https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed After two decades as the best-selling publication for homosexuals in France, the debt-ridden magazine Tetu was liquidated on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150723/frances-top-gay-magazine-closes-down Thu, 23 Jul 2015 19:20:20 +0200 frances-top-gay-magazine-closes-down France's national ethics committee has recommended that the country upholds the lifetime ban on gay men donating blood, stating that more research is needed before any changes are made to the law. Gay rights groups have reacted furiously. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150401/france-should-keep-ban-on-gay-men-giving-blood Wed, 01 Apr 2015 13:23:00 +0200 france-should-keep-ban-on-gay-men-giving-blood In a landmark decision a lesbian couple were barred from adopting a child, who was conceived through artificial insemination outside France. One gay-rights group slammed the decision saying "Children of LGBT families are the new bastards of the Republic". https://www.thelocal.fr/20140502/lesbian-couple-refused-right-to-adopt-child Fri, 02 May 2014 15:11:00 +0200 lesbian-couple-refused-right-to-adopt-child A gay couple in south-west France pressed charges for discrimination on Wednesday against a combative mayor who has repeatedly and publicly refused to officiate at their wedding, despite risking years in prison and a hefty fine. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130626/gay-couple-sues-french-mayor-for-wedding-refusal Wed, 26 Jun 2013 14:08:00 +0200 gay-couple-sues-french-mayor-for-wedding-refusal A mayor in south-western France has stoked controversy by refusing to marry two gay men, while declaring he “might marry two girls.” It's the latest development in a row brewing in France since the legalization of gay marriage in May. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130614/french-mayor-wont-marry-two-boys-but-maybe-two-girls Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:06:00 +0200 french-mayor-wont-marry-two-boys-but-maybe-two-girls A southern French mayor risks a €45,000 fine and possible jail-time for refusing to wed a same-sex couple, in defiance of the controversial law passed in May. France's Interior Minister on Monday warned of "significant sanctions." https://www.thelocal.fr/20130610/french-mayor-first-out-to-refuse-same-sex-wedding Mon, 10 Jun 2013 19:13:00 +0200 french-mayor-first-out-to-refuse-same-sex-wedding The French government may still be celebrating the victory of seeing its divisive gay marriage bill finally signed into law but the battle over the issue of same-sex unions in France now looks set to move from a national to a local level. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130521/gay-marriage-row-moves-on-to-frances-town-halls Tue, 21 May 2013 11:24:00 +0200 gay-marriage-row-moves-on-to-frances-town-halls Gay marriage might only have been legalized in France on Tuesday and it hasn’t actually been signed into law yet, but by this weekend gay men hoping to tie the knot can visit a new upscale wedding boutique entirely dedicated to them. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130425/france-has-wedding-boutique-for-gay-men-already Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:16:00 +0200 france-has-wedding-boutique-for-gay-men-already There were contrasting scenes in Paris on Tuesday after the French parliament made history by voting gay marriage into law. While supporters celebrated on one side of the city, elsewhere opponents of the bill clashed violently with police. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130424/clashes-and-celebrations-after-gay-marriage-vote Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:39:00 +0200 clashes-and-celebrations-after-gay-marriage-vote President François Hollande has denounced "homophobic" acts as protests against the bill once again boiled over on Wednesday night. The French parliament just days away from the crucial and final vote on whether to legalise gay marriage. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130418/pm-calls-for-calm-ahead-of-gay-marriage-vote Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:02:00 +0200 pm-calls-for-calm-ahead-of-gay-marriage-vote Several gay marriage opponents fired off violent rhetoric on Friday after the French government announced it would bring forward the final stage in the process of legalizing gay marriage. Here is a look back at the most provocative statements made during France's divisive gay marriage row. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130412/hollande-wants-blood-and-he-will-get-it Fri, 12 Apr 2013 20:56:00 +0200 hollande-wants-blood-and-he-will-get-it France moved a step closer to legalizing same sex marriage on Friday when the Senate adopted a gay marriage bill after days of heated argument. Only National Assembly deputies now stand in the way of it becoming law. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130412/french-senate-adopts-gay-marriage-bill Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:58:00 +0200 french-senate-adopts-gay-marriage-bill Around 5,000 protesters held a demonstration in Paris on Wednesday night to denounce critics of a gay marriage bill moving through parliament as "homophobic". The rally was held days after a gay couple were severely beaten up in the capital. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130411/thousands-march-in-paris-against-homophobia Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:12:00 +0200 thousands-march-in-paris-against-homophobia France’s Senate voted ‘Yes’ to the first and most important article of the government’s divisive gay marriage bill, which would allow for same-sex unions, late on Tuesday night. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130410/key-gay-marriage-article-passes-french-senate Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:14:00 +0200 key-gay-marriage-article-passes-french-senate This is the shocking picture of Wilfred de Bruijn, the apparent victim of a brutal homophobic attack in Paris at the weekend. Gay-rights groups say the on-going protests against gay marriage in France have led to a rise in homophobic acts. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130408/the-face-of-homophobia-in-france Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:31:00 +0200 the-face-of-homophobia-in-france Angry recriminations flew back and forth on Monday as organizers of the anti-gay marriage march and the forces of order blamed each other for the violence which flared during Sunday's demo. A total of 98 people were arrested during scuffles, which left 30 officers injured. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130325/recriminations-follow-the-battle-of-the-champs-elysee Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:11:00 +0100 recriminations-follow-the-battle-of-the-champs-elysee France’s National Assembly made history on Tuesday when it adopted the government’s landmark bill to legalize gay marriage and open up adoption to same-sex couples on Tuesday. The legislation will now go before the Senate in early spring. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130212/french-parliament-passes-gay-marriage-bill Tue, 12 Feb 2013 19:33:00 +0100 french-parliament-passes-gay-marriage-bill The marathon debate over gay marriage in the French parliament is set to come to an end on Tuesday when deputies vote on whether to pass the proposed legislation. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130212/french-parliament-set-to-pass-gay-marriage-law Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:31:00 +0100 french-parliament-set-to-pass-gay-marriage-law On Wednesday, France's National Assembly entered its ninth day of a marathon debate over the historic gay marriage bill. Meanwhile, across the Channel, their British counterparts passed similar legislation with seemingly little fuss. The contrast did not go unnoticed in the French press. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130206/gay-marriage-france-uk-debate-vote-protest Wed, 06 Feb 2013 16:36:00 +0100 gay-marriage-france-uk-debate-vote-protest With France’s National Assembly debate on gay marriage into its ninth day, it seems deputies are struggling to keep their minds on the job. One Socialist deputy has provoked a mini-furore after being caught on camera playing Scrabble. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130206/france-parliament-gay-marriage-vote Wed, 06 Feb 2013 12:10:00 +0100 france-parliament-gay-marriage-vote