Two straight women in France decided to
protest an anti-gay marriage rally with a kiss.
The kiss shared by the two women as
shocked protesters looked on was captured by AFP photographer Gerald
Julien.
The Socialist government of Prime
Minister Francois Hollande is expected to introduce its gay marriage
bill to the French cabinet on November 7. The government pushed back
the measure's introduction as it faced increasingly loud protests
from religious leaders, including Pope Benedict XVI who called on
Catholics in France to “defend marriage.”
Passage would make France the twelfth
nation to legalize marriage equality.
Opponents staged a nationwide rally on
Tuesday in 75 cities. The women protested the demonstration at a
rally in the city of Marseille.
In an interview with French gay glossy
Tetu,
the two women said the kiss was a gesture of solidarity with gay and
lesbian couples who cannot marry in France.
In a blog post at the AFP's website,
photographer Julien
discussed the symbolism: “This picture, it's like the story of
the biter bit, a reversal of symbolism without their knowing it.
Everyone has been surprised by this shot. The protesters were in
shock!”