Four Days, Three Big Steps For Gay Rights In The UK, U.S. And France

SKY NEWS (Australia), THE GUARDIAN (UK), LIBERATION (France), AP

PARIS - Gay marriage rights are gaining momentum around the world. In the last four days, three countries have each taken a major step toward expanding marriage rights to same-sex couples.

FRANCE
Though the legislative process is just beginning, the French National Assembly approved a centerpiece bill on Saturday to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples. This comes amidst vocal opposition to the initiative President Francois Hollande's socialist governement – Catholic organizations picketed the French Parliament, after some 340,000 demonstrators marched in the streets of Paris on Jan 27.

Inside the Parliament – and most of all on Twitter – France's legislators continued to battle over the proposed changes, including amendments to allow gay couples access to adoption and assisted reproductive technology (ART).

#DirectAN @chtaubira explique à l'opposition que leur amendement est un recul pour les familles hétéroparentales. Silence sur leurs bancs...
— Corinne Narassiguin (@CorinneNara) 5 février 2013

Translation: "Christine Taubira explains to the opposition that their amendment is a step back for heterosexual families too. The opposition stays silent.."

#directAN #MariageGay. L'article 1 est voté ouvrantà terme PMA et GPA . Triste moment . Pas ma conception de l" Homme et de la société .
— Philippe GOSSELIN (@phgosselin) 2 février 2013

Translation: "The first article has been ratified, leading to ART and surrogacy. Sad moment. Not my idea of what mankind or society should be."

French Justice Minister Christiane Taubira, who introduced the legislation, did manage to provide a bit of levity. Having made a racy play on words as she addressed Parliament, Taubira began to laugh...and laugh...and....then find her seat:

UK
The British House of Commons on Tuesday voted 400 to 175 to approve a draft law allowing gay marriage. There were a fair share of lively remarks too, but Prime Minister David Cameron concluded: “There are strong views on both side of the argument - I accept that. But I think this is an important step forward for our country.”

David Cameron: "I'm a marriage man... now two gay people who love each other can get married." #PMQs live: bbc.in/14RElMW
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) February 6, 2013

Here is the House of Commons' reaction to the final vote:

USA

The Associated Press is reporting another major step forward for same-sex couples in the United States military. Some 16 months after the Pentagon repealed its ban on openly gay service, the military is poised to extend some benefits to the same-sex partners of service members. Among the benefits being considered are access to the on-base commissary and other military subsidized stores, as well as some health and welfare programs.

A potential win for Gay rights. Military to expand benefits to same-sex couples. fb.me/2hKDi5AoQ
— athousandlittlewars (@athousandlittle) February 6, 2013

[rebelmouse-image 27143653 alt="""" original_size="2592x3872" expand=1]

militarypartners.org

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United Kingdom

Four Days, Three Big Steps For Gay Rights In The UK, U.S. And France

SKY NEWS (Australia), THE GUARDIAN (UK), LIBERATION (France), AP

Worldcrunch

PARIS - Gay marriage rights are gaining momentum around the world. In the last four days, three countries have each taken a major step toward expanding marriage rights to same-sex couples.

#DirectAN @chtaubira explique à l'opposition que leur amendement est un recul pour les familles hétéroparentales. Silence sur leurs bancs...
— Corinne Narassiguin (@CorinneNara) 5 février 2013

Translation: "Christine Taubira explains to the opposition that their amendment is a step back for heterosexual families too. The opposition stays silent.."

#directAN #MariageGay. L'article 1 est voté ouvrantà terme PMA et GPA . Triste moment . Pas ma conception de l" Homme et de la société .
— Philippe GOSSELIN (@phgosselin) 2 février 2013

Translation: "The first article has been ratified, leading to ART and surrogacy. Sad moment. Not my idea of what mankind or society should be."

David Cameron: "I'm a marriage man... now two gay people who love each other can get married." #PMQs live: bbc.in/14RElMW
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) February 6, 2013

Here is the House of Commons' reaction to the final vote:

USA

A potential win for Gay rights. Military to expand benefits to same-sex couples. fb.me/2hKDi5AoQ
— athousandlittlewars (@athousandlittle) February 6, 2013

[rebelmouse-image 27143653 alt="""" original_size="2592x3872" expand=1]

militarypartners.org

WORLDCRUNCH

Premium stories from Worldcrunch's own network of multi-lingual journalists in over 30 countries.

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What's Driving More Venezuelans To Migrate To The U.S.

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Photo of a family of Migrants from Venezuela crossing the Rio Grande between Mexico and the U.S. to surrender to the border patrol with the intention of requesting humanitarian asylum

Migrants from Venezuela crossed the Rio Grande between Mexico and the U.S. to surrender to the border patrol with the intention of requesting humanitarian asylum.

David Peinado via Zuma Press

Julio Borges

-Analysis-

Migration has too many elements to count. Beyond the matter of leaving your homeland, the process creates a gaping emptiness inside the migrant — and outside, in their lives. If forced upon someone, it can cause psychological and anthropological harm, as it involves the destruction of roots. That's in fact the case of millions of Venezuelans who have left their country without plans for the future or pleasurable intentions.

Their experience is comparable to paddling desperately in shark-infested waters. As many Mexicans will concur, it is one thing to take a plane, and another to pay a coyote to smuggle you to some place 'safe.'

Venezuela's mass emigration of recent years has evolved in time. Initially, it was the middle and upper classes and especially their youth, migrating to escape the socialist regime's socio-political and economic policies. Evidently, they sought countries with better work, study and business opportunities like the United States, Panama or Spain. The process intensified after 2017 when the regime's erosion of democratic structures and unrelenting economic vandalism were harming all Venezuelans.