CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) - South Africa on Thursday became the first country in Africa, and only the fifth in the world, to legalize same sex ''marriages.''
The Civil Union Act goes into effect a day ahead of a Dec. 1 deadline set by the country's Constitutional Court, which required the marriage law be changed to ensure equality for gay and lesbians.
Gay rights groups have welcomed the law, although they criticized provisions allowing clergy and civil marriage officers to turn away gay couples if their consciences prevented them from marrying them.
The Roman Catholic Church and Muslim groups denounced it as violating the sanctity of marriage. In the days leading up to the signing of the new law, radio talk shows aired strong opposition to the legislation.
Homosexuality is still largely taboo in Africa. It is illegal in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana and most other sub-Saharan countries.
Denmark in 1989 became the first country to legislate same-sex partnerships and several other European Union members have followed suit. To date, only four other countries — Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain — allow same-sex marriage.
In the United States, only the state of Massachusetts allows gay marriage. Vermont and Connecticut permit civil unions, California grants similar status through a domestic-partner registration law, and more than a dozen states give gay couples some legal rights.
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