ARGENTINA: Marriage Or Civil Unions?

Argentina's Senate advisory panel has rejected the marriage equality bill approved by the nation's lower chamber last month, but a civil unions bill may be approved next week by the full Senate. The marriage bill is not dead, however.

The Senate’s General Legislation Committee on Tuesday signed two resolutions: nine out of the Committee’s 15 members signed to reject a same-sex marriage bill supported by President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and her husband, Deputy Néstor Kirchner. The nine senators instead backed a civil union bill that does not include adoption rights. Six committee senators on Tuesday backed the same-sex bill passed by the Lower House. The Senate is due to debate the bills on Wednesday. If the same-sex marriage bill is rejected by the Senate, then the civil union bill would be debated and, if passed, it would then move for the first time to the Lower House. If the same-sex marriage bill garners a majority of votes in the Senate and no changes are introduced it would become law. If changes are introduced it would go back to the Lower House for it to consider them.

Yesterday NOM posted the following email from one their Argentine fans.

"I am working very hard in this campaign, yesterday we made a good first step in the Senate, we are raising money for good television spots and people all over the country are finally reacting. We are expecting more than 100,000 people for the march on 13th July, which is a good number for a social mobilization in our country."