Scottish Parliament rejects campaign urging ‘adultery’ definition to include gay couples
A petition which urged politicians to redefine adultery to take into account same-sex marriage has been rejected by Members of the Scottish parliament (MSPs).
The petition was submitted by Akri Jones to the Public Petitions Committee in Holyrood, and was intended to make the process of divorce the same for gay and straight couples alike.
Jones argued that the current definition of adultery as “sexual intercourse between persons of the opposite sex out with marriage”, would not apply to a same-sex couple.
Rather than extending adultery to include same-sex couples, however, former justice secretary Kenny MacAskill said the term had “passed its time”, and should be abolished, reports the Herald.
He continued to say that jones had “made her point”, but that the current parliament had no time to make the change.
Jones may resubmit her petition, which called to “amend the current definition of adultery within legislation so that is not restrictive to gender status”, after one year.
The Scottish Government said it had no intention to change the definition of adultery.
