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Marriage Equality

Marriage Equality Foes Protest Across France

Marriage Equality Foes Protest Across France

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Catholic and right-wing groups opposed to pending marriage equality legislation in France took to the streets in protest Saturday.

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Nearly a dozen French cities saw protesters opposed to marriage equality line the streets Saturday, the Associated Press reports.

The protesters carried signs with slogans such as "One child = one mother + one father." No stranger to elaborate costumes, the protesters were dressed in white, blue, and pink, a variation on the nation's tricolor flag of red, white, and blue. Protesters included Catholic and anti-equality groups, and numbered in the thousands in some cities, reports the AP. A similar coordinated protest took place in several French cities last month as well.

Calling their protest the March for Everyone, several thousand people marched in Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, and other cities around the country.

French president Francois Hollande supports marriage equality legislation introduced in October, calling the policy "marriage for everyone." The draft legislation recieved initial approval from Hollande and his cabinet earlier this month, reports Towleroad.

As part of the proposed marriage equality law and its corresponding adoption rights for same-sex couples, France is also considering removing gendered language referring to "mother" and "father" in its civil code, instead adopting the gender-neutral options "parent 1" and "parent 2."

A recent survey found that a majority of French citizens support marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples, while support for adoption by same-sex couples hovers around 50%, according to the AP. In France only married couples may legally adopt children.

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Sunnivie Brydum

Sunnivie is the managing editor of The Advocate, and an award-winning journalist whose passion is covering the politics of equality and elevating the unheard stories of our community. Originally from Colorado, she and her spouse now live in Los Angeles, along with their three fur-children: dogs Luna and Cassie Doodle, and "Meow Button" Tilly.
Sunnivie is the managing editor of The Advocate, and an award-winning journalist whose passion is covering the politics of equality and elevating the unheard stories of our community. Originally from Colorado, she and her spouse now live in Los Angeles, along with their three fur-children: dogs Luna and Cassie Doodle, and "Meow Button" Tilly.