# Civil Unions Bojangles. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 17, 2006, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-unions-bojangles/380860 "2006-11-17T18:27:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DuhCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@DuhCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhCow)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-unions-bojangles/380860/1 "2006-11-17T18:27:49Z")
I was reading about the French Socialist candidate for President, Segolene Royal, and noticed that she’s in a civil union - but with a guy. Now, apparently the French version of civil unions (pacte civil de solidarité) is open to both same-sex couples and straight couples, but I’ve never heard of straight couples in the US getting a civil union. Is this because a) our civil union structure just assumes that the couple getting the union is gay or b) the straight couples that DO get this in the US aren’t as high profile as some of the ones in France? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-unions-bojangles/380860/2 "2006-11-17T18:37:45Z")
Why Bojangles in your thread title? ---
**Author:** ![DuhCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@DuhCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhCow)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-unions-bojangles/380860/3 "2006-11-17T18:42:06Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Slant] Why Bojangles in your thread title? [/QUOTE] i like the word bojangles. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-unions-bojangles/380860/4 "2006-11-17T18:46:45Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Slant] Why Bojangles in your thread title? [/QUOTE] The OP passed the thread title through the Bojizzinator. ---
**Author:** ![Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alive_At_Both_Ends)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-unions-bojangles/380860/5 "2006-11-17T19:42:48Z")
Some countries allow straight couples to have a civil union instead of a marriage, while others restrict it to gay couples. In addition to France, I believe Mexico allows straight civil unions. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-unions-bojangles/380860/6 "2006-11-17T21:16:58Z")
Stupid song. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-unions-bojangles/380860/7 "2006-11-17T21:18:06Z")
Now stuck, probably for the rest of the day. Thanks, **duhcow**. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-unions-bojangles/380860/8 "2006-11-17T21:25:35Z")
In the US, if you get legally joined at the courthouse, you are still “married.” It is possible that the same exact action, in France, is called a “Civil union” and only the thing that takes place in a church is called a “marriage.” Just a WAG (ps I almost wrote “cecil union” – is that where two Dopers get joined? har har.) ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-unions-bojangles/380860/9 "2006-11-17T21:38:15Z")
[QUOTE=Hello Again] In the US, if you get legally joined at the courthouse, you are still “married.” It is possible that the same exact action, in France, is called a “Civil union” and only the thing that takes place in a church is called a “marriage.” Just a WAG (ps I almost wrote “cecil union” – is that where two Dopers get joined? har har.) [/QUOTE] Actually no. Every French marriage is solemized at city hall by the local mayor or his deputy, church is optional. ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-unions-bojangles/380860/10 "2006-11-17T22:14:49Z")
If two Dopers got married, could Cecil officiate? Would he? ---
**Author:** ![Phantom\_Dennis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@Phantom\_Dennis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phantom_Dennis)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-unions-bojangles/380860/11 "2006-11-17T22:31:32Z")
Well, if we could somehow legally define the SDMB as a ship, Cecil would logically fit the role of Captain… ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-unions-bojangles/380860/12 "2006-11-17T22:48:10Z")
[QUOTE=Phantom Dennis] Well, if we could somehow legally define the SDMB as a ship, Cecil would logically fit the role of Captain… [/QUOTE] [I’m so sorry to be the one to tell you…](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_329.html) There’s also a Santa Claus thread somewhere around here you might want to avoid. 😉