CARNAL NATION

The city of Buenos Aires announced plans to allow gays and lesbians to get married, after a court ruled late last week that Alex Freyre and José María Di Bello had the right to get hitched in the Argentine capital, reports PinkNews.

The court ruled that the ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional, after Freyre and Di Bello were denied a marriage license in April.  The couple now plans to marry next month.  In her decision, Judge Gabriela Seijas said that "the law should treat everybody with the same respect, regardless of their singularities, without the need to understanding and regulating them."

Although Mayor Mauricio Macri had the power to appeal the judge's ruling, he issued a statement online saying that he would allow the couple to marry.  "[T]his is an important step, because we must learn how to live in freedom without hurting the rights of others... The world is heading toward that direction."  In 2002, Buenos Aires became the first jurisdiction in Argentina to allow civil unions; since then it has become a popular destination for gay tourists.

Although Colombia, Ecuador and Uruguay recognize civil unions, Buenos Aires becomes the first place in South America to formally recognize same-sex marriages.