The Mexican state of Oaxaca will legalize gay marriage after the nation’s top court unanimously declared its marriage law, which excludes gay and lesbian couples, to be unconstitutional.
On Wednesday, the nation’s Supreme Court (la Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nacion (SCJN)) sided with three gay couples who wish to marry in the state.
Lawmakers on Thursday met to discuss two proposals aimed at amending the state’s civil code, which currently defines marriage as a heterosexual union.
Unlike the U.S. Supreme Court, Mexico’s court does not have the authority to simultaneously strike down laws throughout the nation. However, it’s clear the ruling paves the way for Mexico to legalize marriage equality now that such bans have been deemed unconstitutional.
The federal municipality of Mexico City first legalized such unions in 2009, and the Supreme Court has previously ruled that those marriages must be recognized nationwide.
Salon.com reported that the ruling could affect other Latin American countries.
“The couples seeking to marry in the Oaxaca case based their claims partly on protections in the American Convention on Human Rights, which has legal force in many Latin American countries. In saying that bans on same-sex marriage are discriminatory, the court may establish a precedent that could be used by LGBT activists throughout the region.”
by On Top Magazine Staff
Source – On Top Magazine
