The Women's Institute has this week rejected an advert from an
organisation campaigning against David Cameron's gay marriage
pledge.
The long-standing British club - which was formed in 1915 to
revitalise rural communities during the war - snubbed an
advertising proposal by the Coalition For Marriage.
They wanted to run an advert in the Women's Institute magazine WI
Life, which reaches over 200,000 people.
But, Helen Evans, advertising manager for the magazine, told CFM:
"We are a national campaigning charity and your campaign doesn't
fit with any of our resolutions first and foremost.
"As WI Life is the national membership magazine, any
promotion of your campaign could be seen as an endorsement...to
members. We do also welcome all women to the WI and this campaign
could offend many of our members."
According to the Daily Mail, a spokesman for C4M were disappointed
with the decision.
"It's a surprising and unnecessary decision. Most ordinary members
will see this as an over-reaction."
A statement on the CFM website describes itself as: "an umbrella
group of individuals and organisations in the UK that support
traditional marriage and oppose any plans to redefine it.
"The Coalition is backed by politicians, lawyers, academics and
religious leaders. It reaches out to people of all faiths and none,
who believe that marriage is the most successful partnership in
history and should not be redefined."
