Court sets S.Africa on course for gay marriage

[meganmonkey]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's top court said on Thursday it was unconstitutional to deny gay people the right to marry, putting it on track to become the first African country to legalize same-sex marriage.

The Constitutional Court told parliament to amend marriage laws to include same-sex partners within the year — a step that would make South Africa the fifth country in the world to approve gay marriage despite widespread African taboos against homosexuality.


"The exclusion of same-sex couples from the benefits and responsibilities of marriage … signifies that their capacity for love, commitment and accepting responsibility is by definition less worthy of regard than that of heterosexual couples," Justice Albie Sachs said in the ruling.

The court said if parliament did not act, the legal definition of marriage would be automatically changed to include same-sex unions. That would put South Africa alongside Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Canada in allowing gay marriages.

more...

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1362246


According to NPR this morning, the only dissenting judge wanted the rule to go into effect IMMEDIATELY instead of giving them 12 months to work out the details. Pretty remarkable, if you ask me. Good for them

[coffeenap]

1. South Africa to Have Gay Weddings

South Africa's highest court has ruled in favour of same-sex marriages, which are banned under current legislation.

The Constitutional Court ordered that parliament amend marriage laws to allow gay weddings within a year.

The constitution outlaws discrimination against gays and lesbians, but social attitudes remain more conservative. (snip)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4487756.stm

[applegrove]

2. Yeah - South Africa. WE LOVE YOU! You show the world. And look

at that folks. Democracy is 12 years old in South Africa and look at that.

:woohoo:

[ret5hd]

3. oh man, this could turn out to be RICH...

someday in the not too distant future, SA boycotting us!!!...for human rights!!!

[davidinalameda]

4. wonderful

this really shows me what humans are capable of doing

just a few years ago, South Africa was one of the most repressive countries in the world and now it's one of the most free

bravo!!!!

[sonicx]

5. Legal in SA before US. Who knew?

[meganmonkey]

6. kickaroo

:kick:

[FarrenH]

7. Well I'm happy

as a pig in shit. I was surprised at how low key the whole affair was here. It didn't arouse much interest when I brought it up at work. I have two gay clients who I would have thought would show some interest and I saw both of them today. But not a peep.

It was a foregone conclusion, I think, before it even went to court. Every significant case of discrimination on the grounds of sexual preference has come out favourably on the side of gays. The constitution pretty specifically protects sexual preference.

Anyway, it's a fine day.

[meganmonkey]

8. Indeed, it is a fine day

Welcome to DU, FarrenH!

:toast:

[Endangered Specie]

9. You mean South Africa beat us to the 21st century?!

You can't make this shit up. :crazy:

[Orsino]

10. Twentieth. And after *following* us into the nineteenth.

Meanwhile, we're rushing toward the fifteenth.