Growing up in New York City as a young man, I was exposed to a menagerie of cultures and people that make up the melting pot that defines New York. One of my mom's best friends was a woman named Blanca from Argentina. Blanca lived in the same apartment building as we did, and was an immigrant like we were. She was a hair stylist who had a beauty shop in her apartment that catered to all the immigrant ladies who lived in our complex. She had two beautiful daughters, Alex and Ceci. Ceci and I were dance partners -- think disco, not tango -- and good friends growing up.

Blanca was a kind and classy lady. When our dad became ill, Blanca was there to help my mom until the day when lung cancer claimed his life at the young age of 55. Blanca was like a second mother to my siblings and me, and spoke beautiful Argentinean Spanish. The Argentines have a very distinct accent, sort of a mixture of Spanish and Italian that reflects their long history with Italian migrations to their land. Blanca would always say "Che, voz" when she addressed you, so we gave her the nickname La Che.

I thought a lot about La Che last week when I read that Argentina became the first Latin American country to legally recognize same-sex marriage. This was an amazing development. A country that is over 75 percent Roman Catholic, basically a conservative culture, just led the way in achieving marriage equality for same-sex couples. Wow!

The struggle for marriage equality in the United States has counterparts throughout the civilized world. Ten nations -- Argentina, South Africa, Canada, Spain, Portugal and five other European countries -- and several U.S. states have provided same-sex marriage rights. Dozens of other countries, large cities and American states have established some form of relationship recognition for same-sex couples.

Marriage equality is being discussed in many countries -- even the repressive Cuban government has appointed a director of the National Center for Sexual Education who advocates gay rights and the rights of "sexual minorities." This position is currently held by Mariela Castro, the daughter of Cuban President Raul Castro.

What is remarkable to me, and frankly quite sad, is how the United States of America, the greatest nation on earth, the champion for freedom and equality, "the shining city on a hill" has lagged so far behind on this basic human right. We are now literally sandwiched between two great countries in our hemisphere that have marriage equality -- our great frozen neighbor to the north, Canada, and our exotic and romantic, tango-dancing neighbor to the south, Argentina.

What both these nations and many others have realized is that for people to be free, one of the fundamental freedoms is the freedom to marry the person you choose, not the person that the state or the church tells you to marry. In some cultures, arranged marriages are the norm and women are often forced to marry someone for financial or oppressive reasons, void of any love or care. Ironically, their marriage, even as repulsive as it may be to our culture, is recognized in the USA if they move here. Yet my marriage to Harry, which we entered into in Canada as two consenting adults, is not recognized by my own government? The same government that gladly takes my tax dollars, the same government that the Constitution commands treat me equally?

The Argentinean milestone provides hope to all consenting adults who want to enter into a marriage contract with the person they love. After all, if marriage equality can happen in an overwhelmingly Catholic country, it should be able to happen in a religiously pluralistic constitutional republic like the United States.

I wonder what my mom's friend La Che would say about same-sex marriage in her native land? I suspect she would approve, as she was an open-minded and progressive woman. She raised her two daughters as a single mom, and both her girls are successful and independent businesswomen.

I have never visited Argentina. Despite the fact that Harry and I have traveled extensively, we have never travelled to South America. Perhaps now that we know that Buenos Aires and the rest of Argentina respects our relationship, a trip to the land of tango will be in our future. We decided to boycott Hawaii after their governor vetoed our rights.

As we search for our next vacation paradise, we will visit our more progressive neighbor to the south, I'll stick a rose in my mouth and dance a tango with the man I love!

Rudy Molinet is a real estate broker, co-owner of Marquis Properties Realty in Key West and a community and human rights activist. He resides in Old Town Key West with Harry Hoehn, his spouse of 17 years. Contact him at rudy@rudymolinet.com.