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Raymond Bardet, the mayor of Ville-la-Grand in south-eastern France, has been a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage. In January 2013 he went so far as to perform mock nuptials between his communications officer and general services manager. (The general services manager was wearing a bridal veil. Hilarious, right??)

Well, apparently there are exceptions to the rule. Bardet officiated his first real same-sex marriage earlier this month, when he officiated his son's gay nuptials.

Pink News reports:

He told the Dauphiné Libéré: “My son was getting married, there was no question of letting anyone else do it.

“If I had asked a deputy to celebrate the marriage, people could have thought that I was criticising my son or that we had fallen out.

“Only two and a half months ago I discovered that my son was gay.

“I am his father and I would be the one to celebrate his union, as I would have done for his sister.

“I didn’t know his partner, but he’s a good person and they make a beautiful couple together. I saw two smart men, very content together.

“We always think that it doesn’t affect us, that was my way of seeing things, I never questioned it.”

But, wait! Don't assume Bardet's had a grand epiphany now that same-sex marriage is sitting across from him at the dinner table. 

He's still not in favor of it; he says:

“No, I have not changed my mind, I think this is not what nature intended.”

He also said: “I will never do any other gay marriages; I did it because it’s my son.”

While we can appreciate that he stepped outside of his beliefs in support of his child, his statement certainly leaves a bad taste.

Same-sex marriage is acceptable in this case because it's his son. But he won't support it otherwise.  It sounds like it all boils down to self-interest in this case. 

Baby steps? Or no steps at all?