法国政府日前公布一项立法草案,拟在官方文件中禁用“父亲”、“母亲”等字眼,而全部改用“双亲”一词。该草案是法国政府将同性婚姻合法化的一部分。
France is set to ban the words "mother" and "father" from all official documents under controversial plans to legalize gay marriage.
The move, which has
outraged1 Catholics, means only the word "parents" would be used in identical marriage ceremonies for all
heterosexual(异性恋的) and same-sex couples.
The draft law states that "marriage is a union of two people, of different or the same
gender2".
It says all references to "mothers and fathers" in the civil code – which
enshrines(铭记,珍藏) French law – will be
swapped3 for simply "parents".
The law would also give equal
adoption4 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?"
"What is certain is that the interest of the child is a major preoccupation for the government."
The head of the French Catholic Church
Cardinal5 Philippe Barbarin warned
followers6 last week that gay marriage could lead to legalized incest and
polygamy(一夫多妻) in society.
He told the Christian's RFC radio station: "Gay marriage would
herald7 a complete
breakdown8 in society.
"This could have innumerable consequences.
Afterward9 they will want to create couples with three or four members. And after that, perhaps one day the
taboo10 of incest will fall."
Leading French Catholics have also published a 'Prayer for France', which says: "Children should not be subjected to adults' desires and conflicts, so they can
fully11 benefit from the love of their mother and father."
And Pope Benedict XVI invited 30 French
bishops12 to Italy to urge them to fight against the new law.
He told them: "We have there a true challenge to take on.
"The family that is the foundation of social life is threatened in many places, following a concept of human nature that has proven
defective13."
President Francois Hollande pledged in his
manifesto14(声明,宣言) to legalize gay marriage. The draft law will be presented to his cabinet for approval on October 31.