The Mexican Supreme Court lifted a state ban Monday that restricted same-sex couples to adopt. This comes after a ruling in June which virtually legalized marriage equality nationwide. However, that decision did not affect adoption laws.
In this week's ruling, the court ruled article 19 of a law regulating civil unions to be unconstitutional. The court's president, Luis Maria Aguilar Morales claimed that the article discriminated against children's rights. She stated that the family structure is irrelevant if the parents can provide "an authentic life of affection and solidarity no matter their gender."
The court's decision only affects adoption in the state of Campeche but will hopefully serve as a model for other states. Although the court's decision was almost unanimous with only one vote against, it has still received criticism from its conservative opponents, "saying it was a shame that this has been allowed and that it is something unnatural."
In 2013, Felipe Najera and Jaime Morales became the first same-sex couple to adopt in Mexico when they fought the Mexican government to adopt their daughter, Alejandra. The soap opera star and theater producer have become the face of adoption rights in Mexico.