Page 41
-
Austria parliament approves civil unions, reinforces ban on gay adoption
VIENNA — Austria’s parliament approved legalizing civil unions in the country Thursday, an move considered a historic victory for gay rights in the central European country. Out of 174 lawmakers present, 110 voted in favor and 64 voted against, Associated Press reports. The law is due to come into force on January 1st. It will […]
-
Spain apologizes for jailing gay man in 1970s
A man in eastern Spain has become the first to receive an official letter apologizing for his imprisonment for being homosexual in the 1970s, the BBC reports. Antoni Ruiz spent three months in prison under a law introduced during General Francisco Franco’s dictatorship. In addition to the letter, he has received 4,000 euros ($5,900) in […]
-
Cardinal’s anti-gay remarks prompt rebuke from Vatican
The Roman Catholic Church still regards homosexuality as an “insult to God” and homosexuals and transsexuals will never go to Heaven, a leading cardinal said on Wednesday, prompting a rebuke from the Vatican. Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, the retired head of the Vatican’s Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers, made the comments Wednesday […]
-
Austria to allow civil partnerships for gay couples
Austria’s government agreed a new law Tuesday allowing civil partnerships for homosexual couples, although ceremonies at the civil registry’s office will still be banned, AFP reports. The compromise, achieved after weeks of wrangling between the ruling Social Democrats and their conservative coalition partner in government, will give gay couples equal rights to heterosexuals with regards […]