Roxana Ortiz and Virginia Gomez show their Civil Marriage document at the Registry Office in Santiago on Octubre 22, 2015.(AFP)
Santiago, Chile:
Gay couples kissed and danced in the streets of Chile's capital Santiago on Thursday as the South American country's civil union law recognizing same-sex couples took effect.
The law is seen as a first step toward allowing gay marriage in the conservative Catholic nation that only legalized divorce in 2004.
"Starting today, Chile is different Chile is for everyone," said a visibly moved Roxana Ortiz after a ceremony at the Civil Registry's Office formalizing her 11-year relationship with her partner, Virginia Gomez.
"The judge was there, told us our rights and our duties. We said 'Yes, I do,' cried a lot. It was super nice," echoed Gomez, her eyes glistening.
While their ceremony took place, gay couples waltzed outside the Civil Registry's Office to celebrate the success of a 12-year push to break down taboos and pave the way for a more inclusive society.
The new law enables unmarried heterosexual or homosexual couples living under the same roof to co-own property, receive inheritance and pension benefits, and make medical decisions.
And if a child's biological parent is no longer able to care for him or her, custody decisions will give priority to that parent's civil union partner, a provision demanded by gay rights organizations.
A turning point in the push for civil unions came in 2012 with approval of an anti-discrimination act in the wake of the murder of a gay man who was beaten to death in a park by a gang of neo-Nazis.
The law is seen as a first step toward allowing gay marriage in the conservative Catholic nation that only legalized divorce in 2004.
"Starting today, Chile is different Chile is for everyone," said a visibly moved Roxana Ortiz after a ceremony at the Civil Registry's Office formalizing her 11-year relationship with her partner, Virginia Gomez.
"The judge was there, told us our rights and our duties. We said 'Yes, I do,' cried a lot. It was super nice," echoed Gomez, her eyes glistening.
While their ceremony took place, gay couples waltzed outside the Civil Registry's Office to celebrate the success of a 12-year push to break down taboos and pave the way for a more inclusive society.
The new law enables unmarried heterosexual or homosexual couples living under the same roof to co-own property, receive inheritance and pension benefits, and make medical decisions.
And if a child's biological parent is no longer able to care for him or her, custody decisions will give priority to that parent's civil union partner, a provision demanded by gay rights organizations.
A turning point in the push for civil unions came in 2012 with approval of an anti-discrimination act in the wake of the murder of a gay man who was beaten to death in a park by a gang of neo-Nazis.
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