Portuguese lesbian couple weds in Catholic country’s 1st gay marriage
By APMonday, June 7, 2010
Lesbian couple weds in Portugal’s 1st gay marriage
LISBON, Portugal — A lesbian couple has wed in Portugal’s first same-sex ceremony since the predominantly Catholic country introduced a law allowing gay marriage.
Teresa Pires and Helena Paixao, divorced mothers in their 30s who have been together since 2003, married on Monday in a 15-minute ceremony at a Lisbon registry office.
“This is a great victory, a dream come true,” Pires said as the couple kissed and hugged.
The ceremony came less than a month after Portugal’s conservative president ratified a gay marriage law passed by Parliament in January.
The Socialist government says the law is part of its effort to modernize Portugal. Three years ago the same government lifted Portugal’s ban on abortion, despite church opposition.
