When France legalized marriage and adoption rights for same-sex couples on Tuesday, it became the 14th nation in the world to make marriage equality official. The 331-to-225 vote was largely split between the parliamentary left and right, and the final decision roused violent street protests and strong conservative backlash.

Since the bill’s passage, several gays and lesbians have been targets of acts of violence. In one case, Wilfred de Bruijn, a Dutch citizen, was badly beaten up while walking with his partner in Paris. He posted a photograph of his swollen and bloodied face that went viral. It was captioned “the face of homophobia.”

The backlash seems somewhat misplaced, as France has historically been at the forefront of implementing social reform. Yet, even in a country as progressive as France, homophobia is prevalent, and there are strong, conservative Catholic groups that continue to oppose reforms.

These voices echo a long-standing belief that marriage between a man and a woman is an institution that should remain untouched. But just because something is a deeply-rooted tradition does not mean it is right. If we believe in the idea of progress, we must retreat from tradition sometimes. Moreover, it is important to note that France is not disposing of the institution of marriage, but rather amending and extending it.

The United States should take note of the public backlash in France as we await the Supreme Court decision. Like France, the United States also has a strong conservative base. Just as France did this week, the United States should officially recognize same-sex couples’ right to marry as an unalienable one. Marriage is a legal liberty that cannot be compromised by someone else’s religion or moral imperatives. For too long same-sex couples have been discriminated against on the basis of sexual orientation and excluded from the social and legal benefits that heterosexual couples enjoy.

France’s sweeping social reform should be a wake-up call for the United States. We’ve been stuck alongside the United Kingdom as the western world’s “Anglo-Saxon,” socially conservative nation. Although we are visibly moving toward marriage equality, as Rhode Island is on its way to becoming the 10th state to legalize gay marriage, we still have a Supreme Court that is hesitant to make a broad ruling allowing same-sex couples to marry. We’ll get our answer in June, but for many gay-rights activists in the United States, it is a long time coming.

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