First same-sex couples wed in New Zealand

[Gaybutton]

Gay rights are progressing much faster and sooner than I ever expected to see happening in the world. Given that it's not an Islamic country, what the hell's wrong with Russia all of a sudden?
___________________________________________

First same-sex couples tie the knot in New Zealand

By CNN Staff
Sun August 18, 2013

(CNN) -- The poster at the end of the montage is written in the colorful, uneven handwriting of children, but its message is clear.

Three kids stand with the sign that reads, "Please marry our Mums."

The children are 9-year-old Javarn, 7-year-old Maycee and 6-year-old Mikaere, and their moms are Lynley Bendall and Ally Wanikau.

The women, who have been together for some 14 years, were planning to get married Monday -- the first day same-sex marriage becomes legal in New Zealand.

The couple will exchange vows aboard a flight from Queenstown to Auckland, according to an Air New Zealand statement. The airline chose Bendall and Wanikau from entries that came from around New Zealand.

"Getting married on a plane ... Wow!!! Imagine that for news at school!" read other posters the children held up in the winning video entry.

New Zealand's parliament voted in April to legalize same-sex marriage, making it the first country in the Asia Pacific region to do so.

A double wedding was held Monday at the Rotorua Museum in the city of the same name.

"It has been a really positive celebration," said museum marketing manager Joanna Doherty, adding there were no protesters outside. "It was lovely."

About 90 invited guests and members of a radio station crew that put on a competition for the all-expenses-paid wedding were on hand as Rachel Briscoe and Jess Ivess and Richard Rawstorn and Richard Andrew exchanged vows.

The museum only this year began hosting weddings and other private functions.

"I think the museum is traditionally seen as old-fashioned ... but we just wanted to be seen as a place that welcomes everybody," Doherty told CNN. "It is everybody's history that gets told here."

Including New Zealand, 14 countries now allow same-sex marriage. Of those, nine are in Europe.

The Netherlands was the first, in 2001, and it was later joined by Belgium, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Portugal, Denmark and France. Argentina, Uruguay, Canada and South Africa are the non-European countries in the group.

Same-sex marriage is also legal in some parts of Brazil, Mexico and the United States.

Story and photos: http://us.cnn.com/2013/08/18/world/asia ... index.html

[lvdkeyes]

I sent an inquiry to a 61 year old man in Russia asking about his homophobic government. He replied that he has lived with his bf for 29 years with no problems from the government.

[shamahan]

Given that it's not an Islamic country, what the hell's wrong with Russia all of a sudden?

Russia has been and still is deeply homophobic country. Gay sexual acts considered to be criminal offenses in former Soviet Union punishable by long prison terms. E.g. famous Russian film director Sergei Paradzhanov was imprisoned for that. Under Yeltsin gay sexual relationship has been decriminalized and still legal now. The new law bans so-called gay propaganda among minors. However, the term propaganda is not well defined and, say, holding hands or other expressions of affection in public can be interpreted as such. The new law is supported by sizable majority of population and deeply homophobic Orthodox church. I posted many times on this and other message boards how dangerous potentially may be increased presence of Russian expat community for gay scene in Pattaya exactly because of homophobic nature of majority of Russians. Of course, not every Russian is homophobic and there are semi-open gays among well-known Russian ballet dancers, singers, writers etc.