Argentine Senator Compares Gay Marriage to Women's Suffrage

Proponents of same-sex marriage have compared their quest to the U.S. civil rights movement, but Reuters went international to find another simile.

In a July 15 report [1] about Argentina's legalization of marriage and adoption for homosexuals, reporter Karina Grazina quoted a source comparing gay marriage to women's suffrage.

“Just like with divorce, women's right to vote and civil marriage, with the passage of time we'll be able to appreciate the benefits of this law,” Sen. Eugenio Artaza told local television, according to Grazina.

The article included comments from three supporters of the legislation, including Argentine President Cristina Fernandez, who said the law “defends minority rights.” The report celebration Argentina for being “at the vanguard of gay rights in the region.”

But Grazina only cited one opponent, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, who expressed concern about the adoption measures of the legislation because “it was important to ensure that children had as role models 'both a father and a mother.'” The article didn't quote any opposition to the marriage measure.

Graziano suggested there was significant support for gay marriage in Argentina, glossing over the Senate's close vote: 33-27 with three abstentions. The 15-paragraph story included a mere two paragraphs from those who opposed the new law.

The media have compared same-sex marriage to the civil rights movement before. The Washington Post repeatedly compared [2] the two efforts in covering of the District of Columbia's gay marriage legalization. Others in the media regularly follow gay marriage advocates' script [3] on the issue.

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