by Rex Wockner
Spain's Queen Sofia is in hot water with gays after the newspaper El Pais published excerpts Oct. 29 from an upcoming biography of the queen by journalist Pilar Urbano.
In "The Queen Up Close" ("La Reina muy de cerca"), Sofia, 69, is quoted as saying: "I can understand, accept and respect that there are persons of other sexual tendencies, but should they feel proud to be gay? Should they ride on a parade float and come out in demonstrations? If all of those of us who aren't gay came out in protest we would halt traffic."
She went on: "If those persons want to live together, dress up as bride and groom and marry, they could have a right to do so, or not, according to the laws of their country, but they shouldn't call this matrimony, because it isn't. There are many possible names: social contract, union contract."
Spain is one of six countries where same-sex couples have access to full marriage.
A royal spokesperson complained that the quotations are not "exactly" accurate.
The State Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Transsexuals and Bisexuals demanded that Sofia recant her reported statements.
