Sacrifices that Pay: Polity Membership, Political Opportunities and the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage in Spain

Abstract

This article examines the Spanish gay and lesbian movement, and discusses its role in the legalization of same-sex marriages. The main focus is on the interplay between gay and lesbian rights organizations and leftist political parties during a time span that goes back to the late 1970s. In order to shed new light on the links between protest, interest representation and policy change, including law reform, this article combines the analysis of political opportunities and the exploration of some fundamental decisions taken by social movement organizations on their engagement with mainstream politics. The main argument is that impact in the area of law reform is brought about only when available opportunities for change are seized by politically incorporated social movements.

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