Growing Gay Marriage Around the World

The talks on legalizing same-sex marriage in different countries have  been increasingly hurling around the world since many states have been  recognizing it.

Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court has handed down a ruling in one of two key cases before it on the issue of same-sex marriage. CNN reported Wednesday morning that a divided Supreme Court “struck down a key part of congressional law that denies to legally married same-sex couples the same benefits provided to heterosexual spouses.”

The decision follows last year’s announcement by President Barack Obama that he now supports same-sex marriage, remarks that perked new round of debate in the U.S. over the issue. His support came on the heels of North Carolina voting to implement a state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

The first same-sex couples walked down the aisle in the Netherlands in 2001. Since then, almost a dozen countries have followed in passing laws allowing same-sex marriages and domestic partnerships, including Argentina, Canada, South Africa, Belgium and Spain. Nearly 20 other countries offer some rights to same-sex couples but stop short of marriage – including Germany.
After becoming the first country to legalize same-sex unions in 1989,  Denmark last June backed a gender neutral bill allowing gay marriages  through church weddings or civil registry. In February of this year,  meanwhile, British members of parliament offered resounding support  for same sex marriage, voting 400 to 175 in support of a bill on its  second reading in the House of Commons.

And in May, French Prime Minister Francois Hollande signed a law  allowing same sex marriage, a decision that sparked controversy and  huge rallies by opponents of the new legislation.

Australia, though, is one of many countries around the world where  same-sex couples are not permitted to legally marry. A bill that calls  for the legalization of gay marriage was submitted to parliament but  received little support, especially from the country’s leader. Prime  Minister Julia Gillard has long opposed gay marriage, and in  September, lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to reject a bill that would  have legalized same-sex marriage.

But opposition has also been seen in some parts of Europe, including  in France where protesters have taken to the streets over a draft law  that would allow same-sex marriage and adoption. This past weekend,  hundreds of thousands turned out in Paris in demonstrations that  eventually turned violent as riot police used teargas.

In a number of places, homosexuality – let alone same-sex marriage – is considered illegal. Some countries, meanwhile, allow gay marriage in certain jurisdictions.

Here’s the full list of where same-sex marriage is legal (and year the law passed):

Argentina – 2010
Belgium – 2003
Canada – 2005
Iceland – 2010
Netherlands – 2001
Norway – 2008
Portugal – 2010
South Africa – 2006
Spain – 2005
Sweden – 2009
Denmark – 2012
Brazil – 2013
France – 2013

Source: globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com