It’s official: Gay partners tie the knot in France’s first same-sex wedding (PICTURED)

Vincent Autin, left, and his partner Bruno Boileau, chat to journalists on May 28, 2013 in Montpellier, southern France.
Vincent Autin, left, and his partner Bruno Boileau, chat to journalists on May 28, 2013 in Montpellier, southern France.
The French city of Montpellier will witness history Wednesday when its mayor officiates the nation’s first same-sex wedding in front of hundreds of guests. Vincent Autin and Bruno Boileau will exchange their vows at a ceremony in the southern city, watched by some 500 guests seated on brightly colored chairs.Autin, 40, is the head of the region’s Lesbian and Gay Pride association — and his wedding to Boileau, 30, marks a big step forward for same-sex equality.

While France has allowed civil partnerships for some years, controversial legislation allowing same-sex couples to marry and adopt was signed into law by President Francois Hollande 10 days ago.

Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, Minister of Women’s Rights and a government spokeswoman, will be among those attending the landmark ceremony, reflecting the governing Socialist Party’s support for same-sex marriage. Montpellier’s mayor, Helene Mandroux, also belongs to the party.

However, the move has prompted fierce opposition from many social conservatives and the Catholic Church, with hundreds of thousands of people joining large scale protest marches in Paris over recent months.

While no official demonstrations are planned, there are concerns protesters may gather in Montpellier on Wednesday.

About 200 police officers will be mobilized around the city in case of trouble, Montpellier police said.

Just on Sunday, an anti-same sex marriage march in Paris attracted big crowds. Police put the turnout at 150,000, while the organizers estimated that a million people had turned out to fill the Esplanade des Invalides, a central plaza.

Opposition lawmakers tried unsuccessfully to have the new law blocked by France’s highest court after it cleared the National Assembly and Senate.

Some 200 journalists have been accredited to cover the wedding, many from overseas, signaling the global interest in the social landmark represented by the marriage.

France is the ninth country in Europe to allow same-sex marriage.

If pending legislation in New Zealand and Uruguay is enacted as expected this year, the worldwide total of countries with legalized same-sex marriage will rise to 14.

Many countries remain split over the issue. A Brazilian court issued a directive this month removing a barrier that had limited same-sex marriage, but no bill has made it through Congress.

Legislators in the United Kingdom are also weighing proposals to legalize same-sex marriage. Lawmakers in Australia voted against a bill to legalize same-sex marriage last September. A poll for the advocacy group Australian Marriage Equality indicated that 64% of those surveyed “support marriage equality.”

In the United States, the question went before the Supreme Court and justices are deliberating over the matter.

Twelve U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized same-sex marriages. On the other side, many states have specific laws blocking same-sex couples from legally marrying.

Read more: CNN

One comment

  1. ynija what is wrong with you guys? Are you trying to propergate sam sex marriage or you are just being foolish, i have been taking note of your stories on gay marriage and i dont see but one place this stories head. Please speack out against it if you are trully nigerian.

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