MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Cristina Kirchner signs bill legalizing same-sex couples’ marriage
A little more egalitarian than last week, said Mrs. Kirchner President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner signed a new law Wednesday making Argentina the first country in Latin America to legalize marriage for same-sex couples. Civil registries across the nation will now begin processing long lists of marriage applications from gay couples. The first such ceremony in Buenos Aires is set for August 13.
“Today we are a society that is a little more egalitarian than last week” Mrs. Kirchner said at the signing ceremony. Representatives of groups for gays and lesbians cheered, crying out “Equality, equality!”
The law, which was approved by the Senate last week following earlier endorsement by the Lower house, grants same-sex couples the full legal protections and responsibilities that marriage gives to heterosexual couples, including the ability to inherit property and to jointly adopt children.
Mexico's capital was the first city in the region to legalize gay marriages.
“We must all get used to living in a free country, in harmony” said designer Roberto Piazza, who attended the signing. He added he planned to take advantage of the law and marry his partner soon.
The bill was pushed by Mrs. Kirchner’s left-of-centre administration, worsening its already strained relations with the Roman Catholic Church.
Meantime Mexico City reiterated its promise of a free honeymoon in the megapolis for the first same-sex couple that marries in Argentina.
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Read all commentsCarreful you Argentines ..... she'll make it compulsory next :-)
Jul 22nd, 2010 - 12:15 pm 0is this not the pot calling the kettle black, all these argentine lovers who condem gays on this blog, now all of a sudden like them for the love of
Jul 22nd, 2010 - 05:53 pm 0Mrs. Kirchner’s
Argentine same-sex marriage is to be encouraged. It should be made compulsory! With massive financial penalties for sexual relations outside the marriage. US$50k for each incident would be about right. Penalties to be paid into a fund from which inhabitants of every territory damaged in any way by Argentina over the past 200 years would be compensated.
Jul 22nd, 2010 - 06:18 pm 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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