In France, a 'symbolic' gay marriage

A Mayor in the French town of Cabestany has officiated a “symbolic” same-sex marriage.

France has a partnerships register, PACS, also open to heterosexuals, which does not give all the same rights as marriage. Attempts to pass marriage equality through the parliament have failed, most recently in September.

The Communist Mayor, Jean Vila, had suggested he might register the wedding of Patrick and Guillaume, but in the end wrote in the registry book that:

“This decision to join these two people for me is an act of anger and revolt in the face of the authorities’ refusal to legitimize such unions.”

“Unfortunately this document has no official character, since the law today forbids marriage between people of the same sex, but it signifies the wish of the local authority to see the law change.”

In 2004, a Mayor in the Bordeqaux suburb of Bègles officiated a gay wedding but this was annulled in the courts. Another couple were ‘symbolically’ married last year in Montpellier.

In January, the French Constitutional Council validated the ban on same-sex marriage.

Polls suggests that the majority of French people favor marriage equality and this may explain why a report in Atlantico suggested that Nicholas Sarkozy may join fellow Conservative David Cameron is reversing his position and supporting it in next year’s French presidential elections.

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Photo from Gay Liberation Network via flickr

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Zoe B.

5:26AM PST on Nov 30, 2011

Paul C, you obviously are screwed up with your own sexuality if you take such an interest in gay people, while proclaiming to be straight.
A child of a gay couple has more chance of being heterosexual, statistically, than that of a hetero couple.

look at all the heterosexual couples where there is violence, alcoholism, abuse, neglect.
Surely a couple who planned and had to actually go out of their way to have a child would be more capable of giving it a good upbringing than many of the folk who procreate by accident, or without really thinking it out.

November 30
send a green star

Christopher C.

9:27PM PST on Nov 20, 2011

Paul C...your 110% full of shit! It's been proven time after time, kids who have 2 Mom's or 2 Dad's are just as well adjusted and turn out just as well as hetro/straight homes. Civilization will still have enough straight/hetro breeders to make them babies...with all the problem the world has with over-population I'm firmly convinced that gay and lesbian couples were put here for "crowd control"!

We're not DEMANDING "special" rights...just EQUAL ones!

November 20
send a green star

KS G.

3:50AM PST on Nov 17, 2011

Thanks for the article.

November 17
send a green star

Marilyn L.

3:53PM PST on Nov 16, 2011

Thanks

November 16
send a green star

Paul C.

11:57AM PST on Nov 16, 2011

Homosexuals tell us that they are attracted to their own sex and can do what they like with consenting adults, but to now demand the RIGHT to marry as if they were man and woman is a step too far and must be opposed by all who care for the future of Christianity and mankind. Society is breaking down and LGBT extremists are a major factor for this breakdown in family life, because the natural way of life is being meddled with and the results will be disastrous for all our children, grandchildren and civilisation in general. The children they adopt will end up screwed up about their sexuality.

Norma V.

4:04AM PST on Nov 16, 2011

Why can't we get past the fear and let people marry the partner of their choice.

Lena T.

9:22PM PST on Nov 15, 2011

Why make everything so complicated? The majority favors same sex marriages, why doesn't the law?