South Africa first nation in Africa to legalize gay marriage

[FVZA_Colonel]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061130/ap_on_re_af/south_africa_gay_marriages



S. Africa first to legalize gay marriage
By CLARE NULLIS

CAPE TOWN, South Africa - South Africa on Thursday became the first country in Africa, and only the fifth in the world, to legalize same sex marriages.

The Civil Union Act goes into effect a day ahead of a Dec. 1 deadline set by the country's Constitutional Court, which required the marriage law be changed to ensure equality for gay and lesbians.

Gay rights groups have welcomed the law, although they criticized provisions allowing clergy and civil marriage officers to turn away gay couples if their consciences prevented them from marrying them.

Some couples began hurrying to make preparations for long-awaited nuptials.

[liberalpragmatist]

1. So 15 years ago, South Africa was under apartheid...

... and today they have equal rights for gays and lesbians.

Quite a journey in under 2 decades.

Doesn't speak nearly so well of the U.S.

[tabatha]

2. It just goes to show what can happen

with the right people in power - and the whole population being able to vote transparently.

[Idioteque]

3. Hmmmmmmmmmm

Filibuster Cartoons

[Zhade]

4. Remember when South Africa had a really, really evil government?

One that didn't respect human rights?

And we were denouncing them?

I remember those days.