Leaping Lesbians!

Another marriage item we missed on the recent vacation was that former Dutch colony Aruba must register a lesbian marriage.

The AP story from August 24th may still be online. The gist from the article is:

Aruba's Superior Court confirmed a lower court's December ruling that the Caribbean island should register the marriage of Charlene and Esther Oduber-Lamers, who were wed in Holland in 2001.

"The Dutch marriage can be inscribed in the register," read the decision. "Since Aruba is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, it must comply with demands of the Kingdom."

Just at the fundies predicted, the world is awash with the spread of gay marriages, or at least a gay marriage.

Proving a major point of legalizing such marriages, this has several benefits to the couple. Esther now qualifies for spousal health benefits from Charlene's spot at the Aruban Department of Social Affairs. She can also remain on Aruba more than six months a year by immigration law.

Aruba refuses to follow Holland's 2001 lead in permitting same-sex marriage. Also, the island is not gay friendly and has few openly homosexual residents.

Weddings are big business on the beautiful Carribean island. There must be mixed feeling about the word getting out that same-sex marriages may work there. Tourist bucks v. infamy...ever a conflict.