VICTORY: Brazil legalizes same-sex civil unions!

Brazil's Supreme Federal Court recently voted to legalize same-sex unions, even though Brazil has the largest population of Roman Catholics in the world.

Last week's decision doesn't legalize gay marriage — available only in Argentina and Mexico City — but the 10-0 vote — one justice abstained — means homosexual couples will have rights mirroring those of heterosexual couples, including pension, health care and inheritance benefits and, according to some lawyers, the right to adopt children.

Brazil now joins Colombia and Uruguay as countries that recognize civil unions, while governments in Costa Rica and Venezuela recognize a lesser form of same-sex partnership registration, according to the Christian Science Monitor.