January 5, 2011
Chile to extend legal protections to same-sex couples?
Michael K. Lavers READ TIME: 1 MIN.
Members of a right-wing party political party in Chile have reportedly acknowledged the need to eliminate discrimination against same-sex couples in the South American country.
El Mercurio reported on Sunday, Jan. 2, members of the Independent Democrat Union support the need to include a statement in their party's platform that acknowledges the need to study ways to eliminate "practical hurdles or situations of unjustified inequality for partners of the opposite or same sex who live together." This reported proposal would appear to suggest Chilean lawmakers could potentially modify the South American country's laws to extend basic protections to same-sex couples.
Argentina became the first South American country to allow same-sex couples to marry after President Cristina Fern�ndez de Kirschner signed her country's marriage equality law in July. Gays and lesbians in neighboring Uruguay have been able to enter into civil unions since 2008.
El Mercurio further reported the IDU's proposed platform would define marriage as between a man and a woman-the party's 1991 and 2009 manifestos specifically state "the family always originates from a union between a man and a woman."
The Movement for Homosexual Liberation and Integration scoffed at the idea the IDU would support any pro-LGBT measures that could go before Chilean lawmakers. And it vowed to oppose any efforts to advance IDU-sponsored proposals.
"The UDI's proposal seeks to impose absolutist and dictatorial visions that are motivated by religious ideology upon non-traditional ways to love and construct families," said the organization on its Web site, as translated from Spanish into English.
Based in Washington, D.C., Michael K. Lavers has appeared in the New York Times, BBC, WNYC, Huffington Post, Village Voice, Advocate and other mainstream and LGBT media outlets. He is an unapologetic political junkie who thoroughly enjoys living inside the Beltway.
