Tag: South America

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Chile To Begin Debate On Marriage Equality

Chile’s government will begin debate today on whether to change existing marriage laws to include same-sex couples.

On August 28 President Michelle Bachelet introduced legislation that would define marriage as ‘a solemn contract by which two people, of the same or different sex, unite themselves, and for life, in order to live together, to procreate and to help each other.’

Chile’s Senate Constitution Committee has called on LGBT advocacy groups to step up and make their case for marriage equality.

Since 2015, Chile has extended limited legal recognition of same-sex couples via civil unions.

Bachelet also supports efforts to strengthen hate crime and anti-discrimination law against the LGBTQ community as well as legislation that would allow transgender Chileans to legally change their names without requiring sex reassignment surgery – although the bill on transgender protections has stalled due to a lack of political will.

But time is of the essence as Bachelet will step down in March 2018, and one of the two leading candidates to replace Bachelet does not support marriage rights for same-sex couples.

Currently, only Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay have legalized same-sex marriage in South America.

On Saturday, over 100,000 marched in support of marriage equality in Santiago, Chile.

Watch below.

(source)

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Chile Moves Closer To Legalizing Civil Unions

Chile is one step closer to joining South American countries that support same-sex unions as that country’s House of Representatives has passed legislation to legalize civil unions by a vote of 86-23.

The bill has the backing of the Government, with President Michelle Bachelet saying that she believes civil unions are a stepping-stone towards full same-sex marriage rights.

When she became President of March 2014, Bachelet stated that the civil union bill was one of her priorities, but that marriage rights – which have proved a more divisive issue with the Chilean public according to polls – remained a long-term goal.

Some LGBT campaigners have expressed disappointment that the bill would not allow for same-sex marriage, while others have said that the bill is still welcome as a step in the right direction, reports TeleSUR.

The bill, which will now go to the Senate for expected approval, allows for the creation if the Pacto de Unión Civil (PUC), which couples who live together in a committed relationship can enter regardless of gender.

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Chile: Civil Unions bill on the way

From the Advocate: Chilean newspaper La Tercera reported today that the nation’s government is considering legislation that would legally recognize same-sex civil unions.

According to the Santiago-based paper, the bill — which could be presented to Congress as early as next week — would “grant legal rights to gay couples who have lived together for more than one year.”

Despite the heated debate the issue has caused in the predominantly Catholic country, last month Chilean president Sebastian Pinera was quoted by the newspaper El Mercurio as saying he wanted to safeguard “the dignity of those couples, whether of the opposite or even the same sex.”

If the legislation passes, Chile will be the fifth South American country to legalize same-sex civil unions, joining Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Uruguay. Argentina offers marriage rights to gay couples.