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Chilean Homosexual Non-Discrimination Law Fails Following Protest

Activist Believes Bill's Proponents Will Try Again on September 11th

By Matthew Cullinan Hoffman

CHILE, September 10, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A bill whose opponents warned would make opposition to homosexuality illegal in Chile was quietly defeated last week when it was removed from a scheduled vote in the Chilean Senate, according to Salvador Salazar, president of Muevete Chile! (Go Chile!).

The tabling of the measure followed a campaign by multiple groups and individuals to encourage senators to oppose the measure and preserve the Chilean people's right to speak against homosexual behavior.

The bill, which is called the Law to Establish Measures against Discrimination, seeks to add "sexual preference" to a long list of categories protected from "arbitrary discrimination" under Chilean law.  The bill also lists "gender" in addition to "sex", implying protection for "transgender people" who think they are the opposite sex. It is strongly supported by Chile's socialist president Michelle Bachelet (see recent coverage at http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/sep/07090401.html).

Salazar told LifeSiteNews that thousands of people had contacted their senators, and his organization had also delivered a critique of the law to each one.  The Chilean group Family Action also sent a letter to every senator urging them to vote against the bill.

The news service 24Horas claimed that "a few steps away from submitting the Bill to Establish Measures Against Discrimination...the Homosexual Integration and Liberation Movement (Movilh) will adjust the last details to guarantee the success of the law with the president of the Senate and ex-president of the Republic, Edwardo Frei."

However, Salazar believes that this is merely an excuse given by the homosexual lobby to cover the fact that they didn't have sufficient support in the Senate. "Who decided that the law would not be voted on? Why? These are questions that still have no response, but that reflect the abuse of power and the hidden political negotiations that end up discrediting our legislators," Salazar said. "We think that it is a victory for us, since they postponed this vote because they know they don't have the votes necessary to approve it.  It is very probable that they will put it up for a vote again on Tuesday, September 11th."

Regarding the fact that the major media in Chile have practically ignored the landmark bill, Salazar says that "It's very strange that the written media has not addressed the topic. These groups intended the law to pass without making noise and they weren't successful."

Previous LifeSiteNews coverage:

Proposed Chilean Law Threatens Religious Freedom
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/sep/07090401.html

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