Colombia's Highest Court Legalizes Adoption By Gay Couples

(Reuters) - Colombia's constitutional court lifted a restriction on adoptions by gay couples on Wednesday, overturning a previous ruling that banned same-sex partners from adopting unless one of the pair was a biological parent of the child.

In a 6-2 decision, the court said that excluding homosexual couples as possible adoptive parents "limits children's right to a family."

The ruling brought cheers from gay rights advocates in the largely socially conservative Andean country, while opponents promised to appeal the decision.

Although same-sex couples in Colombia can get legal unions similar to civil marriages, Congress rejected a 2013 proposal to fully legalize gay marriage.