Mayor of Reykjavik: Homophobes aren’t scared, they’re just assholes

James Park November 18, 2012

SAVE FOR LATER

The Mayor of Reykjavik, Jón Gnarr, a long time advocate of equality, has spoken out online at the protest yesterday in Paris against equal marriage rights for gay couples.

Sharing a link to online coverage of protest, Mr Gnarr posted the simple statement: “Homophobia is not a phobia. They are not scared. They are just a bunch of assholes.”

On Saturday evening, between 70,000 and 100,000 people took to the streets of Paris to protest, as well as demonstrations taking place in the cities of Toulouse, Lyon and Marseille. Protesters carried pink and blue balloons, and rallied under signs saying, “pro-marriage, not ant-gay.”

On 7 November, French President Francois Hollande’s government approved a bill to legalise equal marriage and allow gay couples to adopt.

Yesterday’s protest included members of the Catholic church, as well as other advocates of “traditional” marriage and family rights.

In Reykjavik, there was little opposition to the introduction of equal marriage when in 2010, the parliament unanimously passed legislation to change the law. It is the only country in the world to have introduced equal marriage legislation with no parliamentary opposition.

In August, with just a week to go before the verdict in the Pussy Riot trial, Mr Gnarr donned a pink dress and danced to the band’s music on a float at his city’s gay pride festival.

More: equal marriage, Europe, France, France, Iceland, Iceland, Paris, Reykjavic

Click to comment

Latest Posts

Colourpop is releasing a High School Musical makeup collection. (Disney/Twitter/Colourpop)

Beauty

Colourpop is releasing a High School Musical makeup collection that Sharpay would definitely approve of

Jonny Yates - August 18, 2022

Health

Monkeypox: ‘Mounting evidence’ suggests current strain can be sexually transmitted

Lily Wakefield - August 18, 2022

16-year-old 'not mature enough' for abortion so must have baby, Florida court rules

Judge rules teen ‘not mature enough’ for abortion – but mature enough to have baby

Emily Chudy - August 18, 2022

Idaho forced to pay $300k after passing transphobic law it knew was unconstitutional

Idaho forced to pay $320,000 over trans birth certificate ban it knew was unconstitutional

Emily Chudy - August 18, 2022

In this photograph, thousands of people march through Taipei during Taipei Pride

Asia

WorldPride 2025 left in shambles as Taiwan pulls out of hosting over ‘disrespect’

Josh Milton - August 17, 2022

Ellia Green speaking to the camera in white shirt

Sport

Brave rugby star Ellia Green makes history as first Olympian to come out as a trans man

Josh Milton - August 16, 2022

Opinion

Joan of Arc didn’t call herself non-binary – but gendering her isn’t that straightforward

Florence H R Scott - August 16, 2022

Spider-Man giving the peace symbol aside a Greenwich Pride flag

Gaming

Spider-Man fans outraged as new game ‘modded’ to delete LGBTQ+ Pride flags

Amelia Hansford - August 16, 2022