By Katelyn Bidondo.
Gay marriage in South America – sounds like an oxymoron, right? Gay marriage on a continent that is primarily Catholic – one would think that the two couldn’t go
together, but you’d be surprised. In July of 2010, Argentina became the first
county in Latin America to legalize gay marriage. On a recent study abroad trip
to Argentina, I was surprised to learn that not only is gay marriage legal, but that there was such a strong sense of acceptance.
I was even more surprised to see the “Marcha del Orgullo Gay” (Gay Pride) was held in Plaza de Mayo, directly in front of Argentina’s equivalent to the White House, La Casa Rosada.
To me, this speaks volumes to level of acceptance of the LGBTQIA community in Argentina. It is truly inspiring. I went to gay pride with my roommate, and I have to say it was one of the best experiences of time abroad. We even got to ride of the first float of the parade!
This experience led me to wonder how the rest of South America views gay marriage. This curiosity could not have come at a better time. Last week, Uruguay’s senate approved gay marriage. This makes Uruguay the second South American nation and 12th country in the world to legalize gay marriage. With further research, I have found that many other South American countries are allowing for civil unions and are slowly recognizing the partnerships. But, like here in the United States, progress take time and a lot of hard work.
Photos from Katelyn Bidondo.