Two Women Kiss In Front Of Anti-Gay Protests In Marseille, France [Photo]

Beautiful. Equal rights for all.

This is the image from anti-gay marriage protests in France that many will remember above all others: two young woman kissing in the middle of angry demonstrators.

The picture, taken by AFP photographer Gérard Julien, went viral on social media and has all the ingredients to become a symbolic image of the movement in favor of marriage equality.

On Tuesday, demonstrators gathered in 75 French cities to oppose the bill which would allow gay marriage and adoption. The picture was shot during the rally in the city of Marseille and as the two women are seen kissing in the forefront, faces of shocked protesters can be seen in the background.

Interviewed by French gay magazine Têtu the two young women explained they are both straight, but wanted to draw attention to the issue with a pure and simple gesture of solidarity.

According to l’AFP the picture has been retweeted over 1,500 in a few hours and 2,500 times on Wednesday morning. The photo has been shared over 5,000 times and received 9,000 likes on the Facebook page of HuffPost France. It was also one of the most commented topics on Reddit. The comments on the Facebook page of HuffPost France offer some insight into why the picture went viral.

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Huffington Post