In a vote late last night, 10 of Brazil’s Supreme Court justices voted to recognize civil union rights for same-sex couples. One justice abstained.
Some people are misunderstanding this and saying gay marriage was legalized. Wrong. Only civil unions were legalized. They’re similar to marriage in that they offer the same rights, but you can’t refer to a couple in a civil union as a married couple.
And although this is a historic moment for Brazil and an important step in the right direction, I feel that many overplay its significance.
“This is a historic moment for all Brazilians, not just homosexuals. This judgment will change everything for us in society — and for the better,” said Marcelo Cerqueira with the gay rights group Grupo Gay da Bahia. “Gays, lesbians and transsexuals will be recognized as being more human. We’ll be more accepted by having our rights honored.”
It changes everything in terms of legality and acknowledgement by the government, but laws don’t make society embrace different views. So saying this will “change everything” in society is a bit of a stretch. To change how society views gay couples takes a lot more effort than passing a law.
It’s still a milestone though, so go Brazil!
