Only Legally Married Same-Sex Couple in Latin America

Carlos Alvarez & Martin Canavaro

Thanks to my friend Andrés Duque of Blabbeando comes word about the legal marriage of Carlos Alvarez & Martin Canavaro in Argentina and even better news that the law may soon be changed to allow other couples to get maried there as well:

Today [Thursday April 15], two legislative commissions - the General Legislation Commission and the Women, Children and Adolescence Commission - backed a full congressional debate of a bill that would amend Argentina's Civil Code to allow same-sex couples to marry.

La Nación reports today the recommendation has already drawn support from members representing a plurality of the political parties sitting in Congress (which doesn't mean all party representatives sitting in congress will vote in favor once it does come down for a floor vote). It also noted that members of two conservative parties, including the Peronistas - Quick! Someone call Madonna - er - Evita! - were holding off and willing to endorse a "civil union-only" bill that did not define legal same-sex partnership recognition as "marriage".

Vilma Ibarra , the lead sponsor of the bill, said it would replace the words "man and a woman" in the Civil Code with "spouse". She also said that, considering the wide support that the bill received today, she expected a full debate in the next congressional session and passage of the bill.

Congratulations to Carlos and Martin!