OPINION: Extending marriage to same-sex couples is good for the Costa Rican economy
- Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Tourism could benefit by as much as $40 million a year, as same-sex couples flock to Costa Rica to marry
Nisa Sanz is chair of Sí Acepto Costa Rica
Earlier this month, more than 30 businesses came out in support of extending marriage to same-sex couples in Costa Rica – from major multinationals such as Microsoft and Coca-Cola to well-regarded local companies including Batalla Law Firm, ULACIT and the Business Association for Development (AED) – based on an Open for Business report finding that the freedom to marry will boost our national economy by up to $492 million.
This statement from the business community backing marriage for gay and lesbian couples – the first of its kind in Central America – is testament to a new reality that is emerging more clearly every day: the landscape for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) equality in the region is shifting.
On May 27, Costa Rica will officially become the first country in Central America where same-sex couples can obtain a civil marriage.
This victory comes after the Supreme Court of Costa Rica affirmed a decision of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights that found that gay and lesbian couples must be afforded the freedom to marry across all 35 signatory countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The stigma that has long pushed LGBT+ people and our families to the shadows is beginning to crumble. Our once-marginalised community is now joining hands with a broad-based coalition to demonstrate that ending marriage discrimination isn’t just the right thing to do for our families – it’s about building a better future for the country we all call home.
So as our country’s top employers consider how they can best foster innovation, attract top talent and bolster Costa Rica’s standing in the global economy, the arrival of the freedom to marry in Costa Rica couldn’t come any sooner.
When people get to know who we are, they come to find out that same gender couples – like everyone else – simply want to be able to provide for our families, contribute to our communities and hopefully leave the world a little better than we found it.
By treating us with the same respect as everyone else, we create a more productive, harmonious society for everyone.