Gay adoption ban to be dropped in France
Published: 11 Sep 2012 10:01 GMT+02:00 | Print version
Updated: 11 Sep 2012 10:01 GMT+02:00
Plans for new gay marriage laws will allow same-sex couples the same rights to adopt as heterosexual couples, French Justice Minister Christiane Taubira announced to the press today.
In an interview with the Catholic daily paper, La Croix, Taubira said a draft bill, due to be presented to the Cabinet at the end of October, would permit a gay person to become the legal guardian of their partner’s biological child, and make adoption rights equal to those of heterosexual couples.
Taubira also detailed the law would not extend to state funded artificial insemination for lesbians, claiming “the President of the Republic has always been clear on that during his campaign.”
“At the moment, the adoption procedure is reliable, and it will be applied in the same way to same-sex couples. I’ll remind you that the conditions are strict for adopting a child, and indeed, to protect [the child’s] rights...
“Who is to say that a heterosexual couple will bring a child up better than a homosexual couple, that they will guarantee the best conditions for the child’s development?
“What is certain is that the interest of the child is a major preoccupation for the government.”
Taubira was sure to underline that, if voted in, the law will have to be followed by town halls throughout the country. It would be an offense to deny a homosexual couple the right to a ceremony.
But the proposed law has already encountered opposition - speaking on radio station Europe 1 this morning, head of the Democratic Christian Party, Christine Boutin, called for the “weighty subject” to be put to a referendum.
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