ARGENTINA: Argentine gay couple looks forward to their historic wedding on World AIDS Day.

Record ID: 276884

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Argentine gay couple looks forward to their historic wedding on World AIDS Day.
  • Date: 27th November 2009
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (NOVEMBER 25, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FREYRE AND DI BELLO WITH JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST TO BE MARRIED JOSE MARIA DI BELLO, SAYING: "Today HIV is a chronic illness like diabetes so long as one has access to antiretroviral treatments. Like a diabetic has to use insulin his whole life, I am going to have to take my co
  • Embargoed: 12th December 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA21FHCWXDZJEL08PY0PKMA0GRG
  • Story Text: Same-sex couple granted permission to wed in Argentina is HIV positive and will tie the knot on Worlds AIDS Day.
    A homosexual couple which was the first in Argentina to be granted permission to get married earlier this month looks forward to their wedding day and the social importance it carries.
    Both Alex Freyre and Jose Maria Di Bello are HIV positive and they plan to take their wedding vows on World AIDS Day on December 1.
    The couple was granted a marriage license by a judge who overruled a ban on gay marriages in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, arguing it was unconstitutional.
    The two are gay rights activists and hope the judicial decision allowing them to wed will set a precedent to legalize same sex marriage in Argentina and throughout Latin America though they say much work lies ahead in their fight.
    "The rainbow is coming with rights. It is not just a question of celebrating. This signifies a lot of work. And it also means it needs to be understood that we pay the same taxes and we want the same rights with the same names, marriage. So that our families can have the same legal equalities," said Freyre.
    Argentina became the first Latin American country to allow civil unions by same-sex couples in 2002.
    Civil unions in Buenos Aires and several other Argentine cities grant same-sex couples some legal marital rights, but not others such as the right to adopt.
    Earlier this month the gay pride Parade took on a same-sex marriage theme as thousands of gays and gay rights supporters marched from the Presidential Palace to the Congress building.
    The activist couple was at the head of the parade wearing red ribbon sashes as a symbol of the fight against AIDS and the HIV virus.
    As much as the couple hopes to send a message about gay marriage with their wedding, their choice to tie the knot on World AIDS Day is also to put out a message of hope and solidarity for those living with HIV.
    "Today HIV is a chronic illness like diabetes so long as one has access to antiretroviral treatments. Like a diabetic has to use insulin his whole life, I am going to have to take my cocktail, as the antiretroviral drugs are commonly called, my whole life. But I have a life expectancy that will let me be an old man, hopefully together with Alex. We want to send the message that it is possible on December 1st," said Di Bello.
    Freyre and Di Bello previously tried to marry in April, but were turned down by a different judge. The new judicial ruling applies only to their case, but it will likely increase pressure on lawmakers to debate a gay marriage bill currently deadlocked in Congress.
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