Latest fromMarriage equality

'Bride' and 'groom' will stay on forms
Government officials have backed off plans to delete the terms "bride" and "bridegroom" from marriage certificates if Parliament votes tomorrow to legalise gay marriage.

Does equality require same sex marriage?
Does equality require same sex marriage? Vote and have your say. Gay unions are inherently different, writes one contributor, while another argues that all love deserves respect.

No room at the gallery
Supporters of a bill to legalise same-sex marriage may be turned away from Parliament for its historic final stage.

Gender-neutral terms possible for marriage forms
The words "bride" and "bridegroom" could disappear from official marriage forms if Parliament votes, as expected, on Wednesday to legalise same-sex marriages.

Uruguay's Senate approves legalising gay marriage
Uruguay's Senate has voted to legalise gay marriage by approving a single law governing matrimony for heterosexuals and homosexuals.

Matt McCarten: Gay couples have rights, too
Why do religious people feel they have the right to tell other people how to live their lives, asks Matt McCarten.

Groups divided on marriage bill
Two groups, split down the middle by barriers and police, sang and prayed late into the night as Parliament resumed its fierce debate on legalising same-sex marriage.

Louisa Wall: The facts on my marriage bill
Following the second reading of my marriage bill last week, there has been a concentrated move from those opposed to my bill to argue that it will "enable gay adoption.

Happy to be granny with attitude
Screen siren Ellen Barkin was so passionate about the storyline of The New Normal she took time away from big Hollywood movies to appear as a regular in the US television sitcom.

Mao ad 'could offend thousands'
A banned advert depicting Chairman Mao performing the Gangnam Style dance could insult 120,000 Chinese immigrants living in Auckland, a local community leader says.

Chairman Mao Gangnam Style ad banned from bus stops
An advert depicting Chairman Mao performing the Gangnam Style dance has been banned from Auckland bus stops for fear it will insult Chinese residents.

Little-known MP who electrified gay debate
Chris Auchinvole's speech on gay marriage was widely hailed as one of the best given by a politician in the debate this week on the legislation.

Toby Manhire: Let marriage loose from the law
A genuinely secular state has no place in the finery and stresses of the weird and often wonderful ritual of a wedding, writes Toby Manhire.

Gay bill: Another step forward for love
Same-sex marriage campaigners say the overwhelming support for the bill is a ringing endorsement which shows MPs are in line with the views of ordinary Kiwis.

Live blog: Marriage equality
Join us as we follow tonight's online debate on Louisa Wall's marriage equality bill.

Quiz: Are you homophobic?
In a bid to combat homophobia, a new ad campaign has been launched in Quebec asking readers "How open are you?"

Special report: Gay marriage bill
After months of emotional submissions and some bitter protest, a bill to legalise same-sex marriage appears likely to pass another hurdle.

Anti-gay marriage leaflets distributed in Auckland
Opponents of same-sex marriage are being slammed for distributing leaflets saying legalising the move will result in more incidences of AIDS and syphilis, and see the end of titles such as "husband and wife".

Churches urge MPs to protect opponents of gay marriage
Church leaders are making a last-minute appeal to MPs to protect teachers who believe marriage should only be between opposite sexes even if Louisa Wall's gay marriage bill is passed tomorrow.

Norman Elliott: Consider children's rights too
The government administration select committee report to Parliament recommends the passing of the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill with certain amendments.

Wall: Gay marriage bill will allow choice
A bill to legalise same-sex marriage would not force celebrants to marry gay couples if they didn't want to, its sponsor says.

Topp hits back over gay union
Entertainer Lynda Topp has married her partner Donna Luxton at their home in Staveley, in the foothills of the Southern Alps.

Stop the shouting and let love decide
The challenge for those in this discussion is to acknowledge and respect the values of others and to be courageous and generous in love, writes Russell Hoban.

Sam Clements: Churches have no right to dictate what happens in a secular society
Religion has always sought to manipulate and dictate the manner in which individuals live their lives, writes Sam Clements. The Marriage Equality Bill threatens many in the church.

Douglas Pratt: Better to celebrate our differences
There is a lot of hype surrounding the push for gay marriage in NZ, writes Douglas Pratt. Expectations of a momentous change are high.