Gay Argentine Couple Gets Marriage License

A gay couple received a marriage license in Buenos Aires today, becoming the first couple in the South American nation to take the legal steps toward full marriage. An Argentine judge ruled last week that a ban on gay marriage violates the Argentine constitution and the mayor of Buenos Aires said the city won't take steps to block the couple from wedding on Dec. 1, World AIDS Day.

After approving civil unions in some parts of the country as early as 2002, Argentina may now become the first country in Latin America to allow gay couples to marry. Lawmakers from the Argentine Congress are considering changes that would make gay marriage legal despite strong opposition from religious groups.

Although the developments in Argentina are not likely to start a wave of gay marriage recognition across Latin America, gay rights advocates may be advised to take their fight to San Jose, Montevideo and Quito, cities where the number of gay and gay-friendly establishments per capita is higher than in New York City.

In the same ranking of gay-friendly cities in the region, Port-au-Prince and Tegucigalpa ranked at the bottom of the list.

Image Source: AP
Online Sources: AP, Miami Herald, Foreign Policy