A gay marriage law in Uruguay takes effect on Monday, though it
might be several days before the first wedding takes place.
Among the first expected to marry are two men together 14 years.
Sergio Miranda and Rodrigo Borda expect to be the first couple to
receive a wedding date from the Registry Office as the law comes
online Monday.
The men met in 1999 during a Noche de la Nostalgia (Night
of Nostalgia), Uruguay's annual August 24 celebration in which
thousands of people cram into bars to dance the night away to the
hits of the 60s, 70s and 80s.
Since that night, Miranda told Spanish news agency Efe, we have
“never parted.”
“I have a feeling that on Monday there won't be many people and
also that the first couples to be married will be like us, with a
relationship of various years living together,” said Miranda.
Argentina legalized gay nuptials in 2010. In
Mexico, two states plus Mexico City allow such unions. Brazilian
courts have effectively legalized marriage for gay couples in that
nation, but full legalization hinges on passage of a stalled law in
Congress. Colombian lawmakers earlier this year rejected a marriage
law, sending gay rights activists back to court with mixed results.
(Related: First
gay couple marries in Colombia and Second
gay couple to marry in Colombia.)