Queen Sofia’s Controversial Statements On Gay Marriage

A new biography on the Queen of Spain has sparked controversy over her comments about same sex marriage.

The book, “The Queen, Close Up!” by journalist Pilar Urbano – which coincides with the Queen’s 70th birthday – quotes Queen Sofia criticizing the issue.

“I can understand, accept and respect people of a different sexual orientation but why do they feel proud about being gay? Should they ride on a parade float and come out in protests? If all of those of us who aren’t gay came out to protest we would halt traffic.

“If those people want to live together, dress up like bride and groom and marry, they could have a right to do so, or not, depending on the law of their country, but they should not call this matrimony, because it isn’t. There are many possible names: social contract, social union”.

Gay and Lesbian groups in Spain are asking the Queen to retract her statements.

Referring to Prince Felipe’s marriage to divorced journalist Letizia Ortiz, the State Federation of Gays, Lesbians and Transsexuals president Antonio Poveda said: “Many mothers of gays and lesbians are going to ask why the queen understands that the prince would marry a divorced woman, but she can’t understand why other mothers wouldn’t want that same happiness of marriage for their children.”

Late on Thursday, Spain’s Royal Household released a statement on behalf of the Queen saying she made the comments in a private forum.

It said she “profoundly” regretted the lack of precision in the words attributed to her and the “ill-feeling and upset” they may have caused.

Spain has been allowing gay marriages since 2005. Although it is a predominately Catholic country, less than half practice the faith.

The Queen’s comments come after her husband, King Juan Carlos, spent years walking a thin line between political involvement and neutrality.