buenos aires attracting more gay men

the new tourist circuit.



last year buenos aires hosted the first international gay world cup. more than 500 footballers from 28 countries played. the argentine footballers association cooperated openly with the tournament. that openness is helping to make argentina more appealing to gay men.

the first five star gay hotel in latin america opened in buenos aires last year as well. hotel axel "[was] designed to be open and airy."

"the hotel's top floor is a glass-bottomed pool that draws visitors' gazes upward as they enter the breezy lobby."

buenos aires became the first capital in latin america to legalize same-sex civil unions.

"[the city] is fast earning a reputation as a gay-friendly," daniel schweimler, bbc buenos aires writer, said.

which heightens the story of cesar cigliutti and marcelo suntheim. the two gay rights leaders married last monday in madrid in defiance of buenos aires' ban on gay marriage.

"we came to spain because there is a marriage law here that allows the union of homosexuals and in argentina there isn't," cigliutti, president of the Argentine Homosexual Community, told the associated press from madrid. the newlyweds celebrated with friends monday before a honeymoon in egypt."

"similar [civil union] laws are also in place in the patagonian province of rio negro and a small city in the province of cordoba. uruguay is the only country in Latin America that has legalized gay civil unions nationwide," according to B gay News.

"past attempts by homosexuals to marry in argentina have been rejected by the judicial system in this predominantly roman catholic country."

"it's not going to be easy. ... but we're already married, spain recognizes us," said cigliutti. "we want argentina to recognize us as well."