New Zealand became the 13th country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage today after their parliament approved an amendment to their 1955 marriage laws 77-44. The country is the first in the Asia-Pacific region to allow gays and lesbians to marry.
Same-sex marriage supporters, Members of Parliament (MPs) and observers in parliament broke into applause and cheers, and then started singing, “Pokarekare Ana,” a very popular Maori love song.
The new law will take effect this August.
