Argentina has become the first country in Latin America to legalize gay marriage.
Argentinean President Cristina Fernandez de Kircher on Wednesday signed a gay marriage law approved by lawmakers last week.
"We have not enacted a law, we have enacted a social construct," the president said during an official ceremony aired on national television.
The new law has stirred a broad public debate in Argentina, which is considered a stronghold of Roman Catholic Church on the continent, and met with a fierce opposition from the clergy.
However, the center-leftist government with support of numerous human rights and gay activist groups has won a "fundamental victory" on the way to "a fully democratic society
In 2002, Argentina became the first Latin American country to permit same-gender couples to join in a civil union. However, gay families were not given equal rights with officially registered civil marriage couples, in particular, they were not allowed to adopt children.
The new law gives gay couples the full legal rights and responsibilities that marriage gives to heterosexual couples, including the ability to inherit property and to jointly adopt children.
According to Argentinean media, over 100 gay couples have submitted their wedding applications and the first wedding ceremony under the new law has been scheduled for August 13 in the capital city of Buenos Aires.
Same-sex marriages are also legalized in Belgium, Canada, Spain, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and South Africa, as well as in some of U.S. states and Mexico City.
Uruguay and Paraguay may reportedly consider gay marriage bills soon.
BUENOS AIRES, July 22 (RIA Novosti)
