French march against gay marriage bill

[Camy]

Tens of thousands of people have protested in France against plans to legalise same-sex marriage and allow gay couples to adopt.

Police said at least 70,000 took to the streets in Paris; there were other demonstrations in the cities of Lyon, Toulouse and Marseille.

They included Catholic groups and other backers of traditional family rights.

President Francois Hollande has promised to change French law so that gay and lesbian couples can marry.

Despite opposition from more than 1,000 mayors and the Catholic Church, his socialist government approved a bill on the issue earlier this month which will be debated by parliament in January.

France already allows civil unions between same-sex couples, but extending their rights was a campaign pledge of Mr Hollande before he was elected in May.

Read the news here

I always thought that--apart from an endemic hatred of the English, which goes back centuries--the French were kind, sexually liberated, and relatively free and easy. Sadly, it seems I was mistaken.

[The Pecman]

Wow -- me too, Camy. I thought Paris was the city for lovers! Cross that off my travel list.

[JamesSavik]

It's not "the French". It is the Muslims.

[colinian]

Wow -- me too, Camy. I thought Paris was the city for lovers! Cross that off my travel list.

The French have no problem with visiting gay people, married or not. This subset of the French population don't want Frenchmen to have the same rights as gays from elsewhere.

Colin

[Pertinax]

What's the difference between a civil union and a civil marriage? There must be something, if it raises such a storm, but I don't see the difference. Maybe you have to be a lawyer.