'It also leaves the church more and more isolated in its discriminatory position.' Gwenael Le Moing, of the association, said that the law would help the normalisation of homosexuality in society - 'although there was still a lot of work to do'. The Christian Association of Gays and Lesbians welcomed the cabinet's decision. In adoption, the well-being of the children comes first, independent of the sexual orientation of the parents,' she said. 'There is no proof that homosexual parents educate their children any worse. 'Marriage is essentially a heterosexual institution,' they said.īut Cabinet spokeswoman Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega said thousands of children lived with homosexual parents and numerous studies had shown that they were no different to children brought up in heterosexual homes. They said gay people's rights as citizens should not be discriminated against, but insisted social institutions had to be protected. 'A married couple, producing and educating their children, contributes in an irreplaceable way to the growth and stability of society,' the bishops said, adding that a homosexual couple 'could never have such characteristics'. The issue of adoption further fuelled the controversy, stiffening opposition from the church.Īfter the vote, the Spanish Bishops' Conference issued a statement saying the cabinet's decision was 'wrong and unjust'. The government, which estimates around 10% of Spaniards are gay, says it expects homosexuals to be able to marry as early as next year. If the bill is approved by parliament, it will make Spain the third EU country to authorise gay marriages. The Roman Catholic Church and conservative opposition have fiercely opposed the move, which opinion polls The bill gives same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples, including the right to adopt children. The Spanish government has approved a draft law which will legalise homosexual marriages. The Netherlands and Belgium allow same-sex marriages

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