French Judge Annuls Wedding Over Virgin Fib

A judge's decision to annul a Muslim wedding because the bride was not a virgin has caused outrage in France, the London Times reports. The groom emerged from the bedroom to complain about his bride while the wedding party was still going on and went to the judge the next day. The bride, shunned by both families, later admitted to a sexual indiscretion, and did not oppose the annulment.

Women's rights activists expressed shame that the French justice system had been used to diminish the status of women. “The sexuality of women in France is a private and free matter,” said one. “The annulment will just serve to send young Muslim girls running to hospitals to have their hymens restored.” Indeed, operations to restore the hymen are becoming popular among the country's Muslim women, the Times reports. (More wedding stories.)