Fridae

Germany's highest court last week ruled that gay couples in civil partnerships are entitled to the same inheritance tax rights as married couples.

The issue of marriage equality has intensified in the lead up to Saturday's election with Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her opponent Tony Abbott repeatedly challenged on the issue.

Costa Rica's top court on Tuesday ruled that a planned public referendum on same-sex civil unions is illegal thus blocking the electoral tribunal from holding a referendum that would have let voters decide if same-sex civil unions should be allowed in the largely Roman Catholic country.

President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner on Wednesday convened a ceremony at the Casa Rosada government house in downtown Buenos Aires to formally sign into law a bill making Argentina the first country in Latin America to legalise marriage for same-sex couples.

Australia's new Prime Minister says it's her personal view that she does not support legalising gay marriage in Australia. 

Portugal's President Anibal Cavaco Silva has announced he will set aside his "personal convictions" and ratify a law that legalises gay marriage in the predominantly Catholic country, making it the sixth European country to do so.

The US capital of Washington DC became the sixth US jurisdiction to allow same-sex marriage after the Supreme Court threw out a last-minute legal challenge. Update: Buenos Aires sees second same-sex marriage, Mexico's capital city hands out its first same-sex marriage licenses

Mexico City's legislature on Monday approved gay marriage, in the first such law passed anywhere in predominantly Catholic Latin America.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called on Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to allow all Senators a free vote on same-sex marriage so that the issue can be debated fully.

Impressions from the 2009 Out & Equal Workplace Summit held in Orlando, 6-9 October 2009.