Twenty couples got married in a mass ceremony on an Acapulco beach on Friday, one month after Mexico’s top court all but legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
With Guerrero state’s governor and wife as witnesses, the 15 male and five female couples exchanged vows as the sun set, surrounded by about 200 people.
“It’s a big step. It’s something I have always wanted since I was very little and I wanted to start a family,” Alejandra Jimenez Soler said after she was declared married to a hotel worker whom she had been dating for more than a year.
Holding a bouquet of roses, the 17-year-old Acapulco resident was among the youngest people in the group.
Despite her youth, Jimenez said she took a “responsible, mature, reasoned” decision in the face of her family’s disappointment with her homosexuality.
“I feel terrible that my family isn’t here to support me, because they should accept you as you are,” she said.
Under the theme of “Guerrero, to love is a right,” the mass ceremony was sealed with a toast and a wedding cake as a mariachi band played.
Acapulco Governor Rogelio Ortega promoted the event despite opposition from some politicians and the Roman Catholic Church.
Mexico’s top court opened the door to same-sex unions throughout the country of nearly 120 million people on June 3, when it ruled that it was unconstitutional for states to ban them.
While the “jurisprudence” issued by the court does not oblige states to change their laws, it requires courts to rule in favor of same-sex couples whose marriages were rejected.
Following the ruling, Ortega’s administration instructed civil registries to approve marriage licenses for gay people.
Acapulco’s mayor tried to block same-sex marriages, arguing that the local civil code must be amended first.
However, the civil registry went along with the governor’s orders and approved Friday’s licenses.
“We respect all beliefs because we are inclusive when it comes to civil rights,” Ortega said during the ceremony.
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