Chile has become the ninth country in the Americas to legalise same-sex marriage! Chilean President Sebastion Pinera signed the historic bill just days after both chambers of Congress voted in favor of the legislation. The Senate voted 21-8 and, an hour later, the Chamber of Deputies passed it 82-20.
The law is about more than granting marriage equality. “The law includes recognition of parental ties, full spousal benefits and adoption rights for married same-sex couples,” reported Al Jazeera. “It also will replace gendered terms with the words “spouse” and “parent” in the country’s civil code and other laws, among other reforms.”
“This is an historic day,” said Petro Arraya, a senator from the Antofagasta region, as he cast his vote.
The Lead Up
The bill was originally introduced in 2017, by then-President Michelle Bachelet. However, this year, President Pinera’s government kicked it up and notch by putting much of its energy into making the dream a reality.
“I think the time has come to guarantee that freedom and that dignity to all people. I think the time has come for marriage equality in our country,” Pinera said on June 1, in his annual speech to Congress.
MOVILH, Movimiento de Integración y Liberación Homosexual (The Homosexual Integration and Liberation Movement), is celebrating the win after decades of advocating for marriage equality. “We have mixed emotions: first, a lot of joy, and second, a lot of nostalgia,” said Oscar Rementeria, a spokesperson for MOVILH.
“Marriage equality was one of many demands but it is a very important one because it has such a tremendous importance in the social and family life of our country.”
MOVILH has had marriage equality in its sights since it was founded in 1991. Just short of a decade ago, MOVILH advocated alongside three same-sex couples who appealed to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for same-sex marriage to be granted in Chile.
It’s not over…
Chile’s gay community is not at peace. Not yet. The presidential runoff election this December is a huge threat: Gabriel Boric, a progressive social democrat, will go up against Jose Antonio Kast, a far-right religious conservative.
The two couldn’t be more different.
“Boric, a 35-year-old congressman and former student activist, has supported marriage and full equality for same-sex couples, including adoption rights,” according to Al Jazeera.
Kast is the opposite: “Kast, a 55-year-old lawyer and former congressman, has openly opposed marriage equality and adoption rights for same-sex couples.”
“Jose Antonio Kast has a track record not only of opposition to [LGBTQ rights] but also one of open confrontation,” said LGBT rights group Fundacion Iguales’ director, Alessia Injoque. “Given the danger he represents, we saw the need to take a stand.”
Despite Kast’s threat to rollback LGBT rights, the community is still grateful for the legalization of same-sex marriage. They’re (tentatively) hopeful for the future. “We are increasingly seeing more countries moving in the direction of a world where we can live freely, without fear and without discrimination,” Injoque said. “This is a great day for Chile.”
