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French Senate approves same-sex marriage, adoption bill

Measure returns to the National Assembly next week for a final vote

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France, same-sex marriage, gay marriage, marriage equality, gay news, Washington Blade
France, same-sex marriage, gay marriage, marriage equality, gay news, Washington Blade

More than 100,000 people marched through the streets of Paris on Jan. 29 in support of the bill. (Photo by Guillaume Bonnet/All Out)

The French Senate on Friday approved a bill that would extend marriage and adoption rights to same-sex couples.

The simple vote came three days after lawmakers in the chamber approved an article within the measure that would specifically open marriage to gays and lesbians by a 179-157 vote margin. The senators on Wednesday approved the measure’s adoption provision.

Justice Minister Christiane Taubira, who testified in support of the proposal backed by President François Hollande in both the Senate and the National Assembly, applauded the senators who voted for the bill.

“I know at some point one can get burned out by the desire to intervene during the hearing,” she said as the newspaper L’Express reported, referring to the debate on the measure that began on April 2. “I know that you resisted this temptation. It is for carrying out this responsibility for which I want to salute you.”

Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoë, who is gay, also welcomed the measure’s passage.

“It is with great satisfaction that I salute the Senate’s adoption of the ‘marriage for all’ bill,” he said in a statement.

The measure’s supporters and opponents staged several marches through the streets of Paris in recent months that each drew hundreds of thousands of people to the French capital.

Charles Roncier, a gay blogger who is an assistant editor-in-chief for the website VIH.org, told the Washington Blade from Paris earlier on Friday that LGBT rights advocates have become increasingly concerned about what they describe as homophobic rhetoric against the bill that includes claims it would allow people to marry objects and animals. They have used the Facebook images of Wilfred de Bruijn, a librarian whom the Associated Press said was beaten unconscious by a group of men as he and his boyfriend were walking to their home in the French capital on April 7, to highlight their claims that anti-gay attacks have increased as the lawmakers debated the same-sex marriage adoption proposal.

“It’s really weird because they were always insisting on the fact that they were not being homophobic,” Roncier said of the bill’s opponents.. “They did not want to be labeled as homophobes, but still at the same time the discourse and their words were homophobic.”

Neighboring Belgium and Spain are among the European countries in which same-sex couples can legally marry.

British lawmakers continue to debate a proposal that would extend marriage to gays and lesbians in England and Wales. Scottish legislators are also expected to consider a similar measure in the coming weeks.

A final vote on the measure in the French National Assembly, which approved it in February by a 329-229 vote margin, is expected to take place in the coming days.

Roncier said same-sex couples are “excited” about the prospect they could potentially be able to get married in France as early as next month.

“We used to be the minority who used to fight for our rights and for the first time I witnessed my minority being defended by the government and the majority of French people and against another minority who were against us,” he told the Blade. “It was very new and very touching.”

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Hungary

New Hungarian prime minister takes office

Péter Magyar’s party defeated anti-LGBTQ Viktor Orbán last month

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Péter Magyar votes in Budapest, Hungary on April 12, 2026. He has been sworn in as the country's new prime minister. (Screen capture via APT/YouTube)

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar took office on Saturday.

Magyar’s center-right Tisza party on April 12 defeated then-Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz-KDNP coalition. Vice President JD Vance less than a week before the election traveled to Budapest, the Hungarian capital, and urged Hungarians to support Orbán.

Orbán had been in office since 2010. He and his government faced widespread criticism over its anti-LGBTQ crackdown.

The European Commission in 2022 sued Hungary, which is a member of the EU, over the country’s anti-LGBTQ propaganda law. The European Union’s top court, the EU Court of Justice, on April 21 struck down the statute.

The EU while Orbán was office withheld upwards of €35 billion ($41.26) in funds to Hungary in response to concerns over corruption, rule of law, and other issues.

Hungarian lawmakers in March 2025 passed a bill that banned Pride events and allowed authorities to use facial recognition technology to identify those who participate in them. MPs later amended the Hungarian constitution to ban public LGBTQ events.

Upwards of 100,000 people last June defied the ban and marched in Budapest’s annual Pride parade.

“Congratulations to [Péter Magyar] on becoming prime minister of Hungary,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on X.

“This Europe Day, our hearts are in Budapest,” she added. “The hope and promise of renewal is a powerful signal in these challenging times.”

“We have important work ahead of us,” noted von der Leyen. “For Hungary and for Europe, we are moving forward together.”

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Comings & Goings

Whitman-Walker honors Rep. Sarah McBride

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U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.) (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at [email protected]

Congratulations to Congresswoman Sarah McBride (D-Del.) on being honored with this year’s Stonewall Award from Whitman-Walker Health. Amy Nelson, senior director of Legal Services, said, “Congresswoman Sarah McBride is working to make healthcare accessible to all, and this award recognizes her support of healthcare as a human right. Our legal program supports families facing unprecedented challenges to stay healthy and safe – families that Congresswoman McBride champions with a deep understanding of the issues they face and the legislative expertise of how to support them.”  

McBride, in a press release, said, “I am honored to accept this year’s Stonewall Award from Whitman-Walker Health — an organization that has spent 40 years doing vital work to ensure every person can access the dignity of care. In the wealthiest and most developed nation on earth, the ability to receive care should not be a matter of luck—it should be the law of the land. I am proud to be recognized as a partner in this work and to support Whitman-Walker Health in their mission to build a healthier society for all.”

Congratulations also to Wes Drummond who will join Clear Space Theatre Company in Rehoboth Beach, Del., as its third artistic director. Managing Director Joe Gfaller said, “This is an exciting moment of growth for Clear Space as we welcome Wes to join our remarkable team. I am confident he will be an excellent partner as we work with our entire staff, board, and committed team of volunteers, to ensure Clear Space can achieve its full potential in pursuit of our mission to unite and enrich our community through every production on stage, and every arts-based learning program we offer throughout our community.” 

On accepting the position Drummond said, “I’m honored to join Clear Space Theatre Company as artistic director, and beyond excited for what we’re about to create together. Clear Space has established itself as a vital and vibrant part of the cultural life of coastal Delaware, and I feel incredibly fortunate to step into this next chapter alongside such a passionate and dedicated team. Rehoboth Beach is a place defined by creativity and community, and I look forward to listening, learning, and building meaningful relationships across the region in the months ahead. My vision is to help Clear Space continue to grow as a bold, forward-thinking, cultural force, that champions fearless storytelling.”

Wes Drummond

Drummond served in leadership roles at Duluth Playhouse in Duluth, Minn., from 2021 to 2026, including four years as executive director followed by one year as executive producing artistic director, guiding the organization through a period of significant transformation and stability in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a director, he has worked extensively in New York City, Chicago, and at regional theaters across the country, directing both musical theater and plays with a focus on storytelling that bridges classical works with contemporary perspectives. He has collaborated with leading figures in the industry, including Tony Award-winning director Matthew Warchus, and Tony-nominated director Michael Greif. He is an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

Wes earned his MFA in directing, Penn State University, where he studied under Tony-nominated director, Susan H. Schulman. 

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Virginia

Va. Supreme Court invalidates Democrat-backed redistricting plan

Voters narrowly approved new congressional districts last month

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Virginia Supreme Court (Photo by sainaniritu/Bigstock)

The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a Democrat-backed redistricting plan that voters approved last month.

Ten of 11 of Virginia’s congressional districts favor Democrats in the plan that passed by a 51-48 vote margin in last month’s referendum.

The Human Rights Campaign PAC is among the groups that support it. The court by a 4-3 majority invalidated the referendum results.

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