Amendments to social security law now include medical and social benefits to gay spouses
Mexico now includes gay couples as beneficiaries to social security benefits.
Winning 252 votes for, 80 against and 15 abstentions, in the country’s House of Representatives these amendments improve the constitutional rights of gay, lesbian and bisexual Mexicans.
As a Latin country, Mexico sometimes suffers from homophobia inherent its Catholic and machismo-centric culture. However, the country joins neighboring regions throughout Latin America that are recently stepping-up the advancement of gay civil rights. Mexico legalized same-sex marriages in March 2010.
Enoé Margarita Uranga Muñoz, secretary of the Human Rights Commission, explained that the social security changes aim to revert injustices against the LGBT population of Mexico that continues to lack constitutional protection and benefits.
The legislator from the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) explained that access to social security is a universal human right, and discrimination against individuals from receiving the benefits is unteenable.
She also refuted claims that this law would cost the government too much. She said it is ‘laughable’ that a gay couple costs the government more than a straight couple. Uranga Muñoz also made reference to a UN ordinance that mandates health as a basic human right, one that can’t be denied based on an argument of financial drain.
She made an example of the world’s most socially developed countries whose public policies improved with the recognition of alternative families.
by Jean Paul Zapata
Source – Gay Star News
