Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed by Portugal's Parliament

As I posted previously, today gay marriage was considered today by Portugal's Parliament. The act granting same sex marriage rights was passed. A final vote will occur after a committee review of the act's language. Thus, the majority of the USA falls behind yet another modern nation in the recognition equality under the law and a separation of church and state. If heavily Catholic Portugal can figure out that religion does not belong in the civil laws, why can't the USA? Here are highlights from the BBC:

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Portugal's parliament has passed a law to legalise same-sex marriage . . . The bill was approved with the support of the governing Socialist Party and other parties further to the left. Prime Minister Jose Socrates opened the debate with an appeal to back the law, saying it would put right an injustice that had caused unnecessary pain. The law has been fiercely opposed by conservatives in the Catholic country.

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Rightist parties had sought a national referendum on the issue following a petition that collected more than 90,000 signatures, but their proposal was rejected. The bill will now be reviewed in committee before coming back for a final vote in parliament.

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If the law is ratified by President Anibal Cavaco Silva, it could come into effect in April - just a month before a visit to Portugal by Pope Benedict XVI, a staunch opponent of gay marriage. The ratification would make Portugal the sixth country in Europe to allow same-sex marriages after Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Norway. Many other countries have introduced civil partnerships, which give lesbian and gay couples some of the rights of married heterosexuals.

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Meanwhile, gays in Virginia remain third class citizens and can be fired from their jobs at will, have no state legal rights with their life partners, and can be discriminated against in housing and other areas of daily life. It's a sad commentary on Virginia and many other U. S. states.