REPORT: Uruguay To Debate Gay Marriage Bill December 11

Uruguayan Parliament will vote on 11 December, a bill that allows couples of the same sex to marry legally in the South American country.

The project will be subject to debate in the full House of Representatives of the Congress, which was approved by the Committee on Constitution and Codes of Parliament on Wednesday.

The text states in its first article that "the institute of marriage will mean the union of two parties, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation thereof at the same terms, with the same effects and ways of solution sets to present the Civil Code."

If passed, the legislation would amend the current definition of marriage "as a heterosexual monogamous union", to become a "monogamous union wide allowing people marry heterosexuals, homosexuals, lesbians and transsexuals."

FA deputy, Julio Bango, one of the drafters, said the project would complete its passage in the Senate in 2013, after the summer parliamentary recess.

In 2007 Uruguay legalized civil unions between same sex, by a law which enshrined concubine unions or same sex differently.

In 2009, Gender Identity, Gender and Name Change Registry Act was enacted which provides that "everyone has the right to free development of his personality according to their own gender identity, regardless of what their biological sex, genetic, anatomical, morphological, hormonal, or other assignment."

Last June, the Uruguayan courts recognized a same-sex marriage contracted abroad.

SOURCE: Cronica Viva.