Joining only seven countries and five U.S. states, Mexico City's legislative assembly voted overwhelmingly Monday to legalize gay marriage.Although the mayor belongs to the conservative party, which voted against the law, he's expected to sign it into law.
The vote changed the definition of marriage in the city's civil code from being between a man and a woman to "the free uniting of two people." Assembly members also approved a resolution allowing married gay couples to legally adopt children.
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Canada, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and Belgium permit gay marriage as do the U.S. states of Iowa, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut and New Hampshire (starting in 2010).
Monday's measure was adopted after two hours of heated debate in which legislators publicly questioned one another's sexual preferences and activities.
"For centuries unjust laws banned marriage between blacks and whites or Indians and Europeans. Today all barriers have disappeared," legislator Victor Romo, a member of the left-leaning majority, told the Associated Press.
Mexico City's assembly had legalized civil unions for gay couples and other non-traditional relationships for Mexico City residents three years ago. The civil union status stopped short of outright marriage, which in addition to adoption includes greater guarantees for inheritance and other rights and obligations.
Monday's vote joins other actions by the capital's government that have raised both eyebrows and hackles in overwhelmingly Roman Catholic and socially conservative Mexico.
This isn't stopping the Catholic Church from opposing it obviously, but it looks like we won a big victory here. After all this is the capital of a big country, and what goes on here likely influences the country as a whole.
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