Lawmakers gather opinions on same-sex marriage in Yucatan

More than 14,000 leave comments, but activist says legislators can't put human rights up to a referendum

Activists fight for marriage equality in Yucatan. Photo: Courtesy

Merida — An invitation to speak out for or against gay marriage in Yucatan garnered more than 14,000 opinions on a state Congress website.

The comments are not binding, but will be considered by a legislative committee who will vote today on whether to forward a bill on marriage equality. The Commission of Constitutional Points and Governance meets at 1:30 p.m.

Central to the debate is whether same-sex marriage in Yucatan is a human right, or is it subject to a vote.

For those who are against gay marriage, the argument is the divine dogma that “God created man and woman.”

“Please avoid further deteriorating society by allowing equal marriage, I do not consider it a good example for children, it will cause more problems and confusion over time,” wrote one citizen on the website. “God created man and woman to be united in marriage, the union between people of the same sex goes against the laws of nature and of God.”

Practically at the same time, another citizen posted: “Rights are not to be put to a referendum. It is unacceptable to restrict them to any minority. YES to equal marriage. NO to religious prejudice in a secular state.”

There were also some who tried to justify their refusal to the egalitarian weddings:

“I do not agree with this marriage reform since I consider that it undermines the values ​​and moral principles of the family model. I am not religious but I do not think it is right to consider the union of two people of the same sex as marriage, which is something instituted by the church,” wrote another commenter. “I do not have any homophobia, I have respect for people, but this is not within the margins established to form a family, which is a father, a mother and children, just because you can pay for it.”

PRI representative Karla Franco Blanco, who heads the commission, said that after reviewing 14,116 posts, legislators decided to forward the comments to the entire body of lawmakers.

Activists mobilize

Pro-marriage-equality activists gathered at the congressional building Monday. One group, led by Nancy Walker Olvera and Ligia Vera Gamboa, who delivered a petition with more than 22,000 signatures to support their cause.

Also, Carlos Escoffié Duarte, a human rights promoter, distributed a document in which, condemning legislators for putting their rights up to scrutiny on a microsite.

He called the opinion-gathering a strategy to avoid making a decision on same-sex marriage.

Source: La Jornada Maya

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