While US stalls, progess on LGBT equality in Ireland and Argentina

We probably don't post enough of the LGBT content from AMERICAblog Gay on the front page. So, we're going to make a concerted effort to highlight more of those posts.

This week, for example, showed great progress on the international front for LGBT equality. The female Presidents of two very Catholic countries signed legislation granting rights to same-sex couples.

On Monday, Ireland's President President Mary McAleese signed the country's new Civil Partnership Law:

My grandparents emigrated from Ireland 100 years ago. I've got loads of family in Ireland. It's a very Catholic country. And, now, it provides more rights for same-sex couples than the U.S.:

The Civil Partnership Bill, which provides legal recognition for same-sex couples in Ireland for the first time, has today been signed into law.

The Bill was signed into law by President Mary McAleese at Áras an Uachtaráin this morning

It extends marriage-like benefits to gay and lesbian couples in the areas of property, social welfare, succession, maintenance, pensions and tax.

Yesterday, Argentina's President signed the country's marriage law:

Argentina's President signed the country's new marriage legislation into law today. And, she gave an eloquent speech about equality:

President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner enacted the same-sex marriage law during a speech given at Government House. She stated that "this has been a construction, because we haven't enacted a law, but a social construction that is transversal, diverse, and all-encompassing."

"This belongs to the society that built it, and I appreciate everyone's efforts and I evade petty policies. We mustn't impair what's important. This creates institutional quality. We have given more equality," she assured.

In yesterday's post on Argentina, I wrote:

Okay. I know it's a pipe dream, but I am still hoping that someday, in the not too distant future, we'll watch the President of the United States sign legislation granting full equality. But, we're so far from that, I'd settle for having the Obama administration not defend discriminatory laws like DADT and DOMA in the courts.

Two very Catholic countries ignored the criticism and lobbying of the Catholic Church and moved forward on human rights. Be great to live in a country where religious hard-liners don't control public policy.