Viva Argentina!

July 15, 2010 8:34 AM

Argentina Approves Gay Marriage. With a 33-27 vote in the Senate, Argentina has become the first Latin American country to legalize gay marriage. (Mexico City legalized it in 2009.) Reactions: 1 2 3

TIME gives a bit more background. The Economist takes a more cynical look at how the law came to be.

Buenos Aires had legalized same-sex civil unions in 2003 but they did not grant inheritance and adoption rights.

Wikipedia article on the history of LGBT rights in Argentina.

posted by kmz (43 comments total)

¡!
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 8:41 AM on July 15, 2010

Cry for us, Argentina.

signed,

USA
posted by hermitosis at 8:43 AM on July 15, 2010 [5 favorites]

Fox News Headline: Soccer loving country promotes homosexuality

no not really
posted by 2bucksplus at 8:44 AM on July 15, 2010 [3 favorites]

This means that Daniel Morocco [incredibly NSFW] and I can finally get married!

Now all I need to do is kidnap him and restructure his DNA so he'll be gay!

:D
posted by Avenger at 8:49 AM on July 15, 2010

This is good.
posted by haveanicesummer at 8:49 AM on July 15, 2010

Congratulations!
posted by longdaysjourney at 8:49 AM on July 15, 2010

I kind of love that this passed AS a wedge issue. According to the Economist anyway, they intentionally SOUGHT a tought fight to prove they were powerful and solidify a liberal base. IF ONLY THIS COULD HAPPEN EVERYWHERE EVER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS!
posted by haveanicesummer at 8:53 AM on July 15, 2010 [5 favorites]

Yet again the U.S. is beaten on the human rights front.

But great news, no matter what the political motivations of the Kirchners.
posted by bearwife at 8:59 AM on July 15, 2010 [1 favorite]

So strange that the articles aren't reporting what went on in the legislature, although I'm glad they're noting that the Catholic Church had lobbied very, VERY hard against it. This is a huge victory for Argentine civil rights and a blow to the political Church's influence.

Most of those who voted against the bill were Peronista hardliners, and apparently there were a number of dramatic incidents during the epic, 14-hour debate.

At one point Senator Miguel Angel Pichetto declared that an article of the draft submitted by the Peronistas had Nazi connotations, since it prohibited gay couples from adopting. San Luis PJ Liliana Negre de Alonso dramatically demanded (while crying) that Pichetto retract the statement, which was done.

Reactions from Argentina:

Buenos Aires Herald: 1, 2, 3

La Razon lists the votes.

Clarin has a number of Spanish language articles up, as well as a photo gallery.

La Prensa

La Nacion on the decision, and the first reactions being posted to twitter by those involved.
posted by zarq at 9:01 AM on July 15, 2010 [4 favorites]

errr... that should be, "a blow to the Church's political influence."
posted by zarq at 9:01 AM on July 15, 2010

haveanicesummer: I kind of love that this passed AS a wedge issue.

In my most optimistic days, I really think that this could happen in the US. In my not so optimistic days, I still want them to have the fight because it's getting harder and more uncomfortable for bigots to keep being loud, so those of us here should make them shout as much as possible.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:03 AM on July 15, 2010 [4 favorites]

Something something Uruguay

Uruguay were the first Latin American country to have a national civil union law. As of January 1, 2008, both same-sex and opposite-sex couples are allowed to enter into a civil union (unión concubinaria) in Uruguay after they live together for at least five years, and are entitled to most of the benefits that married couples are afforded, including social security entitlements, inheritance rights and joint ownership of goods and property. There had been talk of a same-sex marriage bill in 2009, but nothing has happened since then (all this according to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org
posted by filthy light thief at 9:04 AM on July 15, 2010 [2 favorites]

Uruguay were was the first Latin American country ...
posted by filthy light thief at 9:06 AM on July 15, 2010 [1 favorite]

... (all this according to the current Wiki page on civil unions in Uruguay)
posted by filthy light thief at 9:07 AM on July 15, 2010

Zarq...I think it was more accurate the first time. :-)
posted by txmon at 9:08 AM on July 15, 2010 [1 favorite]

In case anyone is curious, here's more on Sra Negre de Alonso from Wikipedia. She's a religious Catholic and was the leader of the Peronista fight against gay marriage.
posted by zarq at 9:09 AM on July 15, 2010

¡Olé!
posted by educatedslacker at 9:10 AM on July 15, 2010

txmon, LOL! :D
posted by zarq at 9:10 AM on July 15, 2010

Sometimes I take Wikipedia for granted, and then I find a page that makes me ecstatic for this internet age and community projects. This is one of those pages: LGBT rights by country or territory.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:12 AM on July 15, 2010 [3 favorites]

What I love about this is that here in Buenos Aires (apart from the demonstrations outside Congreso, and let's face it when isn't there a demonstration outside Congreso?), this is passing virtually unnoticed, people accept it. The majority, on whom it has no direct effect are paying it no attention. Laws pass every day that don't affect them directly, this is another one, what's the fuss?
posted by jontyjago at 9:12 AM on July 15, 2010 [2 favorites]

The Gay Marriage Chart-of-the-Day shows the growing world population living in areas that recognize same-sex marriages:

"The big spike you see in 2008 is California recognizing gay marriage through the courts, and then un-recognizing it through the passage of Proposition 8. Right now, it's possible to marry your same-sex partner in Buenos Aires, in Mexico City, in Ames, Iowa, and in Pretoria, South Africa, but not in San Francisco. With countries like Argentina and Portugal now recognizing same-sex marriages, however, the global trajectory has returned to its slow-but-steady upward pace."
posted by john m at 9:15 AM on July 15, 2010

Donde esta la biblioteca?

Estoy practicando para mover a una pais que respeta los derechos humanos...
posted by greekphilosophy at 9:15 AM on July 15, 2010 [9 favorites]

Is this something to do with all the cock-sucking Maradona was shouting about?
posted by longbaugh at 9:25 AM on July 15, 2010 [3 favorites]

So, I'm guessing they don't have a filibuster?

I doubt SSM would pass the US congress nonetheless, but I also think the filibuster has seriously watered down a lot that has happened over the last 1 1/2 years. In order to flex absolute power here and defy wedge issues nowadays you'd need a good 70+ seat majority.

there was a time I though the filibuster was worthwhile and on balance a good thing, if used sparingly and with grave thought behind it. The current era of filibustering as a matter of course is just fecked and ensures even slower social progress and higher dissatisfaction with congress.
posted by edgeways at 9:30 AM on July 15, 2010

I'd like to offer my apologies - apparently Maradona was referring to either ducks or desks according to that last post. Cocks had nothing to do with it.

Well done otherwise chaps.
posted by longbaugh at 9:30 AM on July 15, 2010

America is losing its place as a bastion of human rights. This could have been avoided if it had a sassy gay friend.
posted by Tomorrowful at 9:32 AM on July 15, 2010 [7 favorites]

It's delicious that more and more countries that currently have or have had a long history of an Official State Religion are at the forefront of recognizing gay marriage and/or civil partnerships.
posted by rtha at 9:34 AM on July 15, 2010 [1 favorite]

America, you stupid bitch. You're a sssstupid bitch!
posted by greekphilosophy at 9:36 AM on July 15, 2010 [4 favorites]

Wow, and hurray!

I noticed something subtle this morning when listening to some brief coverage of this on the radio. They of course quoted some Catholic official fuckwad who lobbied hard against this as saying something like "It will destroy the family unit."

Usually, I get very sour and angry at such pronouncements. Maybe it was the way the announcer read the quote, or maybe it was just my mood, but this time it just went in one ear and out the other as so much irrelevant noise. That small moment felt wonderfully liberating.
posted by treepour at 9:38 AM on July 15, 2010

both same-sex and opposite-sex couples are allowed to enter into a civil union (unión concubinaria)

I wonder if my wife will mind if I start referring to our marriage as a concubinary union...
posted by nickmark at 9:45 AM on July 15, 2010 [4 favorites]

Good for you, Argentina!

Maybe someday America will grow up and overcome its Puritan roots.

I'm not holding my breath.
posted by kinnakeet at 9:54 AM on July 15, 2010

Hooray! Suck it, the church.
posted by pyrex at 10:08 AM on July 15, 2010

¡Dale pibes! Hooray for my alternate country!

Now if they could only figure out how to beat Germany...
posted by languagehat at 10:45 AM on July 15, 2010

Well in this case they totally did languagehat.
posted by ZeroAmbition at 10:47 AM on July 15, 2010 [5 favorites]

Hooray for Argentina! Whoooooooooo! Too bad they didn't also win the World Cup, but you can't have everything.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 10:55 AM on July 15, 2010

you know what's even more amazing?

the fact that many desaparecidos in Argentina were gay. we're talking about a country where the government led secret mass executions of dissidents --political, religious, sexual and otherwise-- to embracing a new generation of the same people in a matter of 40 years.

when Argentina vs. Germany was on the World Cup we were joking that it was Nazis vs. (Latino) Nazis. it's really amazing to see Argentina vigorously working to not so much wipe that stain, but do unto others and itself as a nation that has learnt from its grievous mistakes and heinous crimes.

¡Bravo, Chés!
posted by liza at 11:07 AM on July 15, 2010 [7 favorites]

Jesus, something about that Economist article strikes a sour note for me. You can almost feel the author's disdain through your monitor.

Congratulations, Argentina.
posted by kryptondog at 11:43 AM on July 15, 2010

The Economist doesn't care for the Kirchners. I don't think its writers are against gay marriage. The "newspaper," as they like to call themselves, is pretty reliably "liberal" in the classic sense -- that is, in favor of economic and personal liberty.
posted by bearwife at 1:25 PM on July 15, 2010

¡Dale pibes! Hooray for my alternate country!

Now if they could only figure out how to beat Germany...
posted by languagehat at 8:45 PM on July 15

They just did in that, gay-marriage-wise! Germany just has some watered-down version of registered partnerships, and the current conservative government desperately clings to their discriminatory policies despite a ruling by the Constitutional Court that same-sex couples must be treated equally.

I still hope for Merkels government to self-destruct very soon.
posted by ts;dr at 2:01 PM on July 15, 2010

Oh, ZeroAmbition already beat me to it.

"when Argentina vs. Germany was on the World Cup we were joking that it was Nazis vs. (Latino) Nazis"

Actually I was pretty surprised that I saw way less of the usual Nazi-jokes and Hitler references in the world cup threads than usually pop up every time Germany is mentioned on the blue. Guess I must have missed those.
posted by ts;dr at 2:07 PM on July 15, 2010

This could have been avoided if it had a sassy gay friend

Canada is FABULOUS!
posted by Kirk Grim at 2:25 PM on July 15, 2010 [1 favorite]

northern migration maybe?
posted by jeffmac at 2:28 PM on July 15, 2010

Argentine 'dirty war' general gets life sentence
posted by homunculus at 5:49 PM on July 15, 2010