[ISL] "Aruba vote on civil partnerships could finally extend LGBT rights to all Dutch citizens"
Open Democracy's Yörük Bahçeli writes about how the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba is moving towards marriage equality at a relative snail's pace.
Author's update: the parliamentary debate and ultimate vote has been postponed to September 8th as the Aruban government considers including regulations addressing same-sex relationships in the country’s civil code.
Tomorrow, the Aruban parliament is expected to vote on a civil law amendment granting civil partnerships to same-sex couples. It was proposed by Desiree Sousa Croes, an openly-gay parliamentarian.
Legalizing civil partnerships will grant registered same-sex couples equal rights as married couples.
Although the Netherlands led the way in legalizing same-sex marriage in 2001, LGBT citizens living in its autonomous territories are still unable to marry. The Dutch Kingdom consists of the Netherlands proper and the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten, as well as Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba, known as the BES islands.
The BES islands were incorporated into the Dutch mainland in 2010 and same-sex couples have been able to marry ever since.
However, in Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten, which remain autonomous territories in the Kingdom with their own laws, gay couples cannot marry or enter civil partnerships.
Author's update: the parliamentary debate and ultimate vote has been postponed to September 8th as the Aruban government considers including regulations addressing same-sex relationships in the country’s civil code.
Tomorrow, the Aruban parliament is expected to vote on a civil law amendment granting civil partnerships to same-sex couples. It was proposed by Desiree Sousa Croes, an openly-gay parliamentarian.
Legalizing civil partnerships will grant registered same-sex couples equal rights as married couples.
Although the Netherlands led the way in legalizing same-sex marriage in 2001, LGBT citizens living in its autonomous territories are still unable to marry. The Dutch Kingdom consists of the Netherlands proper and the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten, as well as Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba, known as the BES islands.
The BES islands were incorporated into the Dutch mainland in 2010 and same-sex couples have been able to marry ever since.
However, in Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten, which remain autonomous territories in the Kingdom with their own laws, gay couples cannot marry or enter civil partnerships.