I
sat in bed on Tuesday morning sipping my green tea with lemon and thinking of
Gay marriage. I should explain this took place in Paris. “Ah, all is now
explained,” you may say.
Well
it is by the fact that on the same day France’s Parliament, the Assemblee Nationale, started the
long debate to introduce
Gay or same sex marriages which should become law by the middle of the year.
Such laws are already the norm in Catholic Spain and Portugal. Indeed in the UK
David Cameron is determined to extend the current civil partnerships to include
religious services. Hence it may surprise you that in France, which Anglo
Saxons have always thought to be liberal in sexual matters, the introduction of
this law has caused such acrimony and division.
The
left in France has always had the bragging rights when it comes to bringing
people out on to the streets over a political or social issue. Hence it is no
surprise that according to the police 125,000 activists demonstrated in Paris
in support of the new Francois Hollande law on Sunday. The shock comes when you
learn 340,000 opposed to the legislation were on the streets of the capital on
Tuesday of last week.
Pierre
Kanuty, who speaks on international affairs at the Parti Socialiste HQ in Paris
told me, “There is a majority in Parliament to pass the law, so there is no serious
risk.” Indeed, not only that but, allowing Gay marriage was part of Hollande’s
left wing manifesto during last year’s elections so in introducing this controversial
measure he is merely honouring one of his election pledges.
The bill is a complicated one covering Gay marriage, Gay adoption and
assisted pregnancy for Gay couples. A majority of French people support Gay
marriage (55 to 60 per cent), it’s around 50 – 50 on adoption and a majority
oppose assisted pregnancy.
The Catholic Church is obviously at the head of the movement to oppose the
law. Pierre Kanuty observed: “In a crusade mood, the right wing reopened
somehow, the traditional split between the church and the non believers. The
law will pass, but probably for a while, this split will last until mentalities
change.”
So how about Gibraltar where a more lax regime for civil weddings has
traditionally existed – although not for divorces? Are we not ready to allow
Gay couples to tie the knot here too?
I know that over any one year there are a good number of Gay couples from
overseas who wish to have a civil wedding in Gibraltar and are disappointed to
find they are not allowed here. That obviously has a negative effect on our
tourism industry. However one may ask why our own Gay couples should have to go
to Spain or the UK to cement their relationship in law. I have argued here
before that surely love is the determining factor and if two people love each
other, want to show their commitment to each other in a civil partnership, who
are we to stand in their way by denying a civil ceremony?
However in these matters I accept there are strongly held views for and
against. I am pro Gay civil weddings because I believe it is a fundamental
human right. Yet I am against abortion except in certain set circumstances. I
see this also as a human rights issue but I believe a foetus has a right to
life and it is our duty to defend the rights of the unborn child.
Hence, as in France, I accept there are people who would support Gay
marriage but would be hesitant about a Gay couple’s right to adopt or to
procreate via assisted pregnancy. None of these issues are simple but Gay
marriages are the simplest and I believe a mature society such as Gibraltar
should at least be ready to adopt such civil ceremonies in law – for the sake
of our love for our fellow man and woman.
