Oddly-timed proposal: Mexican same-sex marriage laws!
It came out of the blue. After the approval of civil unions for similar to the French PACS in 2006, Mexico City took an important step towards the full recognition of gay and lesbian rights.
Now, two years later, the city’s Legislative Assembly debates whether same-sex couples should have the right to marry.
Leticia Quezada, president of the Gender Equality Commission and member of the left-wing PRD, is the main backer of the initiative. She says she has the support of several members of her own party and of the two Social Democrat deputies.
“Adopting this measure will be a compensation for sexual minorities who have been subjected to discrimination”, she said.
Confused optimism
The measure has taken gay rights activists by surprise, as they say they were not consulted prior to the presentation of Quezada’s initiative. Quezada also comes from a wing of the PRD that had until now not been characterized by its support for gay causes.
“Nevertheless, now that this initiative has been presented, we have a responsibility make sure it passes”, according to Enoé Uranga, deputy for the last legislature and then-backer of the city’s civil unions legislation.
Francisco Javier Lagunes, president of the Mexico Pride Committee, called the presentation of the proposal “irresponsible”, given the current context, and is fearful of what may now happen in what he considers “an unsuitable political context”. He also complained about the new changes made to legislation regarding transgenders. It was introduced with the alleged purpose of helping that part of the community, but in the end it blocked them from getting state-paid treatment for their sex-change treatment.
His conclusion is the same as Uranga’s: “We need to unify now and act or we’ll be in trouble.”
Big fish backing 
In spite of the unusual context for the proposal, the outlook is not bleak. Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon has openly supported the initiative:
“The precendent has already been set with the Cohabitation Societies Law, and I don’t see why we should not approve other projects headed in the same direction”, he said.
He believes that this type of initiatives seek “that people may exercise their sexuality and their partner choices freely. That’s the objective.”
Marcelo Ebrard has faced-off with conservatives over several issues since his term as mayor began. He did so first through the approval of cohabitation legislation for straight and gay couples, then with the legalization of abortion, and most recently with the publishing and distributing of a modern sex-ed book for all secondary school students in the city.
Every time he has faced staunch resistance from the right-wing and conservative elements of Mexican society, including the federal government, but so far he has never backed down. If this project succeeds, it will set Mexico City at the forefront of same-sex rights, along with Canada, Massachusetts and Connecticut, the only other places in the Americas where same-sex marriage is currently legal.
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this news is surprisingly positive. it is obvious how important is the political backup our movement needs, in many countries the LGBT movement is not successful because does not communicate intensively with the political lobby. I hope they will pass the legislation soon, so the gay people in Mexico have a chance for happiness without being forced to move to another country.
Probably the only positive thing to say about the PRD. But a very good step towards gay rights. I bet it will take longer to adopt these rules in other states, because I think Mexico City and Coahuila are the only who have it now and Mexico is still very conservative when it comes to this issue
But still a lovely country to visit!
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