Congratulations

[friedgreentomato]

Thought I would post some good news after all the sad news over the last week.

http://www.channel4.com/news/gay-marriage-first-gay-couple-wed-in-france

[jackthehat]

How can two people getting married *not* be good news?

[Bazile]

Is consumation a legal requirement of marriage ?

[DTCwordfan]

In the Catholic Church it is - remember Princess Caroline used the lack of being bonked as the grounds for divorce from Hubby 1 in front of the the Vatican.

However, on that basis and the current changes as to marriage, does that mean all these Catholic priests are now wed to their boyfriends?

[jackthehat]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consummation

[jno]

consummation isn't a "requirement" as such but lack of it can still be grounds for divorce (I think). But if neither party complains, then they're still legally married.

[Bazile]

//Thus in some Western traditions, a marriage is not considered a binding contract until and unless it has been consummated.//

So what do they have - consumation police , to investigate whether or not you have consumated your marriage ?

[Khandro]

Ratter; Most people are NOT seeing it as good news, and they ain't bigots. I had last week staying in my house, the mayor of a small French town and his wife, he looked at the new legislation with absolute dismay, and I would describe him as a very un-bigoted person.
If you wish to describe anyone who disagrees with you a bigot, have you considered the boot might be on the other foot?

[jackthehat]

Why was your friend, the Mayor, dismayed?

As jno said earlier.......not everyone against the same-sex marriage issue will be a bigot.......but more than a fair few will be!

[jno]

jackthehat, I should perhaps say that I myself am uncomfortable with the idea - or rather, with the words. The idea of what "marriage" is is inculcated very young, and many people of my age seem to agree that the very notion of "gay marriage" is an oxymoron. A marriage, even a bad one, is something for a man and a woman.

This doesn't mean I'm anti-gay, or even anti-gay marriage; and I don't think I'm a bigot. I'm perfectly happy that gays should be allowed to marry; it's long overdue. All it means is that, personally (and at my advanced age), I suspect I will never think of gay marriage as marriage. I'll think of it as "gay marriage".

I say this because you were asking earlier why people get antsy about things that will never affect them. But major changes to the meaning of things do affect people, quite deeply in some cases.

[RATTER15]

Khandro, Please feel free to describe him however you wish, however, my opinion remains the same!

[Ellipsis]

As far as I'm aware - please correct me if I'm wrong - all of the following couples can legally marry:

* a man and a woman who aren't religious
* a man and a woman who can't have children
* a man and a woman who can't have sex (to give one of many examples, because the man is a war hero who had his bits blown off in battle)

On the basis that all the above is legal, I cannot see how not allowing gay marriage is anything but discriminatory to gay couples when compared to straight couples.

[jackthehat]

Elegantly put, jno. :o)

[BlueToffee]

//RATTER15 - Bigots will always stick to their guns unfortunately.//

[BlueToffee]

Meant to add....

Not agreeing with homosexual/ lesbian marriage doesn't make me a bigot.

[jackthehat]

It might do depending on your reasons for disagreeing..........which is what has been said, in the main, all along.

[Khandro]

jth; //Why was your friend, the Mayor, dismayed?// Not absolutely certain (it was a lively tri-lingual conversation) but it hinged around the fact that French mayors can be involved in the marriage ceremony. He didn't disapprove of homosexuals but was not for 'gay-marriage', - just like the millions of French people who marched in France last week.

[jackthehat]

He doesn't mind gay people he just doesn't approve of them having the same rights?

How very 'Liberté, égalité, fraternité' of him....

[sp1814]

Khandro

What leads you to say that 'most' people do not see it as good news.

[sp1814]

Khandro

Also, are you sure that millions of French marched last week?

Millions???

And it's very magnanimous of your mayor friend not to disapprove of gay people.

Quite big of him...

[Khandro]

Apart from the huge rally in Paris, others were also held in Toulouse, Lyon and Marseilles, as well as other places, I didn't count them all, and I think they still are continuing.
As far as I and many others are concerned, homosexuals can do whatever they like to one another. They can have equal rights within the law (égalité), but it is not possible for them to be 'married' in the proper meaning of the word.