# South African parliament passes same-sex marriage bill

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-african-parliament-passes-same-sex-marriage-bill/380398>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [November 14, 2006, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-african-parliament-passes-same-sex-marriage-bill/380398 "2006-11-14T17:10:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-african-parliament-passes-same-sex-marriage-bill/380398/1 "2006-11-14T17:10:17Z")

</div>

[The Independent Online](http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=iol1163515597485S522):

> [@](#):
>
> Same-sex couples moved closer to the right to marry, with the divisive Civil Union Bill approved by 230 votes to 41 in the National Assembly on Tuesday afternoon. …
> 
> The ANC pulled in its big guns, including party chairperson and Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota, to defend the bill, which must still be adopted by parliament’s second house, the National Council of Provinces and signed into law by the president in the next two weeks.
> 
> This is to meet the deadline set by the Constitutional Court for the recognition of same sex marriages by December 1, 2007, in line with the right to equality.

The bill was initially opposed by gay rights groups because, as the name suggests, it would have given us only the right to civil unions; however, at the last minute, it was amended so as to permit “civil union or marriage” for “two persons.”

Once the bill is passed, South Africa will become the first African, indeed the first developing country to permit SSM - also the first republic, interestingly. Fitting, as South Africa was also the world’s first country to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in its constitution.

Let’s hear it for South Africa!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-african-parliament-passes-same-sex-marriage-bill/380398/2 "2006-11-14T17:26:05Z")

</div>

That is very cool.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-african-parliament-passes-same-sex-marriage-bill/380398/3 "2006-11-14T18:05:51Z")

</div>

South Africa is going to allow gay marriage. South freaking Africa, which was the very symbol of bigotry when I was growing up.

What the hell is wrong with my country?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-african-parliament-passes-same-sex-marriage-bill/380398/4 "2006-11-14T18:12:48Z")

</div>

Good show, South Africa! _applause_