Binational gay couples can marry in Spain
Despite an earlier court statement to the contrary, an authoritative official body has now said that nonresidents of Spain will be allowed to marry a same-sex Spanish partner in Spain regardless of whether the nonresident's home nation allows gay marriage.
Spain legalized full same-sex marriage on July 3.
The Junta de Fiscales de Sala, a board of lawyers that assists the fiscal general del Estado, who is similar to a national attorney general, issued its decision July 26.
However, the decision does not necessarily bind local marriage officials, who can refuse to perform such a marriage. Should such a refusal occur, it could lead to a binding court ruling on the matter.
The question of whether two foreigners of the same sex can get married in Spain apparently has not been addressed yet.
2,442 gay couples have married in Belgium
There have been 2,442 same-sex marriages in Belgium since it became the second nation to extend full marriage rights to gays in 2003, according to new Interior Ministry statistics.
That is about 3 percent of the nation's total marriages during that time period.
Some observers believe the percentage will rise once Belgium OKs adoption by same-sex couples.
Full marriage also is available to same-sex couples in Canada, the Netherlands, Spain and Massachusetts. Foreign couples are welcome to marry in Canada, and there are no waiting periods except in Quebec.
More lesbians than gay men marry in Canada
Initial statistics on same-sex marriage in two Canadian provinces show that more female than male couples have gotten married—even though gay men outnumber lesbians.
Same-sex marriage became legal everywhere in Canada on July 20, but has been legal in some provinces and one territory for up to two years.
Lesbian couples account for 63 percent of same-sex marriages in Saskatchewan and 57 percent in British Columbia—despite the fact that Statistics Canada says only 46 percent of Canadian homosexuals are women.
According to Saskatoon's StarPhoenix newspaper, nobody can explain the numbers. Theories cited include the fact that Canadian lesbians are five times more likely than gay men to have children living with them who need legal protections, and that women are acculturated to dream of their wedding day.
Meanwhile, in Alberta, one of Canada's most conservative provinces, marriage commissioners have been told they don't have to marry same-sex couples if they don't want to.
The provincial government likely will add additional commissioners to guarantee that everyone who wants to marry will be able to. Calgary, the province's largest city, has 26 marriage commissioners, but many smaller communities have only one.
The opt-out clause does not apply to registries, the government offices that issue marriage licenses.
U.K. Activists call for gay-bar security
Saying three of its members have received death threats from Islamic fundamentalists, the U.K. gay direct-action group OutRage! is calling on gay bars to begin bag and body searches of customers.
'Gay venues could be bombed by Islamic terrorists,' said OutRage! leader Peter Tatchell. 'Muslim fundamentalists have a violent hatred of lesbians and gay men. They believe we should be killed.'
Tatchell said he, campaign coordinator Brett Lock and the group's Muslim-affairs spokesperson, Aaron Saeed, have been warned that they are on a 'hit list' and will be 'beheaded' and 'chopped up' in accordance with 'Islamic law.'
'Just you wait and see,' one caller told Tatchell. 'The punishment for sodomy is death.'
The threats began after OutRage! stepped up its campaign in defense of gay Muslims fleeing attempted 'honor killings' in Algeria, Iran, Palestine and the U.K.
Police identified the phone number from which the threats came, but it was a prepay mobile phone that could not be traced.
