Edith Windsor Attends White House State Dinner Honoring French President

DOMA champion Edith Windsor was among the guests attending last night's White House state dinner honoring French President Francois Hollande, who guided his nation to marriage equality last May. 

Climbing out of his limousine just after 7 p.m., he [Hollande] was greeted by the Obamas, the first lady in a full liberty-blue skirt and black beaded top by Carolina Herrera. The first couple towered over Mr. Hollande for a photo, before the three made their way inside. The guest list for the state dinner, as is traditional, drew from the worlds of politics, business, sports, news media and entertainment, with a nod to Americans of French extraction. Among the most notable guests was Edith Windsor, 83, the New Yorker whose landmark lawsuit against the federal government for denying her tax benefits after the death of her female spouse knocked down the Defense of Marriage Act last year. Among the news media figures invited were Jeff Zucker, the president of CNN, and Jill Abramson, the executive editor of The New York Times.

(Tipped by JMG reader Kyle)

FRANCE: Thousands Of Anti-Gay Right Wingers Protest President Hollande

Torrential rains forced France's famed anti-gay Hommen into a totally not homoerotic group huddle during yesterday's protest against President Francois Hollande. As is typical for France's neo-Nazi supported anti-gay movement, things got violent.

Several thousand people marched through Paris on Sunday in a "Day of Anger" against embattled President Francois Hollande which ended in clashes between police and protesters. Security forces used tear gas to disperse several hundred youths who lobbed police with bottles, fireworks, iron bars and dustbins. Police on Monday said at least 250 people had been arrested after the clashes, during which 12 officers were injured. Interior Minister Manuel Valls condemned the violence "by individuals, varied groups from the extreme and ultra-right, whose only goal is to create unrest". The march organised by a motley group of some 50 small and mainly right-wing organisations, however failed to attract bigger anti-Hollande movements. Organisers claimed a turnout of some 120,000 people, however police estimated there were 17,000 people at the protest, held under pouring rain. The demonstrators railed against a slew of policies under Hollande - the most unpopular French president of modern times - such as last year's law allowing gay marriage.

In the video below you'll see two men performing the quenelle, which is a 21st century French version of the Nazi salute.

(Tipped by JMG reader Str8 Grandmother)

French President Won't Attend Sochi

French President Francois Hollande will not be attending the Sochi Olympics, but so far the French government hasn't given a reason. Via Buzzfeed:

“There are no plans to attend,” Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told the station. “Top French officials have no plans to be there.” Fabius offered no explanation for the decision to ditch the games, according to Europe 1, which suggested it might be due to Russia’s controversial anti-LGBT “gay propaganda” ban. France’s Sports Minister Valérie Fourneyron expressed concerns about the law to her Russian counterpart in August. Hollande attended the Summer Games in London, along with a record number of other world leaders.

Buzzfeed notes that the White House has not yet announced whether the United States is sending an official delegation. The First Lady attended the Summer Games in London last year and that announcement came four months in advance. Last week the ceremonial president of Germany announced that he was boycotting Sochi over Russia's anti-gay pogrom.

FRANCE: President Francois Hollande Signs Gay Marriage Bill Into Law

As he had promised, French President Francois Hollande signed the marriage equality bill into law this morning.

Hollande acted a day after the Constitutional Council threw out a legal challenge by the right-wing opposition, which had been the last obstacle to passing the bill into law. The legislation also legalises gay adoption. But while gay rights groups hailed the move, opponents of the measures have vowed to fight on.

Hollande made "marriage for all" a central plank of his presidential election campaign last year. On Friday, he tried to turn the page on months of bitter opposition to the measures, arguing it was "time to respect the law and the Republic". And he warned that he would tolerate no resistance.

"I will ensure that the law applies across the whole territory, in full, and I will not accept any disruption of these marriages," said the president. French Justice Minister Christiane Taubira, who steered the legislation through parliament, has said the first gay marriages could be celebrated as early as June.

Manif Pour Tous says they will hold their massive anti-gay rally on May 26th as scheduled.

Tweet Of The Day - Francois Hollande

Translation by JMG reader David in Paris: "As soon as the Constitutional Council has made its decision known, I will sign the #MariagePourTous [mariage equality] law."  The decision on the constitutionality of the marriage equality law is supposed to come by May 23rd, but some believe it may come tomorrow.  Most expect a positive ruling.

French President Calls On UN To Support Decriminalizing Homosexuality

"France will continue to engage in all these struggles: for the abolition of the death penalty, for women's rights to equality and dignity, for the universal decriminalization of homosexuality, which should not be recognised as a crime but, on the contrary, recognized as a [sexual] orientation. All members countries have the obligation to guarantee the security of their citizens, and if one nation adheres to this obligation, it is then imperative that we, the United Nations, facilitate the necessary means to make that guarantee. These are the issues that France will lead and defend in the United Nations. I say this with seriousness. When there is paralysis... and inaction, then injustice and intolerance can find their place." - French President Francois Hollande, speaking yesterday at the United Nations General Assembly.  (Text via Towleroad)

FRANCE: Marriage Bill Set For Oct. 31st

A draft version of France's same-sex marriage bill will be presented to President Francois Hollande on October 31st.  Newspapers are screaming that the bill bans the words "mother and father."

The draft law states that "marriage is a union of two people, of different or the same gender." It says all references 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. Justice Minister Christiane Taubira told France's Catholic newspaper La Croix: "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?"

France Promises Gay Marriage

France's new prime minister yesterday vowed to fulfill the promise of just-elected President Francois Hollande (above right) and implement full civil marriage equality for same-sex couples.

A communiqué issued by the office of the prime minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, who took office on 15 May, marked the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia yesterday with a pledge to put the president’s manifesto promise into law. It said: “On the occasion of International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the Government’s commitment against violence and discrimination perpetrated as a result of sexual orientation or gender identity. The Government is determined to challenge prejudice and to put an end to discrimination and violence. It will implement the commitment of the President of the Republic to the right to marriage and adoption to gay couples.”

How soon the process might begin is not yet known.

FRANCE: Pro-Gay Socialist Edges Sarkozy In First Round Of Presidential Election

Pro-gay Socialist Party candidate Francois Hollande (left) has edged incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy in the first round of France's presidential election. Hollande has expressed support for same-sex marriage in France, Sarkozy is strongly opposed.

The winner of yesterday’s first round was the Socialist candidate François Hollande, with 28-29 per cent, who will contest the run-off against President Nicolas Sarkozy, who, with 25-27 per cent, became the first incumbent president to lose at the first hurdle. A victory in the May 6 run-off would make Mr Hollande, 57, France’s first Socialist leader to be elected since François Mitterrand in 1988. Last night he pledged to unite the French after Mr Sarkozy’s divisive first term and declared: “I’m best placed to become next president.” He blamed Mr Sarkozy for the rise of the far-Right, saying his “discourse over the last few months has played into the hands of the far-Right”. Confounding predictions of high abstention records, around 80 per cent of France’s 44.5 million-strong electorate turned out to vote for the 10 candidates.

Playing the spoiler was fascist National Front candidate Marine Le Pen, who shocked observers by taking almost 20% of the vote, mostly from previous supporters of Sarkozy. Followed the announcement of the results, Sarkozy issued a plea to Le Pen's backers by mentioning her hot-button issue, Muslim immigration to France:

“This anxiety, this suffering, I know them, I understand them,” he said. “They concern our borders, outsourcing, control of immigration, work, security, for them and their families. I know that in this fast moving world, the concern of our patriots to preserve their way of life is the key issue in this election.”

Election watchers say the final result may be in Le Pen's hands, should she decide to throw her support to either of the finalists.