In a historic move on Wednesday, May 5 the House of Deputies debated and passed legislation to approve Argentina gay marriage.

It marks the first time that gay marriage has been debated in a national legislature in Latin America.

The legislation passed the Argentine House of Deputies by a wide margin, 126-109 with five abstentions. It now goes to the Argentine Senate for consideration.

Argentine President Cristina Fernandez has already promised not to veto the measure on Argentina gay marriage legislation if it reaches her desk.

Argentine judges have already performed a number of gay and lesbian marriages in Argentina, saying that freedom of choice for couples is part of the Argentine constitution. Some of the marriages have been ruled illegal by other judges, and the Roman Catholic Church in Argentina strongly opposes the measure.

No one knows exactly how many gay and lesbian couples have moved from the U.S. seeking personal freedom and legal recognition in their relationships. However, many countries throughout Latin American have all made recent moves to codify either in law or in their constitutions the legal status of gay and lesbian relationships, including Uruguay, Ecuador, Brazil, Mexico, and now Argentina.

Given the low cost of living, vibrant culture, and excellent weather in these Latin American destinations, experts say that an increasing number of gay and lesbian couples may move abroad to escape what they see as an increasingly intolerant and polarized attitude in the U.S. toward gay marriage.