- Title: ARGENTINA: Thousands turn out for gay pride
- Date: 7th November 2010
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) HEAD OF ARGENTINE BUREAU FOR EQUALITY MARIA RACHID, SAYING: "Another year but a very special year because this year we are going to celebrate marriage equality in Argentina. We have called on all of society to celebrate with us this great achievement that we have achieved together. Also, as the slogan of the march goes, we are going for more. We want
- Embargoed: 22nd November 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Argentina
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
- Reuters ID: LVA3NTI4A6Z58YIAIJC6F4P5P0YY
- Story Text: Thousands turned out in the Argentine capital on Saturday (November 6) to take part in the city's first gay pride celebrations since Argentina legalized gay marriage earlier this year.
In July, Argentina become the first Latin American country to let gay couples marry and adopt children, defying Catholic opposition to join the ranks of a few mostly European nations with similar laws. And to mark the first gay pride celebrations since that landmark ruling, Argentina's gay community turned out in record numbers to celebrate.
"I feel accepted, I feel like I'm in a completely different world to mine, I feel very good, very good. The fact of seeing so many gays and so many lesbians and so many people like me, who also feel discriminated against, it makes me float, it brings tears to my eyes, I feel very good, I feel at home," said Carlos Carrizio, who dressed as a sailor for the event.
A nominally Roman Catholic country, Argentina is now at the vanguard of gay rights in Latin America with opinion polls showing that most Argentines support gay marriage.
Maria Rachid, the president of the Argentine Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Federation, said that legalizing gay marriage was only the first step.
"Another year but a very special year because this year we are going to celebrate marriage equality in Argentina. We have called on all of the society to celebrate with us this great achievement that we have achieved together. Also, as the slogan of the march goes, we are going for more. We want the law of gender identity now which is a law that will recognize the identity of people and this will allow them access to basic human rights, such as healthcare, education, justice and work," Rachid said before Saturday's march kicked off.
The marchers gathered at the Buenos Aires' government house, also known as the pink house, and marched to the city's Congress building.
As the marchers approached congress, a float blasted out loud music to the crowd made of up of several thousand revelers.
Only a small number of countries permit same-sex marriage, including the Netherlands, Sweden, Portugal and Canada. In the United States, homosexual 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.
Argentina's cosmopolitan capital, Buenos Aires, is known as a "gay friendly" tourist destination. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None