The Mexican state of Yucatan is considering whether to legalize same-sex marriage… but it’ll make that decision another day.
According to local news source Yucatan Expat Life, Yucatan is the only state in Mexico to not legalized gay marriage yet. But, lawmakers in the state are working on it. At least, they were.
In 2015, the Court of Justice ruled that the restriction of marriage being between a man and a woman was discriminatory. As such, all states were meant to update laws to coordinate with this ruling, but one state is holding out.
Earlier this week, the Constitutional and Government Affairs commission of the Yucatan Congress was meant to vote to correct this law. Representatives were expected to vote on marriage equality this past Tuesday, but several lawmakers didn’t show up for the vote.
Because of the multiple absences, the vote was tabled for later. This also means that the Congress of Yucatan is in contempt with the high court’s orders.
Several LGBTQ activists are calling out these missing lawmakers as staging an orchestrated attack against marriage equality.
“They want to tire us to avoid the issue, but we will not take a step back,” said Alex Orué of It Gets Better Mexico.
“We already know how they spend to avoid the issue, there are always more important events or issues, and if they can get up early, they will do it,” he told HuffPost Mexico. “The PAN coordinator, Rosa Adriana Díaz, apparently wants to bring to consultation the issue of equal marriage in Yucatan, and possibly the coordinator of Morena, Edmundo Candiña Moh, wants to follow the move.”
Despite this move by state Congress members, the state’s government says that it’s trying to eradicate discrimination against LGBTQ people.
According to the Yucatan Times, a new council was made specifically for the purpose of protecting LGBTQ citizens. Mayor Renán Barrera Concha, who runs the municipal of Mérida, oversaw the creation of the Council Against the Discrimination of Sexual Diversity, which was approved in January.
“Clear participation mechanisms are required to achieve progress in public policy issues and in programs to eradicate or promote behaviors in favor of an integral development of our society,” said Barrera.
The Council is made up of members of LGBTQ organizations within the state and government officials. The council will plan, design, organize, support, and evaluate programs and activities to help fight discrimination in Yucatan.
“These activities will be in favor of tolerance and respect for human rights. An annual work plan will be designed to promote equitable and fair treatment to people of sexual diversity in municipal public services; organize and open opinion forums, courses, workshops and seminars to promote respect, inclusion and tolerance, mainly towards sexual diversity, including special medical and psychological care programs among others,” said José Luis Martínez Semerena, Director of Social Development and Executive Secretary of the Municipal Council.
But as some sections of the state's government are embracing LGBTQ rights, others are running away from it. We’ll see how long they can run from those looking to support LGBTQ citizens.
