In Argentina, where gay marriages have been performed and recognized by local officials only to be invalidated on the national level weeks later, the Senate is preparing to vote today on a bill that would allow same-sex couples to wed and enjoy equal protection under the law. Congress approved the bill in May, and if it passes, Argentina will become the first Latin American country that gives same-sex couples the same marriage rights as heterosexual couples.
The bill has sparked fierce debate between the Roman Catholic Church, which strongly opposes the measure, and Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who supports same-sex marriage. Kirchner criticized church officials earlier this week, “They are portraying this as a religious moral issue and as a threat to ‘the natural order,’ when what we are really doing is looking at a reality that is already there.” Kirchner’s statement reflects national sentiment, according to gay rights advocates, who cite polls that show a majority of Argentines support gay marriage.
