Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court votes against allowing gay couples to adopt
A person holds a placard reading ‘Equality for all children ….’ as a boy waves a rainbow flag during a demonstration to support gay marriage and adoption on January 26, 2013 in Lyon, central France.
Puerto Rico's Supreme Court on Wednesday voted 5-4 to uphold a law barring gay and lesbian couples from adopting children, reported the Associated Press.
The judges decided not to overturn the law, which banned adoption for gay couples on the grounds that they do not constitute a traditional family unit, arguing that having both a mother and a father is best for a child's well-being, said AP.
The vote comes two days after a massive anti-gay demonstration was reported in the US commonwealth, with Russia Today claiming as many as 200,000 people gathered on Monday to rally against gay rights in front of San Juan’s Capitol building.
It also comes as Puerto Rican lawmakers are set to face a number of bills seeking to give gays and lesbians there greater rights, said AP.