Spain will soon be celebreating its silver jubilee since it legalized same sex marriages

 

In a couple of years, Spain will be celebreating  its silver jubilee since it legalized same sex marriages, becoming the fourth country to do so after Belgium, Canada and the Netherlands. Canada passed a similar law that year, following Belgium in 2003 and Holland in 2000. That Spanish law is in line with public opinion: around 70 per cent of Spaniards support legalizing gay marriage. This is despite opposition from the Catholic Church, which voiced fierce and vehement protests against the new law throughout the legislative process. The law gives same sex unions identical status as heterosexual ones, including inheritance rights, pensions and the right to adopt children.

The vote in the 350-seat Spanish Congress passed smoothly, with 187 in favor, 147 against and four abstentions. Spain’s Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero sponsored the law. The Catholic Church was left smarting from the decision. Supporters of the bill were ecstatic upon hearing it had been passed. They deliriously hugged and kissed outside the building, while some openly wept. Gay rights activist Fernando Martinez was overcome with joy. He said: The unjust discrimination has come to an end. Our humiliation is over. The hypocrisy is over. Society, at last, recognizes us for who we are, normal people.” The first marriages of gay couples  legally began on July 15 of that year .

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

a.

legalized

euphoric

b.

in line

judicial

c.

vehement

without a hitch

d.

legislative

consistent

e.

inheritance

rapturously

f.

smoothly

zealous

g.

ecstatic

deceitfulness

h.

smarting

sanctioned

i.

deliriously

bequest

j.

hypocrisy

k.Silver Jubilee

licking its wounds

25 -year mark 

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