Argentina's senate passed a same-sex marriage bill today, clearing the way for the country to become the first in South America to allow gay couples to marry. Following more than 14 hours of charged debate, during which thousands of Argentinians protested outside the congress, the upper house voted for the proposal, with three abstentions. It cleared Argentina's lower house in May. Tens of thousands of opponents, from children to elderly nuns, braved near-freezing temperatures to protest outside the congress since Tuesday , causing traffic jams in Buenos Aires.
Debate on the bill began in early afternoon on Wednesday and spilled into the early hours of Thursday. Several hundred gay marriage supporters also stood vigil awaiting the vote.
Opinion polls show a majority of Argentines support same-sex marriage, but there is less backing for same-sex couples to adopt children. Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, the archbishop of Buenos Aires, had raised particular concern about the adoption clause of the bill, saying it was important to ensure that children had as role models "both a father and a mother".
Only a small number of countries permit same-sex marriage, including the Netherlands, Sweden, Portugal and Canada. In the US, same-sex couples can marry in five states and in the capital, Washington. Same-sex couples in Mexico City won the same rights as heterosexuals to marry and adopt children in December, under a law passed by city legislators.
Uruguay allows same-sex couples to adopt children but not to marry. A couple kisses outside Argentina's congress during a rally supporting a bill to legalise same-sex marriage.
