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| Mexico City approves gay marriage | Mexico City approves gay marriage |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Lawmakers in Mexico City have become the first in Latin America to legalise gay marriage. | Lawmakers in Mexico City have become the first in Latin America to legalise gay marriage. |
| City legislators passed the bill 39-20, with five abstentions. The city's mayor is now widely expected to sign the bill into law. | City legislators passed the bill 39-20, with five abstentions. The city's mayor is now widely expected to sign the bill into law. |
| Gay marriage is only allowed in seven countries and some parts of the US. Certain parts of Latin America allow civil unions for same-sex couples. | Gay marriage is only allowed in seven countries and some parts of the US. Certain parts of Latin America allow civil unions for same-sex couples. |
| The Catholic Church and conservative groups had opposed Mexico City's move. | |
| The bill calls for a change in the definition of marriage in the city's civic code - from the union of a man and a woman to "the free uniting of two people". | The bill calls for a change in the definition of marriage in the city's civic code - from the union of a man and a woman to "the free uniting of two people". |
| Regional differences | |
| Lawmaker David Razu had proposed the change to give same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples regarding social security and other benefits. | Lawmaker David Razu had proposed the change to give same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples regarding social security and other benefits. |
| Mexico City's legislature is dominated by the leftist Democratic Revolutionary Party, which has already legalised abortion and civil unions for same-sex couples. | Mexico City's legislature is dominated by the leftist Democratic Revolutionary Party, which has already legalised abortion and civil unions for same-sex couples. |
| Spokesman Oscar Oliver told AFP news agency that city legislators were now taking up a measure in the bill that would allow married same-sex couples to adopt children. | |
| A handful of cities in Argentina, Ecuador and Colombia permit gay unions. | |
| Uruguay alone has legalised civil unions nationwide and allowed same-sex couples to adopt children. | |
| Last month, an Argentinean court narrowly blocked what would been the continent's first gay marriage. | |
| In a last-minute challenge, a court referred the case to the country's Supreme Court, which is due to rule on the issue. |