “I believe in [my daughter’s] civil rights, as a mother. I think that my daughter deserves everything that she desires in life.

“She’s a good girl. She’s a wonderful child. I don’t think God made one colour flower. I think He made many.”

Marie Osmond comes from a Mormon background, and has in the past donated to conservative politicians opposing equal marriage.

The issue of support for equal marriage has been particularly topical in recent weeks as the US Supreme Court took up two cases around equal marriage bans.

The Supreme Court Justices on Wednesday indicated a possible interest in striking down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), as it heard arguments around the issue.

This was the second day of hearings, as Tuesday the court heard arguments around Proposition 8, the state of California’s ban on equal marriage. Then the justices questioned the meaning of marriage, and challenged arguments for the ban. 

A decision by the Supreme Court in both cases is expected by the end of June.

In 2010 the singer hit at out suggestions that her son killed himself because he was gay.

Late in 2012, leaders of the Mormon Church launched a new website which, despite saying the church was still opposed to same-sex marriage, encouraged churchgoers to be more compassionate in discussions over homosexuality.