Christian registrar demoted for refusing to officiate civil partnerships

[Honey]

Theresa Davies, a registrar for Islington Council, has claimed she was forced out of her post as registrar because of her religious beliefs against civil partnerships.
Davies, who had worked for Islington Council for 18 years, said she had asked to opt out of performing civil partnerships in 2006.
While her request was being considered, Davies took four months off work due to stress. On her return she was told that she would either be demoted or dismissed.
Instead of leaving the council, Davies chose to take on the offered position of receptionist, which she described as “humiliating”.
Last July, she was put back on the general rota. However, in January this year she failed to turn up to a ceremony she was supposed to be overseeing. Consequently, she was told that unless she presided over civil partnerships she would be demoted from her position.
“I know of other councils that have allowed Christian registrars to carry on by ensuring that colleagues are given civil partnerships,” said Davies. “But I was told this was not Islington’s policy.”
With the help of the Christian Legal Centre, Miss Davies will launch a grievance procedure against the council, on the grounds that she was a victim of discrimination because of her religious beliefs.
Davies has also presented her case in a letter to the House of Lords, in an attempt to challenge what she describes as the “militant political-sexual libertarian lobby” at Islington Council.

Davies' friend and colleague, Lillian Ladele, launched a similar case against the council last summer. However, an Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled in December that Islington Council had acted lawfully in expecting all its registration staff to perform civil partnership ceremonies.
“Britain is supposed to be a nation that respects freedom of conscience,” Davies told the Mail on Sunday. “But my conscience is not being respected. If Islington Council believes in dignity for all, why can’t my beliefs be accommodated and why is my dignity not being respected?”
Davies has likened presiding over civil partnership ceremonies to doctors performing abortions, arguing that the same leniency on religious grounds should apply.
An Islington Council spokesman told the Mail: “Following detailed discussions with Miss Davies, a year ago she accepted another job in the same team that did not require her to conduct civil partnerships or marriages.
“Miss Davies made no formal response to a recent consultation on a restructure in the registrars’ department, and we have no reason to think she was unhappy with her role.”
Islington council argues that it expects employees to provide services to all sections of the community.

Christian registrar demoted for refusing to officiate civil partnerships - from Pink News - all the latest gay news from the gay community - Pink News

[Grimmlok]

Can't do your job, piss off bigot. Welcome to reality. Maybe you can be a bigot pharmacist now.

[MontanaMama]

Is performing the ceremonies a part of the job she wishes to hold? Yup. By not performing the ceremonies is she unable to perform the job which she was hired to do? Yup. What's the issue. I hate that people think that they have some sort of property interest in their jobs and if the personally don't like an aspect of a job, then they are entitled not to do it. Asshats. I was once a short order cook at a zoo cafe - I hated cleaning out the grease trap at the end of my shift. It was disgusting, didn't mean the place wouldn't have burned down if I didn't do it...(no Grim, am not comparing civil unions with grease traps, it's just my comparison).

ETA: Here's what I truly don't understand about "religious" people. Why do they feel entitled to push their personal beliefs on everyone else, but beliefs which they do not ascribe to allow them to ignore/pout/studiously avoid? Isn't that hypocritical? Isn't hypocrisy the root of no no's in most religions?

[Kittylady]

In a public position such as that you are required to handle all situations fairly and without expressing bias or personal prejudice. If you are unable to do that then you should not be in the position. And really, to then go back to work and pull a no-show for officiating at someone's civil partnership ceremony because Jeebus wouldn't like it is just plain nasty. The same kind of planning, expense and depth of feelings go into a civil partnership ceremony as would a straight marriage, and to ruin someones "big day" because you can't hold off on your own feelings long enough to do the job you are being paid to do is just bitter and hateful.