The Mexican state of Coahuila has joined one other state and Mexico City in legally recognising same-sex marriages.
The state voted the bill into law yesterday. Presenting the bill was Samuel Acevedo, who said he wanted all gay and lesbian couples to have equal rights to straight couples.
He said the legislation would help to “fight discrimination.
The state, which borders Texas, legalised civil unions in 2007, but same-sex couples were exempt from adoption and social security benefits.
Several other states allow either same-sex marriages or civil unions. Mexico City and Quintana Roo allow marriage, whilst Coahuila allows civil unions.
One state, Yucatan, banned same-sex marriage in 2009.
In December, the Mexican Supreme Court ruled in favour of three couples wishing to marry in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, in a decision which was seen by some as opening the door to eventually having a federal equal marriage law.
Almost 400 same-sex couples married in Mexico within the first six months of the law permitting same-sex marriage coming into effect. The law also allowed gay couples to adopt.
by Joseph Patrick McCormick
Source – PinkNews
