Gay Marriage: Paraguay or Uruguay, Who’s Next?

July 20, 2010 by Jason Shaw 

Who’s next on the equality trail? Things are moving at quite a rapid pace down there in South America. Could Uruguay and Paraguayfollow in the footsteps of near by neighbor Argentina and legalize gay marriage?

Gay rights groups and campaigners in both Uruguay and Paraguay are pushing hard for their respective parliaments to consider bills allowing gay’s equal marriage rights.

Argentina became the first country in Southern America to make gay marriage legal, with the President, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner expected to ratify the law this week.

However media reports from the region are suggesting Uruguay is now the most likely of the two countries to introduce equal gay marriage rights. It would seem the most logical step as they already have same sex civil unions, there are also adoption rights for gay couples, plus gay people have the right to serve openly in the military.

Paraguay is less likely to make the change at least for the moment, as church leaders have already been speaking out against such things, however gay rights group, Somosgay, announced this week it will lobby government to introduce a bill.

Roman Catholic Bishop Adalberto Martinez of San Pedo stated a “intense educational campaign” on Christian values would be launched and the the country’s vice-president Federico Franco has said man and woman were created to raise a family.

However the momentum for gay marriage in South America is starting to gain speed, with many observers expecting bills to be introduced in both countries before the end of the year

Jason Shaw

http://www.gayagenda.com