Monday, July 16th 2012 - 19:39 UTC

Argentina celebrates second anniversary of same-sex marriage bill

A law giving gay and lesbian couples the right to marry in Argentina celebrated its second anniversary over the weekend. Argentina became the first Latin American country to legalize gay marriage after President Christina Fernandez signed the law on July 21, 2010.

The first couple to marry was an architect and his partner living together for 27 years

Lawmakers approved the law on July 15 over the strong objections of the Roman Catholic Church; one cardinal called the movement to legalize such unions the devil's handiwork.

A couple together 27 years was the first to marry under the law. Architect Juan Carlos Navarro married his partner Miguel Angel Calefato in Santiago del Estero on July 30.

More than 6.000 gay couples have tied the knot since the law's adoption, most of which took place in the capital Buenos Aires (1.405) and its surrounding province (1.455), according to gay advocate Comunidad Homosexual Argentina (CHA).

“The bottom line is that for two years we've had this right, the State recognizes our families and our country's democracy respects diversity, as it should be around the world,” said Cesar Cigliutti, president of the CHA.

It is estimated that Argentina has 2,400,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender persons out of a total population of over 40 million.

Gay marriage is also legal in the city-state of Mexico City, whose marriages are recognized throughout Mexico. Eleven countries in the world have similar legislation.
 

Published in: Politics, Argentina.
Tags: Argentina, Comunidad Homosexual Argentina, Gay Rights, Lesbians.

12 comments Feed

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1 Joe Bloggs (#) Jul 16th, 2012 - 08:33 pm Report abuse
Lawmakers approved the law on July 15 over strong objections from the Catholic Church and a deadbeat called Pirat-Hunter.

It is estimated that Argentina has 2,400,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons.

Pirat-hunter, do you realise how fucking stupid you look now?
2 Alexei (#) Jul 16th, 2012 - 08:56 pm Report abuse
“Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent a message to Argentine President Cristina Fernandez on Sunday congratulating the Argentine nation and government on the anniversary of the country’s Independence Day”.

tehrantimes.com/politics/99412-ahmadinejad-congratulates-argentina-on-independence-day

Iran murders gays. I bet KFC's friend Ahmadinejad won't be congratulating her on this one.
3 Britworker (#) Jul 16th, 2012 - 09:35 pm Report abuse
I think rights for gay men and women is one of the few things the argies can be proud of, but i agree with the previous comments, that doesnt rest well with having close relations with Iran, a regime that executes gay men and is the scurge of the civilised world.
4 JohnN (#) Jul 17th, 2012 - 03:36 am Report abuse
2 and 3: As Wikileaks reports, UK diplo in secret 2008 info was that 4,000-6,000 Iranian homosexuals executed since 1979: goo.gl/uzLon

However, Iran doesn't just murder Iranian gays, but murders Argentina's Jews as well. Now 20 years and no Iranian or Argentine perpetrators of the AMIA bombing have yet been convicted.

“Terrorist Bombings in Argentina”:
www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/argentina.html

Video: Stop Terrorism - The AMIA bombing:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMfPMWIIiJo
5 Marcos Alejandro (#) Jul 17th, 2012 - 03:56 am Report abuse
3
Argentina doesn't have close relations with Iran.
6 Joe Bloggs (#) Jul 17th, 2012 - 05:31 am Report abuse
5

It's all relative Marcos. I would say Argentina doesn't have close relations with anyone but it depends on how you define close relations.

Chuckle chuckle
7 TreborDoyle (#) Jul 17th, 2012 - 08:26 am Report abuse
THIS is what shines a spotlight on how progressive Argentina can be when it really tries hard.

Most countries have so far failed to introduce this basic human right, and Argentina has shown the strength to do it ... and did it, despite the unholy Roman Catholic Church and the bigots!
8 British_Kirchnerist (#) Jul 17th, 2012 - 10:57 am Report abuse
Viva Cristina! Without her courage (which also showed in nationalising YPF and staring down the right wing press, farmers and now Moyano) this great progressive advance wouldn't have happened
9 egarcia1970 (#) Jul 17th, 2012 - 12:52 pm Report abuse
The Kirchnerites doesn't tell you the whole story. The law was scheduled for vote on November 2009, but KFC ordered her lawmakers to boycott the session to avoid annoying the pope, since she was going to visit the old geezer a few days later. And even in July 2010, several FPV lawmakers voted AGAINST it.
10 British_Kirchnerist (#) Jul 17th, 2012 - 03:29 pm Report abuse
OK so she was tactical with the Pope, fine. And some of her lawmakers voted with their conscience, thats democracy, just a shame they were personally less advanced than her and good most were not as backward =)
11 JohnN (#) Jul 17th, 2012 - 05:48 pm Report abuse
December 2011 article by Anna Mahjar-Barducci in Gatestone Institute, written before Argentina encouraged Venezuela to join MERCOSUR:

“Argentina seems to be pursuing the path of other Latin American countries in a revival of non-aligned countries, which are anything but non-aligned. Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has created a pro-Iranian, anti-Western school of thought in Latin America; Argentina's government is evidently among his disciples.”

UPI notes that Venezuela may see MERCOSUR not only as a trade pact, but also having military implications.

Mahjar-Barducci excerpt from “Argentina's Cozy Relations with Iran”:
www.gatestoneinstitute.org/2675/argentina-iran-relations

UPI, “Venezuela sees Mercosur as defense pact”: goo.gl/duZpR
12 British_Kirchnerist (#) Jul 17th, 2012 - 10:18 pm Report abuse
#11 Article clearly supports the US official position in the world, if not a more extreme neocon view than that of the current administration. So its hardly going to persuade the likes of me!

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