Demonstration against artificial insemination

Should lesbian couples and single women be allowed artificial insemination? This is what the French National Assembly is debating. Archbishop of Reims encourages deomnstrations.

Some 20 French groups called for demonstrations Sunday in Paris against legalizing artificial insemination for lesbian couples and single women. Title of the demonstration is "Let's march children! Against artificial insemination without a father and surrogacy," reads the website of the Associations of Catholic Families (AFC).

Among the organizers of the demonstration is the movement "La Manif pour tous," which advocates a traditional image of the family. The group was instrumental in protests against the introduction of marriage for same-sex couples in 2013.

Archbishop encourages participation

The president of the bishops' conference, Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort of Reims has also encouraged participation in the Paris demonstration, according to the newspaper La Croix.

However, he said, the church is not organizing the protest; he himself will not attend. Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit told Franceinfo radio he could not go to the rally due to scheduling reasons. But he stressed demonstrating was "a civil right".

Legalizing artificial insemination for lesbian couples and single women is part of the proposed bioethics reform currently being debated and voted on in the National Assembly.

Before the government proposed the law this summer, there was a consultation in which the church participated.