Greece legalizes same sex marriage in landmark vote
STORY: Greece legalized same-sex marriage on Thursday – making it one of the first Orthodox Christian countries to allow them.
The country’s parliament approved the bill, with more than two-thirds of its 254 lawmakers voting “yes”.
On the streets of Athens, supporters of the bill celebrated as the landmark vote passed, finally giving same-sex couples the right to marry and right to adopt children, coming after decades of campaigning by LGBTQ groups.
“I am very happy. As someone who grew up in the countryside, this is a dream I have waited for, for many years, just like all of us. Literally I am at a loss for words. I am no longer a second-class citizen. We had the same obligations, but now we also have more of the same rights.”
Recent polls show Greeks are split on the issue.
Clerics of the powerful Orthodox Church believe homosexuality is a sin, and has strongly opposed same-sex marriage.
Many in the LGBTQ community believe the bill does not go far enough.
It does not overturn obstacles for couples with members from the community in using assisted reproduction methods.
They will still be barred from surrogate pregnancies, though the bill recognizes children already born through the method abroad.
In recent years, Greece took small steps towards legalizing same-sex marriage.
In 2015 it allowed civil partnership among same-sex couples.
And in 2017 it gave legal recognition to gender identity.
Two years ago it also banned conversion therapy for minors aimed at suppressing a person’s sexual orientation.
