Spain's Parliament Defies Conservatives, Clergy and Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
 

MADRID, Spain -- Parliament legalized gay marriage Thursday, defying conservatives and clergy who opposed making traditionally Roman Catholic Spain the third nation to allow same-sex unions. Gay activists cheered the vote and blew kisses to lawmakers.

The measure passed the 350-seat Congress of Deputies by a vote of 187-147 with four abstentions. The bill also lets gay couples adopt children and inherit each others' property.

The bill is now law. The Senate, where conservatives hold the largest number of seats, rejected the bill last week. But it is an advisory body and final say on legislation rests with the Congress of Deputies.

After the final tally was announced, gay and lesbian activists watching from the spectator section of the ornate chamber cheered, embraced each other, waved to lawmakers and blew them kisses.

The Netherlands and Belgium are the only other two nations that allow gay marriage nationwide. Canada's House of Commons passed legislation Tuesday that would legalize gay marriage by the end of July as long as the Senate also passes the bill, which it's expected to do.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero noted that in debate before the vote.

"We were not the first, but I am sure we will not be the last. After us will come many other countries, driven, ladies and gentlemen, by two unstoppable forces: freedom and equality," he told the chamber.

Zapatero said the reform of Spanish legal code simply adds one paragraph but means much, much more.

He called it "a small change in wording that means an immense change in the lives of thousands of citizens. We are not legislating, ladies and gentlemen, for remote unknown people. We are expanding opportunities for the happiness of our neighbors, our work colleagues, our friends, our relatives."

Zapatero lacks a majority in the chamber but got help from small regional-based parties that tend to be his allies.

A la slavery - the US will be the last hold out and it will do so once again on BS religious reasons that are archaic and just wrong. Oh Well.

So true :distress:

Yay for gay marriage finally being legal in a country with a warm climate!

There was a movement started by the Roman Catholic Church a long time ago that it would portray itself and a non-ruling entity - this was in an effort to provide a different image that disassociated itself from the horrors of its infancy and part of its adolescence during which it committed horrors like the Inquisition, the Crusades, the witch hunts, the sale of indulgences, etc. But, all that was smoke and mirrors as the RCC is still a very formidable presence in the world's ruling powers. So, it will never change which is sad because it does a lot of good for a lot of people. Sadly, it cannot let go of its power and the Protestant religions are even worse though they were formed primarily to get away from that kind of corrupt tyranny.

again - so true - the amount of power the RCC has in this world is truly frightening to me...and you're right - it's not going to change - or it might - but it''ll take a couple hundred years to happen :o