Right now would probably not be a good time for the Catholic Church to object toa measure that has passed Brazil’s human rights committee in the Brazilian Senate. The measure would change the law to stated that a civil union is between two people. They will no longer count gender within that definition. This comes in the wake of Brazil’s judiciary clearing the way for same-sex marriage3 in the nation. The top court, last year, approved civil unions for same-sex couples, and state courts have allowed for full marriage. According to bill sponsor Marta Suplicy, the penal code should reflect what the courts are already allowing. It must now pass the full Senate.