Ricerc@Sapienza

Conscientious objections against same sex unions raise
delicate issues concerning the relation between freedom of conscience and religion and
the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation. The Chapter analyzes
the main international and comparative experiences concerning conscientious objection
to same sex unions, focusing more in detail on the US and UK experience, as
well as on ECtHR case law and the main cases decided in other European countries.
The Author considers both cases regarding the objection claimed for by clerks denying
the celebration of same sex unions, and cases concerning objections arising in horizontal
relations among individuals, trying to show to what extent freedom of religion and
conscience may be interpreted in the light of solidarity and mutual recognition.