We just posted about the progression of gay rights and marriage equality across Europe in Will Germany Advance Gay Rights Any Time Soon? What About Marriage Equality? If the powerhouse of Germany is not considering same -sex marriages any time soon or at least not under its current leadership, what hope is there for other European nations, especially the Eastern European countries?
Here's the glimmer of hope.
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania's president called for "tolerance and acceptance" of minorities Wednesday as the nation's highest court considers whether to legally recognize a same-sex marriage between a U.S. citizen and a Romanian man.
Klaus Iohannis, an ethnic German and a Lutheran, noted that he belonged to two minorities. "Tolerance and acceptance of others are vital. These are the values I believe in," he said.
The Constitutional Court will rule next week on a petition to recognize the couple's union, which is currently invalid in Romania. The influential Romanian Orthodox Church opposes the petition.
Claibourn Robert Hamilton, an American graphic designer and Adrian Coman, a rights activist, have petitioned the court to recognize their marriage. They married in Belgium in 2010, where same-sex marriages are legal, and live in the United States.
They launched a legal fight to get their marriage sanctioned in Romania in 2012 after their plans to relocate for work were shelved due to a refusal by immigration authorities to recognize their union. The court has twice delayed making a decision in their case.
In unusually outspoken comments to foreign news organizations, Iohannis said "religious fanaticism does not help society. If being a Christian leans toward fanaticism…. it sends a wrong signal."
Religious groups connected to the Orthodox Church want the constitution amended to state that marriage is a union between a man and a woman. The constitution currently says that marriage is a union between spouses. – wowway.net
Romania, just east of Hungary and West of the Black Sea is not even on the most recent map regarding same-sex marriage. Is this statement what the Eastern European LGBT community needs to instill some hope of having marriage equality soon?
Will this court case be the catalyst Eastern Europe needs to allow marriage equality to exist?
Case by case, country by country, continent by continent.
h/t: wowway.net