In one year, 701 gay couples got married in São Paulo

A year after same-sex marriage was made legal in the state of São Paulo, 701 homosexual civil unions were registered in the city’s 58 clerk’s offices.

According to a survey conducted by the Association of Clerk’s Offices of the State of São Paulo (“Arpen-SP”), October was the month with the largest number of marriages, 90 altogether, followed by November (80), May (73), and August (71). The fifth month on the list was April, with 57 ceremonies.

The norm which allows same-sex unions was passed by the Judicial Court of the State of São Paulo in December 2012, but the clerk’s offices were only permitted to recognize same-sex unions as of March 1, 2013. Up to this date, homosexual couples had to wait for the decision of a judge from a local court.

In May 2013 this norm was brought into effect nationwide, after the National Justice Council put forward Resolution 175, which gives permission to all clerk’s offices in Brazil to register same-sex unions.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira