Rodrigo Borda and Sergio Miranda became Uruguay’s first gay couple to register to marry on Aug 5, the BBC reports.
A law allowing gay marriage passed in May but took 90 days to come into effect. The couple, who have been together 14 years, plan a high-profile public wedding in September “to give an example to those gay couples who may be thinking about getting married but don’t dare to.”
“This is not a homosexual or gay marriage law. It is a measure to equalize the institution independent of the sex of the couple,” said Uruguayan lawmaker Julio Bango, who co-sponsored the bill.
Uruguay is the second South American country to officially sanction gay marriage, after Argentina. Brazilian and Colombian courts have also handed down rulings that will likely result in legal gay marriage.
Meanwhile, in Ecuador, lesbian activists Pamela Troya and Gabriela Correa also applied for a marriage licence on Aug 5, with the expectation of launching a court case when their application is rejected.
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