Lawmakers in Gibraltar on Wednesday
unanimously approved a bill that extends marriage rights to gay and
lesbian couples.
The move comes roughly 2 years after
members of the Gibraltar Parliament approved civil partnerships for
gay and straight couples.
Equality Minister Samantha Sacramento
is quoted by the Gibraltar Chronicle as telling lawmakers that
the measure includes important “religious safeguards.”
“This bill will place all couples on
the same footing as other couples already married at the registry
office, as the proposed amendments to the Marriage Act will provide
the same option for all,” she
said.
A so-called conscience clause in the
bill allows registrars who believe such unions violate their
religious beliefs to opt out of officiating marriages for same-sex
couples.
The 2.3 square mile island off the
coast of Spain is home to almost 30,000 citizens; its Rock of
Gibraltar is a major tourist destination. Gibraltar is a British
territory.