France is set to ban the words ’mother’ and ‘father’ from all official documents under its controversial plans to legalise gay marriage.
The move, that has outraged certain sections, means only the word ‘parents’ would be used in identical marriage ceremonies for all heterosexual and same-sex couples.
The draft law states that “marriage is a union of two people, of different or the same gender”, the ‘Daily Mail’ reported.
All references, according to the draft, to ‘mothers and fathers’ in the civil code — which enshrines French law — will be swapped for simply ‘parents’
The law would also give equal adoption rights to homosexual and heterosexual couples.
“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?” Justice Minister Christiane Taubira told France’s Catholic newspaper La Croix.
“What is certain is that the interest of the child is a major preoccupation for the government,” Taubira said.
The head of the French Catholic Church Cardinal, Philippe Barbarin, warned followers last week that gay marriage could lead to legalised incest and polygamy in society.