US: Group of Illinois religious leaders offer to perform same-sex marriages
A list of religious clergy happy to perform same-sex marriages has been compiled by a gay rights group.
Ahead of the 1 June effective date of a change of law to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry, Equality Illinois posted a leaflet on its website.
The decision came after it became clear that there was nobody defending the former ban on same-sex marriage.
Several counties have been issuing marriage licences to same-sex couples since.
Equality Illinois’ list included Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious leaders all happy to officiate at same-sex ceremonies.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Equality Illinois CEO Bernard Cherkasov said: “Many couples who have waited — in some cases for decades — to have their love recognized by the state also want to have their marriage vows sanctified in a religious setting.”
Despite giving the option for religious leaders to perform same-sex ceremonies, the new law does not require them to.