Lawmakers are currently working towards making Argentina the first Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriage. They would become the second country after Canada in the Americas to end marriage discrimination.

A growing number of supporters in Argentine Congress began the debate last Thursday on whether or not to change the law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

If course, and in the U.S., the major opposition comes from Catholic and evangelical Christian groups, who are accusing the government of attempting to destroy marriage and the family as an institution.

Of the 40 million people living in the country, most are Catholic and the church has had a great influence over politics. Until 1994, it was a prerequisite that the president and vice president had to be married and members of the Catholic Church.

In 2002, the nations capital, Buenos Aires, legalized civil unions for LGBT couples, and four other cities followed the lead.

Uruguay is currently the only Latin American country to recognize gay unions.

Source text:

http://www.gayagenda.com/2009/11/dont-cry-for-me-argentina/