Thousands Protest Gay Marriage in Portugal
February 22, 2010 by Gay Agenda News Team · 2 Comments
Thousands of Portuguese poured onto the streets of Lisbon Sunday in protest of a gay marriage law currently seeking the president’s approval, the Spanish news agency EFE reported.
Organizers estimated the event, called “in defense of the family,” attracted a crowd of 5,000, but no official figures were reported.
Demonstrators marched down Lisbon’s main downtown artery Av. da Liberdade (Liberty Avenue) calling on President Anibal Cavaco Silva to reject a gay marriage law approved twice by lawmakers. Silva is a Roman Catholic and a member of the PSD party, groups which oppose the legalization of gay marriage, and he has publicly stated his opposition to gay marriage. However, Silva has several options before him, including vetoing the bill. Commentators in the Portuguese press have speculated he could forward the issue to the Constitutional Court. Last year, despite the fact that Portugal’s Constitution outlaws discrimination based on sexual orientation, the court denied a lesbian couple the right to marry in a narrow 3-to-2 decision. The ruling prompted Socialists to draft the gay marriage bill.
Portugal Votes to Legalize Marriage Equality
January 8, 2010 by James Hipps · 1 Comment
As reported earlier:
The mainly Catholic population of Portugal, which is also one of Europe’s more socially conservative countries, is expected to approve legislation on Friday that will legalize marriage equality, and expected to do so without a great deal of opposition.
Portugal’s current government is made up of a majority of those belonging to the Socialists and other left-wing parties which has paved the way for the new law is to gain quick approval.
Unlike the 2005 decision to legalize same sex marriage in Spain, which invoked hundreds of thousands of demonstrators onto the streets, the pending legislation in Portugal has received minimal opposition even from those on the right.
Amazingly, the Catholic Church has not been active in seeking support against the law which according to Lisbon’s Cardinal Patriarch Jose Policarpo, is “parliament’s responsibility”. It would appear that Portugal’s residents have a greater understanding of the importance of separation of church and state than many Americans.
According to Miguel Vale de Almeida, Portugal’s first openly-gay lawmaker:
“I think the Portuguese people have learned one of the fundamental tenets of democracy: respect for the rights of the individual.”
UPDATE:
Portugal’s parliament passed a bill today that would make the predominantly Catholic nation the sixth in Europe to permit gay marriage.
Conservative President Anibal Cavaco Silva is thought unlikely to veto the Socialist government’s bill, which won the support of all left-of-center parties. His ratification would allow the first gay marriage ceremonies to take place in April — a month before Pope Benedict XVI is due on an official visit to Portugal.
Right-of-center parties opposed the change and sought a national referendum on the issue, but their proposal was rejected and the government’s bill was passed by 125 votes to 99.
Gay rights campaigners applauded from the galleries, hugged and kissed outside the building and ate wedding cake.
“This law rights a wrong,” Prime Minister Jose Socrates said in a speech to lawmakers, adding that it “simply ends pointless suffering.”
Catholics Won’t Fight Gay Marriage in Portugal
January 7, 2010 by Terence@queerchurch · Leave a Comment
Why can’t all the bishops show the same degree of sense as the Portuguese?
Civil marriage is not recognized by the church – only sacramental marriage, in Church, is officially acceptable. In the eyes of the church, a couple who have joined in civil marriage are technically “cohabiting”, not married. This applies whether the couple in question is same sex, opposite sex, or gender-indeterminate. All civil marriages should therefore be treated equally by the church. As it has not resisted the opposite-sex variety, then to be consistent, it should likewise not oppose the same sex-variety – unless it wishes to confirm that its motivation is based in sheer bigotry.
Many bishops of the US, and here in the UK, just cannot see this. Lt us welcome then, the wisdom of those in Portugal, and offer it as a model to those elsewhere.
Catholic Portugal set to legalise gay marriage
LISBON — Catholic Portugal, traditionally one of Europe’s most socially conservative countries, is expected to approve the legalisation of gay marriage on Friday with a minimum of fuss.
With the governing Socialists and other left-wing parties enjoying a strong majority, the new law is likely to sail through the first reading debate and gain final approval before a visit by Pope Benedict XVI, due in Portugal in May.
In contrast to Spain, where the lead-up to the legalisation of gay marriage in 2005 brought hundreds of thousands of demonstrators onto the streets, the bill in Portugal has provoked only muted opposition even from the right.
While normally vocal on the role of marriage and the family in society, the Catholic Church has refused to mobilise on a subject which, according to Lisbon’s Cardinal Patriarch Jose Policarpo, is “parliament’s responsibility”.
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Deputies are also expected on Friday to vote two other bills submitted by the Green party, the Left Bloc and others which would grant gay and lesbian couples the right to adopt children.
If the gay marriage proposals do pass through parliament, they will the have to go through a parliamentary commission before coming back for the final approval.
According to media reports, both the government and the Catholic Church wants the gay marriage issue to be resolved before the visit of the pope, scheduled for May 11-14.
Also see:
“Portugal, Gay Marriage and Pope Benedict” at Change.org“
Marriage Equality Advances in Portugal
December 21, 2009 by James Hipps · Leave a Comment
On Thursday of last week, the Portuguese government approved a bill which if passed by the country’s parliament, (all indications look good) same-sex couples will be allowed to marry as early as April 2010.
As in the U.S. however, religious conservatives are up in arms and are demanding a referendum, so don’t hold your breath.
One interesting aspect of the law however, is that it also forbids adoption of children by LGBT couples.
One step forward and one back in Portugal for equal rights?
Gay Marriage Coming to Portugal?
December 17, 2009 by Gay Agenda News Team · Leave a Comment
Portugal’s Socialist government has drawn up a proposal that would make Portugal the sixth European country to allow gay marriage.
The law is almost certain to pass, as the center-left Socialist government has the support of all left-of-center parties, who together have a majority in Parliament. Right-of-center parties oppose the measure.
The proposal changes Portuguese law to remove references to marriage being between two people of different sexes, Cabinet Minister Pedro Silva Pereira told a news conference Thursday, adding the government will send its proposal to lawmakers for a debate, probably in January.
If approved by Parliament, the proposed law goes to Portugal’s conservative President Anibal Cavaco Silva, who can ratify or veto it. A veto can be overturned by Parliament.
If there is no presidential veto, the first gay marriage ceremonies could take place in April – a month before Pope Benedict XVI is due on a four-day official visit.
Gay marriage is currently permitted in five European countries – Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Norway.
