Australia’s upper house Senate on Wednesday passed a measure to legalize same-sex marriage, perhaps as soon as next week, after lawmakers dismissed a conservative push to allow religious objectors to refuse service to same-sex couples.
Australians overwhelmingly endorsed legalizing same-sex marriage in a postal survey run by the national statistics agency and the bill easily passed the Senate by 43 votes to 12.
Continue reading: Same-sex marriage bill clears Australia’s Senate
Commentary by The Secular Jurist: The bill now moves to the lower house where it is expected to pass. If it does, Australia will become the 26th nation to legalize same-sex marriage.