Sunday, December 12, 2010

Brazil Grants Pension Benefits to Gay Couples

Parts of what was once seen as the developing world are leaving the USA in the dust in terms of granting equality to their LGBT citizens. Earlier in the year, Argentina granted full civil marriage rights to same sex couples and now Brazil is granting the equivalent to social security survivor benefits to same sex couples - something the USA refuses to do because of the religious based prejudice inspired Defense of Marriage Act. You know, that Act that the Liar-in-Chief claimed to want modified or repealed but about which he has done nothing. As I have stated before, foreign nations are increasingly showing the USA to be an utter fraud when it comes to equal protection under the civil laws and freedom of religion. Here are highlights from Bloomberg.com on the developments in Brazil:
*
The Brazilian government says gay couples in a stable relationship are entitled to the same social security pension benefits enjoyed by heterosexual couples.
*
The Social Security Ministry says in a Friday statement that the gay spouse of a retiree who dies will now be able to receive the pension payments once received by his or her companion. The policy covers formally registered workers who pay monthly social security fees.
*
Same-sex marriages are not recognized in Brazil, but 10 years ago a court in the state of Rio Grande do Sul granted same-sex couples inheritance rights and allowed them to add their partners to health insurance and retirement plans.
*
What's amazing about changes in a number of South America nations is the fact that - unlike in the USA - the Catholic Church has been increasingly unable to stop the advances in LGBT rights.

No comments: