Civil Union Bill said to ignite debates accross Africa

This facinating article from Afrol news claims that the acceptance of same-sex marriage in South Africa has opened up spaces for discussions on homosexuality in many other parts of Africa.

style="text-align: justify;"> This is what I call the productive power of the Constitution: Constitutional rights can have an effcet far beyond the mere invalidation of existing pieces of legislation. Because the law is also productive - by that I mean it helps to produce the reality we live in - constitutional challenges can have far-reaching social and political effects by changing the way people think about their world.

Of course, it can also produce powerful forces of resistance. After the discussions are over, there is always the likelihood of a backlash and more repression. But that backlash may again, in turn, lead to resistance by gay and lesbian groups now emboldened.