Same Sex Marriage legal in Argentina: Protest against legalizing gay marriage

15 July, 2010

Argentina has become the first country in Latin America where gay marriage becomes legalized on Thursday July 15. After 15 hours of marathon debate, the Senate voted 33 in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage.

ARGENTINA HAS become the first country in Latin America where gay marriage became legal on Thursday, July 15. Now, in Argentina, gays and lesbians have all the legal rights, responsibilities and protections that marriage brings to heterosexual couples. The new law will also allow same-sex couples to adopt children.

After 15 hours of marathon debate, the Senate voted 33 in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage, and 27 voted against it, and 3 abstained. Argentina President Cristina Fernandez is a strong supporter of same legal rights and protections as male-female couples. Lower house of congress passed the same sax marriage bill two months ago. Now the bill has to be signed by President Fernandez and published in the country’s official gazette to become law.

However, more than 60,000 people marched on Congress in Buenos Aires to protest against the legalizing same-sex marriage in the Argentina. The march organizers said that they won't vote for politicians who vote for the marriage of homosexuals.

Argentina has been a long-time gay-friendly tourist destination. Argentina capital city, Buenos Aires was the first city in Latin America to approve same sex civil unions in 2002. Mexico City also allows gay marriage and permits same-sex couples to adopt. In recent months, five same-sex couples have married in Argentina.