Spain legalized marriage equality on July 3, 2005

[LostinVA]

Only 30 years after the death of the Fascist dictator Francisco Franco, who controlled an intensely repressive government for almost 40 years. King Juan Carlos gave his Royal Assent, who legally staved off the threat of veto by far right conservatives in the Spanish Senate. "The bill to allow same-sex marriage in Spain was short: it added a new paragraph to article 44 of the civil code, saying that "Matrimony shall have the same requisites and effects regardless of whether the persons involved are of the same or different sex.""

Many other nations have legalized marriage equality since July 3, 2005.

The Stonewall Riots began June 28, 1969, six years before Franco's death, in a country lauded for its freedom and tolerance and promise. DOMA became Public Law 104-199, 110 Stat. 2419, on September 21, 1996, nine years before Spain legalized marriage equality. It is still in effect today.

[terrya]

1. Canada will celebrate its 5th anniversary of marriage equality 07/20/2010

On July 20, 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world and the first country in the Americas to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide with the enactment of the Civil Marriage Act. Court decisions, starting in 2003, each already legalized same-sex marriage in eight out of ten provinces and one of three territories, whose residents comprised about 90% of Canada's population. Before passage of the Act, more than 3,000 same-sex couples had already married in these areas.<1> Most legal benefits commonly associated with marriage had been extended to cohabiting same-sex couples since 1999.

The Civil Marriage Act was introduced by Prime Minister Paul Martin's Liberal government in the Canadian House of Commons on February 1, 2005 as Bill C-38. It was passed by the House of Commons on June 28, 2005, by the Senate on July 19, 2005, and it received Royal Assent the following day. On December 7, 2006, the House of Commons effectively reaffirmed the legislation by a vote of 175 to 123, defeating a Conservative government motion to examine the matter again. This was the third vote supporting same-sex marriage taken by three Parliaments under three Prime Ministers in three different years.


I really envy our friends to the North.

[LostinVA]

3. It would be cool if other posters continued telling the history of marriage equality

Internationally.

[rurallib]

2. Spain and Argentina are both very majority catholic countries, correct?

Does my heart good to see them stand up to the Vatican, which no doubt threatened them with their biggest weapon - eternal damnation.
That threat doesn't seem to have the power it once was.

[LostinVA]

5. Yes

And countries with strong right-wing streaks, too (lots of people actually liked Franco and the Perons).

[Withywindle]

9. Yes. Portugal also

Ratified there and went into effect June 5, 2010


The other countries where marriage equality is full unqualified FEDERAL law are:

Iceland
Belgium
Norway
Canada
Sweden
South Africa (and haven't THEY come a long way!)
Netherlands
Spain
Argentina


Here's the Wiki article about it worldwide.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Status_of_same-sex_marriage

Granted, there are many places far, far behind the US in this regard. But there are many places well ahead of us as well.

[Smashcut]

4. What a surprise...people are unreccing this

[LostinVA]

7. I know

I consider that a badge of honor these days!

[Starry Messenger]

8. They are just being "realistic"

:sarcasm:

[RainDog]

10. add me to the recc'ing crew

great post.

Is America the most reactionary democracy in the western world, I wonder?

[LostinVA]

11. lol

[RainDog]

12. really.

what other democracy has such an idiotic political class that caves to religious extremists? -- what other nation elects so many religious extremists? - a western democracy, I mean, of course.

I can name other nations that are dominated by the fanatical obsessions of a few religious extremists but they don't bother with the façade of democracy.

[Starry Messenger]

6. k & r

[fizzgig]

13. mexico city's marriage equality law went into effect in march

it's far past time we did the same

[LostinVA]

16. +1

[flvegan]

14. I voted for Kucinich.

[LostinVA]

15. I voted McKinney

[LuckyTheDog]

17. And look where it has gotten them!

They've lost the Spanish Netherlands, Naples, Milan, Sardinia, Sicily, Gibraltar and Minorca -- all because of gay marriage!

Oh... wait, that was the War of the Spanish Succession... and that ended in 1714.

My bad.

:dunce: