Same Sex Marriage Law In Mexico

Mexico City, 22 December 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Same sex marriage law in Mexico¡Que viva Mexico!

The Mexico City legislature yesterday passed with a two thirds majority aninitiative to make it possible for people of the same sex to marry eachother and adopt children. The initiative is now before the Mayor, Mr MarceloLuis Ebrard Casaubon. If he approves the initiative he will draft a new law,redefining marriage in the Federal District as a "free union between twopeople," and allowing same sex couples to adopt. The law will come intoeffect in March 2010.

Gloria Careaga, Co-Secretary General of ILGA and active promoter of thebill, said: “This has been an intense process in which more than 150 socialorganizations were involved. When passed, Mexico City will become the firstlegislative body in Latin America to pass legislation allowing people of thesame sex to marry and adopt children. I am proud of living in this City,this is a landmark victory for all those who believe in the equality oflesbian, gay, transgender and intersex people, in democracy and freedom”.

“This legislation will raise the standards of equality in Mexico higher thanthose of many European and North American countries: a nail in the coffin ofthose who insist in presenting the right of equality for all LGBTI people inthe world as 'a Western construct',” added Renato Sabbadini, Co-SecretaryGeneral of ILGA. ILGA has supported the passage of the initiative by encouraging politicalleaders worldwide to write to Mayor Ebrard Casaubon and the CityParliamentarians and express their support.

Mr Job Cohen, the Mayor of Amsterdam in the Netherlands and the first personin the world to officiate a state-sanctioned same sex marriage, wrote: “Ipraise Mexico City for aspiring to become the first city in Latin America tomake this bold and necessary step forward. Same sex marriage has made oursociety more inclusive. It was a clear signal that we fully accept peoplefor who they are. We oppose discrimination on the basis of whom peoplechoose to love.

I strongly urge you to support this bill. I believe it isthe right way forward for a city that seeks equality for all and I commendyou for your leadership”. Member of the European Parliament Ms Ulrike Lunacek wrote to the Mayor onbehalf of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual andTransgender rights requesting his support for the initiative.

“The right toprivacy, the right to found a family and enjoy fully equal rights areenshrined in international treaties to which the Federal State of Mexico hassubscribed. Passing this piece of legislation would honour the leaders, aswell as serve the interests of all your constituents.”