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Mexico Upholds Same-Sex Adoption Law

Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled 9 to 2 today to uphold a Mexico City law that allows same-sex couples to adopt. Mexico City is now the first Latin American capital to legalize both same-sex marriage, which the Mexican Supreme Court upheld earlier this month, and same-sex couples’ adoption rights, according to Reuters.

The Mexican federal Attorney General’s office brought the case to court with the backing of the conservative National Action Party and the Catholic Church. The Attorney General argued that same-sex adoption would destroy traditional family values and the well-being of the adopted child. The Cardinal of Guadalajara, Juan Sandoval, said, “I don’t know if any of you would like it if you were adopted by a pair of lesbians or a pair of faggots (maricones). I think not,” according to the Latin American Dispatch.

Similar to the court’s 8 to 2 ruling reaffirming the same-sex marriage law, the court asserted that while the Mexican constitution guarantees protections for families, it does not define what a “family” is, according to the Associated Press. Justice Arturo Zaldivar also said, “Given that the interests of the child must come first, the proposed reform is constitutional,” reports Reuters.

Though the law was only passed in Mexico City, all 31 Mexican states are expected to adhere to it.

Sources:

Feminist Newswire 8/6/10, 12/22/09; Reuters 8/17/10; Latin American Dispatch 8/17/10; Associated Press 8/5/10

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