THE FIRST HOMO’S MARRIAGE IN PORTUGAL

By FRANCIS TAWIAH (Duisburg – Germany)

A Homo-sexual marriage ceremony is now permitted in Portugal Catholic Churches. The dreams of two women have come true.

Since the introduction of homo sexual marriage, three weeks ago in Portugal, the two women are the first to celebrate their same-sexual pair marriage in a strict Catholic Church in Mexilo-Portugal.

The two women, Teresa Pires (33) and Helena Paix ão (40) gave themselves on Monday in a registry office in Lisbon the consent. “Thank God we have made it limited. We are very happy”, said both women who have been in relationship for eight years.

Pires and Paixão have a daughter (ten and 16 years old) who come from their previous heterosexual marriages and live with them. The two women tried already in 2006 to marry but the courts rejected their application.

Homo-sexual marriage is officially allowed in Portugal by their President Aníbal Cavaco Silva and his cabinet since the 18th of May 2010.

Till 1992 homosexuality was even punishable in Portugal. Opponents of the homo's marriage had demanded a plebiscite about the new law and therefore had to collect about 90,000 signatures facilitate the amendment of the Homo-sexual marriage law in Portugal.