Uruguay Gay Marriage: Senate Passes Gay Marriage Bill, Then Erupts In Cheers

In 2010, Uruguay was the first country to pass same-sex civil unions and today the country has just taken their commitment to equality to the next level. A new bill allowing gay marriage has passed in the Senate, which means that if it also passes through Congress, Uruguay will become the 12th country to pass a bill guaranteeing marriage equality.

"The bill lets couples, gay or straight, decide whose surname goes first when they name their children. It also clarifies rules for adoption and in-vitro fertilization, and eliminates the words 'husband and woman' in marriage contracts, referring instead to the gender-neutral 'contracting parties,'" reports Fox News Latino.

Wow. No wonder the entire senate erupted in cheers when the bill was passed. Here are the five best things that were uttered following the vote.

1. "We are living a historic moment," said Federico Grana, who heads the Black Sheep Collective, the gay advocacy group that wrote the bill:

2."I agree that family is the basis of society but I also believe that love is the basis of family. And love is neither homosexual nor heterosexual," explained lawmaker Fernando Amado:

3."I have all the rights and obligations of everyone else. I pay my taxes and fulfill my responsibilities, why would I be discriminated against?" said Roberto Acosta:

4. "We're definitely going to feel now that we live in a place where we're recognized for who we are, where we get more respect and more acceptance," said Damian Diaz, a 25 year old teacher:

5. "It goes beyond homosexuality, it's about a law where everyone shares the same rights and obligations," said Federico Grana: