The media is not reporting the surprising strength of opposition to same-sex marriage in Argentina (which rumor has it is being pushed primarily by the spouse of the president of Argentina).

I saw this story about the effort to push gay marriage in Argentina and sent it to a friend in Argentina who was there. Here's an eyewitness report:

"Yesterday we had the closing audience at the Senate. Nearly everyone spoke against legalization of ssm. The newspaper obliterated the most relevant speeches. Very important people (former Supreme Court Justices, National Academics of Medicine, a.s.o.) spoke in the defense of marriage (the real one), including: Rodolfo Barra (former Justice of the Supreme Court of Argentina), Reinaldo Vanossi (Permanent Member of the National Academy of Law); Leonardo McLean (Permanent Member of the National Academy of Medicine); Gregorio Badeni (Permanent Member of the National Academy of Moral and Political Sciences); and several experts, such as Amparo Llanos (PH.D., correspondent member of the UN), Analìa G. Pastore (Expert in Family Law and Bioethics), Oscar Ameal (PH.D., Director of the Civl Law Department of the National University of Buenos Aires and Judge in the National Court of Appeals); Alejandro Molina (Former Public Defender for Minors in the National Court of Appeal and renowned expert in Family Law); Ursula C. Basset (PH.D, Researcher and Professor in Family Law); and Cristian Conen (Director of the Family Institute of the Austral University); pronounced themselves in favour of protecting marriage of man and woman.

And that this is just the beginning, since, thanks to the ssm legalization movement, the family movement was just born.

We are planning a big march to the Parliament on the 13th July. On Monday, we are going to release our local declaration of citizens in the Senate, with a Press Conference."

The press coverage I saw reported the debate as Christian clergy versus one Jewish rabbi, naturally; Meanwhile several experts, including a former Justice minister, pointed out the bill contradicts the Argentinian Constitution and so would have no legal effect.

Congrats to Argentina, whatever happens, for giving birth to a marriage movement!