Ricky Martin calls for gay rights law in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rican singer continues with his struggles for gay rights with a letter.

SAN JUAN: Gay rights have remained a rather controversial issue in the west as more and more people disclose their sexual orientation and voice their concerns over continuous discrimination against homosexuals. Latin pop singer Ricky Martin, who came out in public in 2010, has been an active advocate of gay rights ever since. He recently sent a letter to the Puerto Rican House of Representatives to approve a bill that would prohibit growing discrimination at the island based mainly on  sexual orientation.

The letter, which was released by Martin’s representatives in San Juan, was made public at a time when the bill faced opposition by a group of lawmakers in the lower house after being approved by the Puerto Rican senate last week.

It was only in February this year that the Puerto Rican government denied same-sex couples the right to adopt a child after a huge crowd of people protested for traditional family values. Legislators with the majority Popular Democratic Party in the lower chamber have still been unable to reach a consensus despite the intervention of Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla, who supported the bill’s approval during his election campaign.

Martin called on the House Speaker Jaime Perello and Governor Garcia Padilla to take the lead in forging consensus among lawmakers for passing the bill. “The rights of homosexual people are human rights and human rights are for everyone,” he said.

Martin emphasized that Puerto Rico must not lag behind while countries including France, Argentina, Spain, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and the US are moving forward on acknowledging the rights of gays. He said that all people have the right to equality, regardless of their sexual orientation or sexual identity and he declared that the lawmakers have a responsibility to put an end to the increasing violence and hatred against the homosexual community.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 24^th, 2013.                    

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