Paris marchers demand universal reproductive rights
Up to 500,000 people expected to turn out for march demanding equal reproductive rights for same sex couples
Over half a million people are expected to descend on the streets of Paris today for the annual 鈥楳arche des fiert茅s鈥�, or LGBT pride festival.
On the fortieth anniversary of the first gay pride march in Paris, activists are demanding 鈥渦nrestricted medically assisted reproductive rights鈥�.
A survey released yesterday in France showed that only 44% are in favour of surrogacy for same sex couples, while 59% are in favour of assisted reproductive technology rights being extended to them. Approval ratings are far lower in the over-65 age bracket.
鈥淗ollande made a promise five years ago and until now no change has been made. We don鈥檛 want to see another presidential term go by without any progress being made,鈥� said a spokesperson for l鈥橧nter-LGBT. In 2013 same sex marriage was legalised. But the government鈥檚 position on reproductive rights for gay couples continues to waver.
Until 1981, homosexuality was considered a mental illness in France. However homosexuality was decriminalised after the French Revolution (as opposed to in the UK where male homosexuality was illegal until 1967), although the Vichy regime introduced a higher homosexual age of consent with the ages only being completely equalised again in 1982 (the ages were equalised in the UK in 2001).
France is under a state of emergency due to last until November 2017 and Paris is on security alert for the duration of the demonstration.
A nocturnal march took place last night 鈥渁gainst sexism, homophobia, transphobia and biphobia鈥�.
