EURO PARLIAMENT URGES PARTNER RECOGNITION
The European Parliament Jan. 17 urged the 15 nations of the European Union to grant all spousal rights to non-married cohabiting couples—gay and straight.
The non-binding amendment to a human-rights report passed by a narrow margin—277 to 269 with 14 abstentions. An amendment supporting full marriage for same-sex couples failed.
The amendments were put forth by the chair of the parliament's Gay and Lesbian Intergroup.
Only The Netherlands lets gay couples marry under ordinary marriage law. Several other European nations grant same-sex couples many or nearly all spousal rights via domestic-partnership laws, civil-union laws or other measures that have
been implemented.
Those nations include Denmark (and Greenland), Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland. In addition, gay couples have certain spousal rights in Austria, Belgium, Spain and the United Kingdom.
BARCELONA HONORS GAY LEADER
Longtime Spanish gay activist and former International Lesbian and Gay Association Secretary General Jordi Petit received the city of Barcelona's Medal of Honor Jan. 22.
It was to be presented by Mayor Joan Clos.
'I am very honored and I understand that Barcelona is recognizing not only my personal work but all homosexual volunteerism,' Petit said. 'This medal is for the thousands of gays and lesbians who have fought for their rights and against AIDS these past 25 years.'