Portugal's parliament last Friday approved plans to legalise same-sex marriage but rejected proposals to allow same-sex couples to adopt.
Homosexual acts were illegal in Portugal until as recently as 1982. The country has traditionally been considered one of Europe's most socially conservative countries.
Jose Socrates, the prime minister, said the aim of the legislation was to remedy decades of injustice towards gays.
"I am of a generation - as we all are - which is not proud of the way it treated homosexuals," he was quoted as saying in the media.
"This is a step that will seem completely natural in the near future, in the same way that gender equality, abortion rights and unmarried couples living together are normal now."
Two years ago his government lifted Portugal's ban on abortion, despite church opposition.
The bill will now be reviewed in committee before coming back for a final vote in parliament, and could gain final approval before a visit by Pope Benedict XVI to Portugal in May.
In 2001, a law allowed "civil unions" between same-sex couples which granted them certain legal, tax and property rights. However, it did not allow couples to take their partner's name, inherit their possessions nor their state pension, which is permitted in marriages.
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2- In 2001, a law allowed "civil unions" between same-sex couples...
3- Same-sex marriage legalised in 2010
It took just 18 years after gay sex was decriminalised for gay civil union to be legalised, and 27 years for gay marriage to be. So, we must learn from this lesson that the existing gay sex laws such as 377a must be repealed before we can expect more equality and justice. As the Portuguese Prime Minister acknowledged, there had been "decades of injustice towards gays."
http://prop8trialtracker.com/2010/01/11/live-updates-from-the-courthouse-iv-afternoon-session-continues/
It was to be broadcast on YouTube, on the orders of the Judge, but that order has temporarily been stayed by the Supreme Court at the request of the opponents of Gay Marriage.
First being the couple in Malawi now taking their case to the Constitutional Court of the nation, and that the Christian right in Mexico is gearing to challenge the gay marriage bill of the country.
No need to wonder who's funding the latter.
Bravo, Portugal!
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