In a heart-warming first for the conservative nation, Chile celebrates its first-ever gay marriage ceremony.
Woohoo! In a milestone for LGBTQIA+ people across the globe, Chile’s Javier Silva and Jaime Nazar became the first gay men to marry in Chilean history after the country passed a bill allowing same-sex marriage.
The conservative nation approved the legislation in December after a decade-long battle by LGBTQIA+ communities.
“Being the first couple to get married in Chile for us is an honour, something to be proud of,” Silva told reporters after the ceremony. “We did it! It’s something we didn’t think could happen.”
“Now our children have the same rights (as other families) and they will be able to have, we hope, a better future, that they will not be discriminated against for having two parents who love each other,” Silva commented.
Qué alegría! Mis felicitaciones a Jaime y Javier por ser la primera pareja en casarse bajo la nueva ley de #MatrimonioIgualitario. A seguir avanzando por un Chile con igualdad de derechos y libertades para todas las personas. https://t.co/l7jNhDIN99
— Gabriel Boric Font (@GabrielBoric) March 10, 2022
“My congratulations to Jaime and Javier for being the first couple to marry under the new #EqualMarriage law. To continue advancing for a Chile with equal rights and freedoms for all people,” President-elect Gabriel Boric posted to Twitter.
Silva and Nazar have been partners for seven years and have two young children. They’ve had a civil union for the last three years, but their marriage is an awesome legitimising step forward for their family and country.
In 2015, same-sex couples were granted the right to marry under the country’s Civil Union Agreement but were not allowed to adopt.
Same-sex marriage equality was passed in December of 2021, granting couples equal rights to hetero couples.
The landmark legislation has been consistently opposed, despite campaigning from equality lobbyists such as MOVILH (The Homosexual Integration and Liberation Movement) for over a decade.
The legislation was first introduced to congress in 2017 by then-President Michelle Bachelet.
“I think we’re putting ourselves at the level the rest of the world is living in, which is great”, Nazar said. “I know our society is very conservative, but I also know we have a promising future as a country.”
This comes as a beautiful win for LGBTQIA+ communities throughout Chile and the world.
