ar riage . ▁ ▁Same - sex ▁marriage ▁ ▁On ▁ 4 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Scotland ▁became ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁country ▁to ▁permit ▁marriage ▁between ▁same - sex ▁individuals . ▁Since ▁the ▁Scottish ▁Government ▁had ▁announced ▁a ▁consult ation ▁on ▁leg alis ing ▁same - sex ▁marriage ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁Government ' s ▁initial ▁view ▁was ▁stated ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁legal isation ▁of ▁both ▁civil ▁and ▁religious ▁same - sex ▁marriage , ▁but ▁allowing ▁religious ▁bodies ▁to ▁opt ▁out ▁of ▁performing ▁same - sex ▁mar ri ages ▁if ▁they ▁so ▁wished . ▁As ▁passed ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁the ▁law ▁establish ing ▁marriage ▁equality ▁in ▁Scotland ▁did ▁not ▁require ▁religious ▁institutions ▁to ▁hold ▁cer emon ies ▁on ▁their ▁prem ises . ▁ ▁The ▁consult ation ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁prov oked ▁w ides p read ▁debate ▁and ▁gar ner ed ▁ 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁responses . ▁The ▁Equ ality ▁Network ▁gathered ▁over ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁responses ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁the ▁change ▁with ▁a ▁significant ▁majority ▁( 1 8 , 5 0 0 ) ▁submitted ▁via ▁the ▁Equ ality ▁Network ' s ▁Equ al ▁Mar riage ▁consult ation ▁website . ▁Scotland ▁For ▁Mar riage , ▁a ▁coal ition ▁of ▁religious ▁bodies ▁opposed ▁to ▁the ▁change , ▁submitted ▁around ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁post cards ▁to ▁the ▁Scottish ▁Government ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁a ▁ 9 ,