(Seville, Spain) The Spanish military - once a crusty remnant of a right-wing regime closely linked to the Roman Catholic Church - got its first public taste of gay marriage Friday as two male soldiers wed, sealing their union with gold rings and a long kiss.
Alberto Linero, 27, and Alberto Sanchez, 24, both privates in the air force, wore dark blue dress uniforms with red and gold epaulets as they exchanged vows in a reception room at Seville's town hall - the first known wedding among same-sex members of the military since Spain legalized gay marriage last year.
Some members of the military may not be happy about the union - the grooms declined to say if they are suffering harassment from commanders or colleagues - but the Defense Ministry has said it considers the wedding a personal matter and the men will be allowed to continue with their careers. It had no comment Friday on the nuptials.
Spain has no law against gays in the military, and other service members have acknowledged their homosexuality in the past.
In the United States, the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy prohibits the military from inquiring about the sex lives of service members but requires those who openly acknowledge being gay to be discharged.
The men were married by Seville Mayor Alfredo Sanchez Monteseirin, who said their wedding marked a victory for gay people everywhere who have suffered discrimination.
"This is not just your wedding. You symbolize millions of people who are not here and suffer from homophobia," Sanchez Monteseirin said. "The city will protect your rights."
After they were pronounced spouses, Linero and Sanchez placed gold rings on each other's fingers and shared a kiss. The 100 people in attendance clapped wildly. Sanchez later wept as he hugged his younger brother Sergio.
The mayor is a member of the Socialist party, which oversees a government that legalized gay marriage last year and has pushed through laws including fast-track divorce and easier terms for medically assisted fertilization.
The laws have irked the church and the country's conservative establishment, which has accused the government of tearing away at the nation's traditional values.
Addressing a gaggle of reporters after the ceremony, Linero said the wedding was a small step toward complete equality for homosexuals.
"We've done our little bit. We hope society realizes this," he said.
Some 4,500 same-sex couples have wed under the gay marriage legislation, which took effect in July 2005, according to the Justice Ministry.
The wedding is believed to be the first marriage between two same-sex members of the Spanish armed forces, said Beatriz Gimeno, president of Spain's Federation of Gays and Lesbians.
She welcomed the wedding as something the military and Spaniards in general have to get used to.
"I don't think the army in a democratic society has to be conservative," Gimeno said.
Besides Spain, the Netherlands, Canada and Belgium have legalized same-sex marriage, while Britain and other European countries have laws that give same-sex couples the right to form legally binding partnerships.
In the United States, only the state of Massachusetts allows gay marriage, while Vermont and Connecticut permit civil unions.
No comments:
Post a Comment