The U.S Is Even Behind Uruguay For Gay Rights

MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) - Uruguay's Congress legalized civil unions for homosexual couples on Tuesday in the first nationwide law of its kind in Latin America.

Under the new law, gay and straight couples will be eligible to form civil unions after living together for five years. They will have rights similar to those granted to married couples on such matters as inheritance, pensions and child custody.

Uruguay's Senate passed the bill unanimously after the lower house approved it last month, a congressional spokesman said. The country's center-left president is expected to sign it into law.

Several cities, including Buenos Aires and Mexico City, already have gay civil union laws on the books. Uruguay's law would be the first nationwide measure in Latin America, which is home to about half the world's Roman Catholics.

In Uruguay, couples must register their relationship with authorities to gain the cohabitation rights, and they will also be able to formalize the end of a union.

Gay marriage remains illegal in Uruguay, a small South American country known for its secular streak.

The Catholic Church has said its opposition to gay marriage is non-negotiable and Catholic politicians have a moral duty to oppose it.

Earlier this year in Colombia, a group of senators shot down a landmark gay rights bill at the last minute, using a procedural vote to back away from the measure.

http://www.reuters.com/article/world...54039020071219

Bush really should be ashamed of himself.

Regards,

Lee

Yes, as you might recall, we moved the MiamiBoyz office to Argentina last April and have had the opportunity to hope across the boarder to Uruguay.

Beautiful country!

Always good to see progress happening anywhere in the world for gay rights!

Lee

We all seem so surprised that a "Bush" can't run this country anywhere but into the ground or backward. I say bring back the Clinton Regime and let's get back on track! WE all know it was Hilary running this country before when her husband was in office.

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Originally Posted by Lee

MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) - Uruguay's Congress legalized civil unions for homosexual couples on Tuesday in the first nationwide law of its kind in Latin America.

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Umm --- so Connecticut is no longer a part of the United States now?

Massachsetts? Vermont?

If you want civil unions - you Florida guys can just go get your Democrat governor to make it happen..... right?

Steve

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Originally Posted by desslock

Umm --- so Connecticut is no longer a part of the United States now?

Massachsetts? Vermont?

If you want civil unions - you Florida guys can just go get your Democrat governor to make it happen..... right?

Steve

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Mass, Vermont, these are state rulings, not nationwide.
There was actually a story posted I believe not long ago detailing the tragedy of a lesbian couple who couldn't divorce because they didn't both live in a state where homosexual unions were recognized, and therefore homosexual divorce was denied.

My thoughts exactly. Hopefully a democratic president, with a democratic house and senate, will be able to change this in the coming years. What a complete mess!

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Originally Posted by Kushiel

Mass, Vermont, these are state rulings, not nationwide.
There was actually a story posted I believe not long ago detailing the tragedy of a lesbian couple who couldn't divorce because they didn't both live in a state where homosexual unions were recognized, and therefore homosexual divorce was denied.

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Yes that is unfortunate. However, Lee's post indicated that Uruguay's Congress possessed the initiative to pass a civil unions bill, while this was not happening in the United States.

And it has ---- the process actually works. It's in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont now.

Bush failed at amending the Constitution. Trying to amend the Constitution to allow or disallow same sex marriage will fail.

If people in Florida want gay marriage, they can go to their Democrat governor and start lobbying. Whoever is the President of the United States cannot help or hurt them at this point.

Steve

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Originally Posted by Lee

Gay marriage remains illegal in Uruguay, a small South American country known for its secular streak.

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Another important note ----- gay marriage is not legal in Uruguay.... only civil unions.

I predict a number of additional states will legalize civil unions.

Also --- just one last point, Rudy Giuliani supported gay marriage and unions publicly years before any of the leading Democratic presidential candidates.

Steve

Steve, are you saying that Governor Charlie Crist is a Democrat or that the people of Florida should have had the good sense to elect a Democrat?

Also, are you certain that Giuliani has ever supported gay marriage? He seems to disagree. :)
http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/po...n-to-same.html

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Originally Posted by JustJohn

Steve, are you saying that Governor Charlie Crist is a Democrat or that the people of Florida should have had the good sense to elect a Democrat?

Also, are you certain that Giuliani has ever supported gay marriage? He seems to disagree. :)
http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/po...n-to-same.html

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Dont mind Steve, he's a gay Texan Republican, he knows not what he types ;)

Regards,

Lee

Actually Giuliani has supported civil unions and domestic partnerships for years. Here is a video of him signing the NYC domestic partnership bill in 1998 with an amazing statement about Gays and Lesbians and this law bringing society closer to treating everyone equally. At the time this was one of the most liberal bills around giving us an amazing amount of equal rights.

Thank you, Squirt.

I had friends in NYC during his tenure as mayor - and in those years he was more progressive on this issue then almost any other politicians.

But I'm sure Senator Clinton has released lots of nice press releases in time for critical fund raising opportunities at Human Rights Champagne Black Tie dinners..

Steve