Argentina: Senate Approves Equal Marriage · Global Voices
Jorge Gobbi

The Argentinean Senate sanctioned a law that establishes equal rights to marry, without discriminating between heterosexual and homosexual couples, and with the same rights to adoption, among other issues.  With this measure, Argentina becomes the first Latin American country to allow same-sex marriage. The law was approved with the individual vote of Senators from different political parties; the parties gave the Senators the freedom to support or reject the law.
The topic was largely debated on Twitter, where the hashtag #matrimoniogay (gay marriage) became one of the trending topics on a worldwide scale for many hours. There we could see a large number of tweets about this issue. Many of them came from users of other Latin American countries, who also shared their position on this topic.  Here’s a brief selection of tweets from those in favor:
http://twitter.com/DiegoF/status/18605576901
A los creyentes: ya está, si dios permitió que se apruebe es porque no tiene problemas con el #matrimoniogay así que aflojen con el rezoless than a minute ago via webDiego FaurDiegoF
end of tweet
http://twitter.com/Agustiina/status/18605352980
Haber despertado con la noticia de la aprobación del #matrimoniogay me hace sentir orgullosa de vivir en un país que busca la igualdadless than a minute ago via webAgustinaAgustiina
end of tweet
http://twitter.com/politikaetc/status/18583950473
Que bonito! parabéns, Argentina. Grande exemplo pra América Latina. #matrimoniogayless than a minute ago via TweetDeckRaphael Nevespolitikaetc
end of tweet
http://twitter.com/rianxeiro/status/18605256626
¡Felicidades Argentina! a seguirle el paso a los vecinos… #matrimoniogay #argentina Perdieron el mundial pero la ganaron en igualdadless than a minute ago via TweetDeckJavier Alonsorianxeiro
end of tweet
http://twitter.com/naty_cali/status/18606948581
#matrimoniogay Vivimos en un país mejor que el de ayer.less than a minute ago via webNatalia Calistinaty_cali
end of tweet
On Twitter we can also see some condemnatory expressions against these equal rights –some arguments appealed to particular religious arguments– but in a smaller scale in comparison to the expressions of joy for the approval of the law. Here are some examples:
http://twitter.com/Greg0rio/status/18608991161
No tengo nada en contra de la union del mismo sexo, pero les recuerdo que Dios creo al hombre y a la mujer para que formen una familialess than a minute ago via Twitter for iPhoneGregorioGreg0rio
end of tweet
http://twitter.com/pedro493/statuses/18584433973
Argentina se convierte en el Primer Pais Latino y Suramericano en aprobar la Legalidad del Matrimonio Gay en un Codigo Civil… Que asco!less than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®Pedro Luis Contreraspedro493
end of tweet
Since the law was approved just hours ago, there are not many published blog entries on the topic, but you can read some positive reactions here: Es la gente, estúpido [es]; Artepolítica [es]; 100 Volando [es], y Hernán Haines [es].
With the initial sanction from the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate's decision, a strong debate was sustained by members of organizations such as the Catholic Church who protested against egalitarian marriage and, based on particular religious beliefs, claimed the continuity of laws that implied discrimination. These groups gathered 50 to 60 thousand people in a manifestation that took place last July 13. You can read some opinions from this position, here: Argentavis [es] y Baradero Hoy [es]