South African Stunner

Wow. I can't quite believe what the BBC just told me.

South Africa has made gay marriage legal.

The ruling African National Congress ordered all MPs to turn up and vote for the bill, despite the opposition of church and traditional leaders.

The bill provides for the "voluntary union of two persons, which is solemnised and registered by either a marriage or civil union".

During the debate before the vote, Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula told MPs: "In breaking with our past... we need to fight and resist all forms of discrimination and prejudice, including homophobia."

Last year, the Constitutional Court gave the government until 1 December 2006 to legalise same-sex weddings, after gay rights activists took the issue to court.

The ruling was based on the constitution, which was the first in the world specifically to outlaw discrimination on the grounds of sexual preference.

South Africa.

Who'd have thought it?