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Equality Index

UPDATE: The 18 Countries Where You Can Now (Or Soon) Get Hitched

By DAN ALLEN December 20, 2013 at 1:00pm
marriage equality countries1UPDATE: There are 18 countries that extend their marriage rights to same-sex couples, and 2 (Mexico and the US) that have regional or court-directed laws in place. Here’s the chronological list of the countries that make up the legal gay rainbow as of January 2014, plus the GayCities exclusive insider guides. NETHERLANDS – April 21, 2001 BELGIUM – June 1, 2003 SPAIN – July 3, 2005 CANADA – July 20, 2005 SOUTH AFRICA – November 30, 2006 NORWAY – January 1, 2009 SWEDEN – May 1, 2009 PORTUGAL – June 5, 2010 ICELAND – June 22, 2010 ARGENTINA – July 22, 2010 DENMARK – June 15, 2012 BRAZIL – May 14, 2013 FRANCE – May 29, 2013 URUGUAY – June 19, 2013 COLOMBIA – June 20, 2013 NEW ZEALAND – August 19, 2013 ENGLAND – 2014* WALES – 2014* *Date in Summer 2014. ORIGINAL STORY (July 23, 2013): 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.
pope francis Argentina Top city: Buenos Aires Legal since: July 2010 Number of married gay couples: unknown Argentina was the first Latin American country to legalize marriage equality and the second in the Americas after Canada. Pope Francis (pictured), then Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, staunchly opposed the law.
Belgique-400_teaser Belgium Top cities: Brussels, Antwerp Legal since: June 2003 Number of married gay couples: 2,442 by July 2005 Belgium was the world’s second country to legalize marriage equality and the first to have it signed into law by a king, Albert II (pictured). At least one of the spouses must have lived in Belgium for three months.
Rio-de-Janeiro-Gay-Pride-Brazil-2011-uol-26Brazil Top cities: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo Legal since: May 2013 Number of married gay couples: too soon to tell Many of Brazil’s states began sanctioning same-sex marriages in 2011, but a decision by the country’s Federal Court on May 14 of this year effectively legalized gay unions for the entire nation. Previously performed gay civil unions in Brazil were also immediately converted to marriages, if the parties so desired.

li-same-sex-620

Canada Top cities: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver Legal since: July 2005 Number of married gay couples: 12,438 by October 2006 (including those married in provinces that adopted marriage equality earlier than the national law) Canada was both the first country in the Americas and the first outside Europe to nationally legalize same-sex marriage. Interestingly, though marriage is open to any couple regardless of their residency, a Canadian divorce can only be granted if one of the spouses has lived in Canada for a year.

Danish_church_pride_weddings Denmark Top city: Copenhagen Legal since: June 2012 Number of married gay couples: unknown Though Denmark had been the world’s first country to enact registered partnerships way back in 1989, it lagged behind a bit with full marriage equality, becoming number 11 last year. Photo: Clerical Whispers
hollandeFrance Top cities: Paris, Marseille Legal since: May 2013 Number of married gay couples: too soon to tell Last week, France became the latest country to legalize marriage equality. Public protests broke out in Paris and Lyon after the bill passed parliament last month, but the law was ruled constitutional, and President François Hollande (who had vowed to support gay marriage during his election campaign) signed it into law on May 17.
sigurdardottir_0818 Iceland Top city: Reykjavik Legal since: June 2010 Number of married gay couples: unknown Not a single member of Iceland’s parliament voted against its marriage equality bill, though seven members abstained. Former Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir (pictured) and her partner are among the country’s officially hitched same-sex couples.
netherlands-gay-marriage Netherlands Top city: Amsterdam Legal since: April 2001 Number of married gay couples: 5,600 estimated through the end of 2005 The Netherlands was the first country in the world to enact marriage equality in 2001. The law is valid in the Netherlands proper and the Caribbean Islands of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba but not in Aruba, Curaçao, or St. Maarten (where same-sex marriages are recognized but not performed).

nz

New Zealand Top cities: Auckland, Wellington Becomes law in: August 2013 Number of married gay couples: none yet In August, New Zealand will become the first country in Oceania to sanction same-sex marriages. New Zealand’s House of Representatives passed the bill in April, despite the Conservative Party leader calling it a “failure of democracy.”

oslo

Norway Top city: Oslo Legal since: January 2009 Number of married gay couples: unknown, though it was reported in 2003 that around 150 same-sex couples a year were becoming registered domestic partners under Norway’s old law Norway was the first Scandinavian country to implement marriage equality. A poll conducted in the country this year found that 70% of Norwegians support gender-neutral marriage.
photo_verybig_111777Portugal Top city: Lisbon Legal since: June 2010 Number of married gay couples: unknown Same-sex foreign couples can marry in Portugal with no need to establish residence, and whether or not their home countries recognize such unions. Gay couples may not, however, adopt children in Portugal.

african-gay-wedding

South Africa Top cities: Johannesburg, Cape Town Legal since: November 2006 Number of married gay couples: more than 3,000 by mid-2010 South Africa was the first African nation and only the second outside Europe to ratify marriage equality. The country’s first-ever traditional gay wedding (pictured) was held in the town of KwaDukuza last month.

Merkel Meets With Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero

Spain Top cities: Madrid, Barcelona Legal since: July 2005 Number of married gay couples: 23,523 through the end of 2011 Former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (pictured) called the passage of gay marriage his proudest achievement. His conservative successor, Mariano Rajoy, vowed to repeal the law, but the country’s Constitutional Court upheld it by and 8 to 3 margin last November.

stockholm

Sweden Top cities: Stockholm, Gothenburg Legal since: May 2009 Number of married gay couples: unknown In November 2009, the Church of Sweden overwhelmingly voted in favor of allowing gender-neutral marriage ceremonies. The country’s Catholic and Pentecostal Churches and Muslim Association still forbid same-sex ceremonies.

069558-uruguay-gay-marriageUruguay
Top city: Montevideo
Becomes law in: August 2013
Number of married gay couples: None yet
In August, Uruguay will become the second country in South America to usher in marriage equality. It was the first nation on the continent to sanction same-sex civil unions in 2008, and the first to allow gay couples to jointly adopt in 2009.

Photos via EnriqueMéndez & YouTube

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15 Comments*

  • fagburn

    “and, yes, the richest citizenries per capita – by far.”

    Damn those poor backward countries.

  • Shanestud

    Interesting that most of these countries provide universal free medical care, have strong anti-discrimination laws, are socially progressive and enjoy more inclusiveness and diversity. I guess they may be called…(get ready)…SOCIALIST??

  • stadacona

    Decent article. Terrible click-through format. And how lazy to use old out-dated stats from 2005 and 2006?

  • Canadianskeezix

    Your information on Canada is out of date. Last month, the Canadian Parliament enacted a law which waives the one year residency requirement for divorce for couples who married in Canada but who cannot obtain a divorce in their home jurisdiction.

  • alexoloughlin

    There is only one other country with a marriage bill pending and that is Scotland which will probably legalise it in 2014. If Queerty considers ‘soon’ to be this side of 2013, then I think it is very much mistaken. Putting or comparing 13 American states to the situation in the UK isn’t accurate. All gay citizens in England and Wales will be able to marry in 2014 and have portability within both, and eventually in Scotland, unlike in the U.S. where there is no recognition outside of the 13 states. Northern Ireland has a devolved Assembly independent of Parliament in London, as does Scotland. So the next country where we will ‘soon’ be able to marry is England and the principality of Wales. Queerty should have included it in its list since Marriage Bill in England and Wales is the current law of the land to take effect next year. It doesn’t really matter at this stage if Scotland and Northern Ireland are lagging. Our marriage laws don’t apply to either.

  • Fael

    Correction: Uruguay will be the third country in South America, the second as the article says itself, was Brazil.

  • cmandublin

    Ireland has Civil Partnership and will introduce same sex marriage in 2014

  • dnyboy

    @cmandublin: That’s not entirely accurate, the government has said they will hold a referendum next year on marriage equality, however the promise must still be kept and it is possible that the Irish people will reject it (although polls show strong support for legalization in the country)

  • indigofem1

    I KNOW which of the developed countries will be the last to allow same-sex marriage…my country, Italy! Which is why I left at 18 years of age!

  • BlogZilla

    @indigofem1: But Italy sure seems gay friendly

  • Spike

    I wonder what country Tom Daley will get married in.

  • GinaFacebayerikl

    my friend’s step-sister makes $64 every hour on the internet. She has been fired from work for 7 months but last month her payment was $21618 just working on the internet for a few hours. go now……. http://gg.gg/v2fh

  • Mr.Dragon

    Small correction. Here in the Netherlands marriage rights were extended to same-sex couples on April 1, 2001, not April 21. Yes, on April Fool’s Day, so I wasn’t too happy about that date.

  • ouragannyc

    @fagburn: South Africa, Mexico and Uruguay ARE NOT the richest citizenries per capita by far…

  • ouragannyc

    Colombia DID NOT legalize gay marriage. A judge granted marriage licence to a male couple. The decision was later overturned by a an appeal panel. Colombia does have civil partnership thou.

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