"Sweden has become the fifth European country to allow gay marriage. Parliament on Wednesday adopted a new law that gives same-sex couples the same marriage rights as heterosexuals. The Parliament's Web site says the new law will take effect on May 1. The Netherlands, Norway, Belgium and Spain also allow gay marriages. Sweden has recognized civil unions between homosexual couples since 1994. However, the old law stopped short of calling them marriages, which gay rights activists said was discriminatory. It will still be up to individual churches to decide if they want to wed gay couples. Swedish news agency TT says the 349-seat legislature passed the measure in 261-22 vote, with 66 lawmakers abstaining or absent." [AP]
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I'm unsure if this is a real story or April Fools.
I am hoping this is real
@Andy P.:
It's a real story.
As Sweden is one of the most liberal countries in Europe, and with gay marriage legal in other European countries already, why on earth would anyone think this is an April Fool's joke? Well done Sweden. Now, America, can you please get your act together?
It's real, and its great news!
Yay, Sverige! there is a downside, though. sweden's so inclusive there are almost no gay bars.
The story is in FOX News, so it must be real.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,512045,00.html
>>The story is in FOX News, so it must be real.
LOL!
Sweden is a great place…..I will gladly go back and spend my hard earned dollars there vs. any of the homobigot places in the US.
I'm so proud of Sweden!
Äntligen!
The next few European countries to watch for SSM: Scotland, Denmark, Iceland and Finland. Holyrood is already in the early stages of discussing a same-sex marriage bill (marriage is a devolved competency in the UK) while DK, IS and FI are all culturally, historically and politically closely linked to Norway and Sweden, both of which have legalised SSM quite recently.
The Irish Oireachtas, States of Jersey and (I think) Tynwald of Mann are all discussing Civil Partnership bills based on that of the UK. Mann already recognises British CPs, and I think the country also recognises UK-recognised foreign same-sex unions as CPs as well.
How close is the UK to getting full-on same sex marriage? What's the difference, in the nitty-gritty?
@John: There's no difference legally. I think in dissolution proceedings there might be a difference in the way adultery is treated (in the UK I believe it can be an independent grounds for dissolution of a marriage, but in civil partnerships only constitutes a factor to be considered). I'm not actually sure on that. There are also some ceremonial differences in formation, but largely, it is the same damn thing by a different name.
Am lebanese guy living in Beirut Lebanon, can i get married to my 4 years boyfriend who lives in Beirut too?