With the American marriage equality train kicking into hyperdrive, it’s worth remembering that the nation still lags behind much of the modern world when it comes to nuptial fairness.
Like Mexico, the U.S. now allows same-sex marriage in some states. Likewise across the pond, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 received the Queen’s blessing on July 17, and is expected to take effect in the middle of next year – but this will only allow same-sex marriages in England and Wales, and not the entire United Kingdom. But in 15 countries across the planet, marriage is now a federal right.
What follows is Queerty’s rundown of the countries that already have – or are very soon to get – full marriage equality, and some tidbits about their local laws and statistics. You may notice a critical trend here: The nations with full marriage equality tend to also be the most democratic and the most protective of minority rights, as well as boasting the lowest infant mortality rates and, yes, the richest citizenries per capita – by far.With the American marriage equality train kicking into hyperdrive, it’s worth remembering that the nation still lags behind much of the modern world when it comes to nuptial fairness.
Like Mexico, the U.S. now allows same-sex marriage in some states. Likewise across the pond, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 received the Queen’s blessing on July 17, and is expected to take effect in the middle of next year – but this will only allow same-sex marriages in England and Wales, and not the entire United Kingdom. But in 15 countries across the planet, marriage is now a federal right.
What follows is Queerty’s rundown of the countries that already have – or are very soon to get – full marriage equality, and some tidbits about their local laws and statistics. You may notice a critical trend here: The nations with full marriage equality tend to also be the most democratic and the most protective of minority rights, as well as boasting the lowest infant mortality rates and, yes, the richest citizenries per capita – by far.
DaveO
Lags behind much of the world????? There are a lot more than 14 countries in the world. You need to get out more
alexoloughlin
Denmark introduced same-sex marriage on its second attempt to pass it. Failed on the first.
alterego1980
“Like Mexico, the U.S. now allows same-sex marriage in some states.” I would say, unlike Mexico, the US does not recognize same-sex marriage approved in individual states. Mexico leaves it up to the states but recognizes those marriages as legal. And the US still has DOMA (as of now anyway, and hopefully not after June, but we’ll see)
Randal Oulton
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir is no longer Prime Minister of Iceland, I believe she’s retired now (as of start of May 2013 I think)
Flyguy from Canada
The law has been amended. Non Canadian residents can now also get a divorce
Ken
The law did not pass “both houses” of the New Zealand parliament, because they have a unicameral legislature. There is only one house.
Dan Allen
@Randal Oulton: You are correct, the new Icelandic prime minister is actually due to take office tomorrow.
Dan Allen
@Flyguy from Canada: There has been a bill introduced to amend the Canadian divorce situation, but it hasn’t yet passed: http://shulman.ca/same-sex/divorce-in-canada-for-same-sex-non-residents-the-law-in-a-state-of-flux/
Dan Allen
@Ken: Duly noted and updated in the article, thanks for catching that.
rose40
Update: Last week, the portuguese Parliament aproved by majority, the law that permits the Co-Adoption by gay couples, becoming the 5th country in the world to do it. It still needs a second final voting and the aproval by the President, but half the work is done and all points to it.
teammm
The South African couple really moves me. They’re so beautiful.
Faggot
@DaveO: True. There are about 196 countries in the world (depending on how you count independent nations), yet only 14 allow same-sex marriage. Do the math QUEERTY and you’ll see that just over 7% of the world has gay marriage. The USA does not lag behind the rest of the world, it leads the rest of the world in this area. These 14 countries are, therefore, anomalies, and they are the ones who are leading with their progressive policies.
“The nations with full marriage equality tend to also be the most democratic and the most protective of minority rights, as well as boasting the lowest infant mortality rates and, yes, the richest citizenries per capita – by far.”
FYI, QUEERTY, this information does not apply to Argentina and Uruguay where they once had dictatorships for many years — and they are definitely not wealthy countries now, especially compared to the G-8 countries. One could say that Argentina and Uruguay are the most European nations outside of the European Union, or even that they are MORE European than the EU itself by having same-sex marriage! Now that France has (finally) made the list, there are only two G-8 countries where marriage equality exists (in addition to Canada), but in most of the European Union and in the six other G-8 countries (Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, USA), same-sex marriage is still not a reality. Therefore, you should not make a correlation between wealth and acceptance of gay marriage.