Same-sex couples in Colombia: three models for their legal and political recognition

Abstract

This article is divided into three sections. The first part presents the basic structure of the decisions of the Colombian Constitutional Court that legally recognized same-sex couples and granted them a significant number of rights. In the second part, which is both analytical and critical, I will justify the arguments that affirm that this set of rulings constitutes an important step towards the elimination of the discrimination that exists against the LGBT community in Colombia. The third part presents the central features of the models of autonomy and equality that justify the legal recognition of same-sex couples, and presents their primary weaknesses. In this section, I also present the elements of the model of dignity and the arguments affirming that this normative perspective provides a clearer and more complete explanation and basis for the position promoting the legal recognition of same-sex couples.