Uruguay’s congress plans to consider a bill that would give same-sex couples the right to marriage.
The proposed “marriage equality” law would entitle gay and lesbian couples to marry, and provide them with the same rights and responsibilities as heterosexual married couples, including the possibility of adopting children.
The bill was originally drafted by gay rights activists from a group known as the “Black Sheep Collective” and has received support from members of the ruling Frente Amplio (FA) coalition. If passed, it would change civil code that has existed in the South American country for almost 100 years.
Federico Grana, a member the “Black Sheep Collective” told local media yesterday, “today’s society is much broader than the heterosexual, and the civil code should reflect this: a marriage institution that applies equally to all.”
“This goes well beyond homosexuality — it’s a law that gives everyone the same rights and responsibilities,” concluded Grana.
The announcement comes following a recent wave of liberal reform in Uruguay, which has seen the legalization of abortion and plans to allow for the sale of government-grown marijuana to all citizens, in the past few months.
