A District Court Judge in Boston has struck down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, which blocks federal recognition of legal marriages by same-sex couples. The decision came following claims challenging the constitutionality of this legislation by seven married same-sex couples and three widowers from the state of Massachusetts. One of the cases, Gill et al. v. Office of Personnel Management, was taken by Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) - a New England public interest law firm which aims to end discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status and gender identity and expression. The ruling, seen as a major victory for the marriage equality cause, outlines that the claimants are entitled to the same federal spousal benefits and protections as heterosexual married couples. It is now up to the federal government to decide if the District Court Judge's ruling will be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
Meanwhile, Argentina has become Latin America's first country to legalise gay marriage with the passing of legislation which grants same-sex couples the same legal rights, responsibilities and protections as married heterosexual couples. The law's passage followed a marathon Senate debate which showed the carrying of the landmark vote (33-27) live on national TV. As reported in a previous issue of the PILA Bulletin, Buenos Aires became the first Latin American city to legalise same-sex civil unions for gay and lesbian couples in 2002, with the capital being widely recognized as the most gay-friendly city in Latin America.
For more information on the legal rights organisation Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), please see their website.