Mexico City passes gay marriage law

A law allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry is now in effect in Mexico City.



The law, which was passed by the city\'s local assembly in December, gives gay people full marital rights, including the right to adopt.



Several gay couples are now expected to register to get married as early as next week.



Mexico City is one of the first capitals in Latin America to fully recognize gay marriages.



With this law - and previous legalization on abortion and some form of euthanasia - the Mexican capital has become a liberal and progressive island in what remains a mostly conservative nation.



But BBC correspondents say local gay activists report that homophobic attacks are still frequent across the country, where people continue to face discrimination in the workplace or are attacked when displaying public affection to a person of the same sex.