Mexico Moves Toward Marriage Equality

The Supreme Court of Mexico ruled in favor of marriage equality on Wednesday. This decision overturns the southern state of Oaxaca’s ban on gay marriage and puts the country on track to legalize same-sex marriage before the United States.

This is not the first time the Supreme Court of Mexico has ruled in favor of gay marriage. In 2010, the court voted to uphold Mexico City’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage. Five days later, they ruled that these marriages must be recognized nationwide.

Wednesday’s ruling has no immediate effect on same-sex marriage bans in other Mexican states, but the precedent paves the way for legal challenges across the nation.

Oaxacan law student Alex Alí Méndez Díaz spearheaded the lawsuit, which was based upon the Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling in Mexico City. The case gained strength when the Inter-American Court of Human Rights prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation in February 2012. This verdict set a helpful precendent in Mexico, and it is expected to bolster cases in other nations that recognize the international court’s rulings.

Legal experts predict lengthy court battles as the country moves to legalize same-sex marriage on a national level, but the Supreme Court’s latest decision bodes well for marriage equality in Mexico.

As of this posting, the Supreme Court of the United States has yet to decide if it will rule on gay marriage.

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