South Africa
introduces same-sex union legislation

Legislation that would make South Africa the first country on the continent to legalize partnerships for gays and lesbians was introduced on Wednesday, Agence France-Presse reports. The civil union bill was introduced in parliament in Cape Town in response to a constitutional court judgment last December that the existing marriage act was discriminatory. However, some activists say the legislation would still make gays and lesbians second-class citizens, as their unions would not be called marriages although they would confer the same rights and privileges as marriage.

Parliament was ordered to change the legislation within a year; if it does not, an amendment would automatically come into effect to give gay couples the right to marry. (The Advocate)