Gay Marriage: visit Paris - the world's most romantic city - and stay in an apart-hotel from Absolu Living!

The question of gay marriage has been a thorny topic in some countries and remains a taboo in others. One thing is certain: everybody has something to say about it ...

In France, the PACS (a French abbreviation for 'Civil Solidarity Agreement') was a first step towards recognising the gay rights in 1999, but didn't constitute gay marriage in itself. The next stage will be full recognition of gay marriage. The French Supreme Court has found that the question of gay marriage represents a 'new' and 'serious' challenge and that it is 'the subject of widespread debate in society, especially because of changing morals and the recognition of this sort of marriage in several foreign countries.

 In Europe, eight countries—Spain, the Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, Portugal, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Iceland—have already adopted gay marriage.

In July 2010, Argentina became the first Latin American country to allow gay marriage, although it was beaten by Mexico City in December 2009, and several other countries, including Colombia and Uruguay, have civil unions.

In the United States, laws on gay marriage are decided by each state independently. Gay marriage is one of the most politically sensitive topics in American politics. Some politicians have sought a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage forever, while others, who don't necessarily support gay marriage, feel that would be going too far.

In 2004, 62% of Americans declared themselves in favour of giving legal recognition to gay couples, whether by marriage or a civil union.

In 2010, gay marriage was legalised in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Iowa, Vermont and New Hampshire, along with the federal capital, Washington DC.

Despite the ongoing debate, Absolu Living, a company founded and run by gays, offers gay couples the chance to celebrate their honeymoon in Paris. Absolu Living offers gay men and lesbians who have enjoyed a gay wedding the perfect solution: the chance to rent an apart-hotel in the centre of the Marais, Paris' gay village.

If you're ready to round off your gay wedding with an unforgettable honeymoon, all you need to do is check our offers: Gay Wedding Paris or Gay Wedding Nice and we'll take care of the rest.

 

Ten years after the first gay weddings, the debate is still raging—and getting even hotter

2011 is a symbolic year for gay marriage and lesbian marriage around the world. Whether the practice is accepted or not in every country, the debate about opening up marriage to gay couples has gathered pace and today, the question is being considered everywhere.

This year also marks the tenth anniversary of gay marriage and lesbian marriage in the Netherlands, first made legal back in April 2001.

It gives us a moment to look back on a decade of determined protest to gain equal rights for couples in same-sex relationships.

Historically, gay marriage wasn't always a priority for gay men, who saw it as too normative and criticised those who sought to adopt the same lifestyle as straight couples. It was only after the idea of an alternative approach for gay couples was thoroughly rejected that the demand for equal rights took centre-stage in the debate.

In July 2005, Spain, a traditionally Catholic country, approved legislation paving the way for gay marriage, marking the end of a transition from the Franco years during which homosexuality was hidden, helping bring different generations together.

However, with the next elections coming up in less than a year, Spanish gay couples are worried by a growing tide of conservatism in the country, which is currently pushing to replace the existing provision for gay marriage with an alternative model closer to a civil partnership offering few rights. This potential step backwards won't affect existing marriages, but is hardly a sign of strong support.

Gay marriage has brought about a spectacular transformation in Sweden, where the church accepted it six months after the law was passed in May 2009. Gay couples can now organise both civil and religious ceremonies. Gay and lesbian priests can also form couples and assert their identity in public. Finally, although the waiting lists are long, lesbians have access to artificial insemination, even if they can't always have a single donor for all of their children.

Gay marriage has been legal in Belgium since June 1 2003, and has been allowed in Norway since January 1 2009, in Portugal since June 5 2010 and in Iceland since June 27 2010.

In general, all of the countries that have so far recognised gay and lesbian marriage have seen it is a step forward for society, for security, for the economy ...   For society, first of all, because accepting and integrating gay couples into civil society helps combat prejudice. Secondly, gay couples themselves have gained protection, including the recognition of family relations and the right for one person to make medical decisions on their partner's behalf. Finally, economically speaking, gay couples can also now leave their possessions to their partners.

The legalisation of gay marriage is part of a political process

Today, the decision to allow gay marriage or not is mostly dependent on political will because in the majority of Western countries, the general public is usually supportive. And although gay marriage might attract the most attention in the media, other demands to do with gay parenting and the availability of IVF for lesbian couples are also prominent.

The most hope springs from the speed with which the debate is moving. It took two years for a second country to follow the Netherlands' lead in 2003, but two more European countries also adopted gay marriage in 2010 as well as the first country in Latin America, Argentina.

Absolu Living welcomes couples in a gay or lesbian marriage and offers a gay honeymoon packages 

In the face of the ongoing debate, Absolu Living, a company founded and run by gays, offers gay couples the chance to celebrate their gay honeymoon in Paris. Absolu Living offers gay men and lesbians who have enjoyed a gay wedding the perfect solution: the chance to rent an apart-hotel in the centre of the Marais, Paris' lesbian village.

If you're ready to round off your gay wedding with an unforgettable gay honeymoon, all you need to do is check our offer of gay honeymoon packages: Gay Wedding Paris or Gay Wedding Nice and we'll take care of the rest. Paris and the Marais are the best places honeymoon !