Recognition of same-sex unions in El Salvador
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Legal history
Constitutional attempts to ban same-sex marriage
The Constitution of El Salvador does not explicitly ban the recognition of same-sex marriages. Article 32 reads: "The legal foundation of the family is marriage and rests on the juridical equality of the spouses."[a] However, article 11 of the Family Code of El Salvador states that marriage is the "union of a man and a woman".[4]
In 2006, a
On 30 April 2009, the
On 17 April 2015, a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage was approved once again in the Assembly at first reading, with 47 votes in favor. To be successfully included in the Constitution, the law had to be ratified by a two-thirds majority of the Assembly, or 56 of its 84 members.[8] In November 2016, following the filing of a lawsuit to legalize same-sex marriage, some conservative MPs renewed their efforts to pass the ban.[9] In January 2018, the Constitutional Court declared the proposed amendment unlawful because of "procedural missteps".[10]
Attempts to recognise same-sex unions
In August 2021, the government of President Nayib Bukele proposed constitutional changes to permit same-sex couples to marry, prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and legalize abortion when the life of the mother is in danger. As constitutional reforms in El Salvador must be approved by two successive congresses to take effect, the earliest the law could be enacted would have been 2027.[11] In December 2021, Bukele backtracked and ruled out possible constitutional reforms to legalize same-sex marriage.[12]
Legal challenges
In August 2016, a law student filed a
On 9 August 2019, a case challenging article 11 of the Family Code was admitted to the Constitutional Court. Originally filed in 2016 by activist Gabriel Gasteazoro, the case alleges that the provisions outlawing same-sex marriages in the Family Code are unconstitutional.[19][20] A ruling was expected in the first three months of 2020,[21] but was not issued.
2018 Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruling
On January 9, 2018, in advisory opinion OC 24/7, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) ruled that countries signatory to the American Convention on Human Rights are required to allow same-sex couples to marry.[22] The ruling states that:[23]
The State must recognize and guarantee all rights derived from a family bond between persons of the same sex in accordance with the provisions of Articles 11.2 and 17.1 of the American Convention. (...) in accordance with articles 1.1, 2, 11.2, 17, and 24 of the American Convention, it is necessary to guarantee access to all the existing figures in domestic legal systems, including the right to marry. (..) To ensure the protection of all the rights of families formed by same-sex couples, without discrimination with respect to those that are constituted by heterosexual couples.
El Salvador ratified the American Convention on Human Rights on 23 June 1978 and recognized the court's jurisdiction on 6 June 1995.[24] In the wake of the ruling, LGBT groups have urged the Government of El Salvador to abide by the decision and legalise same-sex marriage.[25]
Public opinion
According to a 2008 poll, 14% of Salvadorans supported same-sex marriage, while 80% were opposed and 6% were undecided.[26] A 2010 poll revealed that El Salvador had some of the lowest support for legalizing same-sex marriage in Latin America, at 10%.[27]
According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted between November 9 and December 17, 2013, 11% of Salvadorans supported same-sex marriage, while 81% were opposed.[28][29]
The 2017 AmericasBarometer showed that 19% of Salvadorans supported same-sex marriage.[30] The Society for Cultural Anthropology reported in 2019 that in addition to low public support the situation for LGBT Salvadorans is "nightmarish": "Normalized intrapersonal violence and sexism intersect with widely acceptable homophobia and transphobia, subjecting many to hostility and harm. Scholars have argued that violence in the country has historically hinged on and exacerbated patriarchal gender roles, dating back to the Spanish suppression of fluid sexual practices and gender identities among the Pipil through widespread wartime sexual violence in the twentieth century."[b][32]
See also
- LGBT rights in El Salvador
- Recognition of same-sex unions in the Americas
- LGBT literature in El Salvador
Notes
- ^ In Spanish: El fundamento legal de la familia es el matrimonio descansa en la igualdad jurídica de los cónyuges.[3]
- Pipil language, a gay person is siwayulu (pronounced [siwaˈjulu]), while a two-spirit individual who occupies a traditional, cultural and societal third gender role is siwakich (pronounced [siˈwagitʃ]).[31]
References
- ^ "El estado del matrimonio igualitario en El Salvador". LexLatin (in Spanish). 29 June 2021.
- ^ "elsalvador.com, El FMLN sigue en contra de prohibir las bodas gay". Elsalvador.com. 2009-04-28. Retrieved 2014-04-11.
- ^ "Constitución de la República de El Salvador". concourt.am (in Spanish).
- ^ "Código de Familia" (PDF) (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ Fear of "Gay Planet" in El Salvador
- ^ El Salvador Bans Same-Sex Marriage and LGBT Adoption Rights in Last Minute Constitutional Amendment
- ^ Attempt To Ban Gay Marriage Fails In El Salvador
- ^ El Salvador approves measures banning same-sex marriage, gay couple adoption
- ^ (in Spanish) La enésima procesión en la Asamblea en contra del matrimonio igualitario
- ^ "El Salvador: Constitutional ban on same-sex marriage blocked". Associated Press. 31 January 2018.
- ^ "Bukele busca que se apruebe el aborto terapéutico y la unión homosexual". El Observador (in Spanish). 18 August 2021.
- ^ "Despenalización del aborto y matrimonio igualitario excluidos de las reformas constitucionales". Gato Encerrado (in Spanish). 15 December 2021.
- ^ "Same-sex Marriage Lawsuit Filed in El Salvador". The Perchy Bird WordPress. 18 August 2016.
- ^ (in Spanish) Piden declarar inconstitucional exclusión de matrimonio a personas del mismo sexo
- ^ (in Spanish) Sala Constitucional de El Salvador rechaza solicitud de matrimonio homosexual
- ^ (in Spanish) Piden a Sala Constitucional que autorice el matrimonio homosexual en El Salvador
- ^ "Corte Suprema de El Salvador rechaza nueva demanda del matrimonio igualitario". Washington Blade (in Spanish). 22 January 2019.
- ^ "Piden a juzgadse salvadoreña resolver demanda para permitir matrimonio gay". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 19 January 2019.
- ^ López, Jaime (10 August 2019). "Sala Constitucional abre juicio por matrimonio homosexual". elsalvador.com (in Spanish).
- ^ "Sala admite demanda que busca eliminar prohibición de matrimonio entre personas del mismo sexo". elsalvadorgram (in Spanish). 9 August 2019.
- ^ "Sala de lo Constitucional resolvería demanda sobre matrimonio igualitario en los primeros tres messes de 2020". elsalvador.com (in Spanish). 6 January 2020.
- Yahoo7. 9 January 2018. Archived from the originalon 9 January 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- ^ "OPINIÓN CONSULTIVA OC-24/17 DE 24 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2017SOLICITADA POR LA REPÚBLICA DE COSTA RICA" (PDF) (in Spanish). Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 2, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
- ^ "ANNUAL REPORT OF THE IACHR 2001 - Annex III". cidh.org (in Spanish).
- ^ Latin America countries urged to abide by landmark LGBT rights ruling The Washington Blade, 15 January 2018
- ^ El Salvador: Situation of homosexuals, including societal attitudes and availability of state protection and support services
- ^ Lodola, German; Margarita Corral (2010). "Support for Same‐ Sex Marriage in Latin America" (PDF). AmericasBarometer Insight. 44.
- ^ Religion in Latin America Chapter 5: Social Attitudes
- ^ Religion in Latin America Appendix A: Methodology
- ^ (in Spanish) CULTURA POLÍTICA DE LA DEMOCRACIA EN LA REPÚBLICA DOMINICANA Y EN LAS AMÉRICAS, 2016/17
- ^ Lara-Martinez, Rafael; McCallister, Rick. "Glosario cultural Náwat Pipil y Nicarao" (PDF). tushik.org. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
- ^ Chávez Courtright, Nicola (January 23, 2019). "Bound Up in Each Other: Salvadoran LGBT Displacement". Society for Cultural Anthropology.