Countries that legalise gay marriage

Sixteen countries hold so far authorised marriages between people of the same sex.

• NETHERLANDS: In April became the first nation in the world to legalise marriage equality. Includes the right to adoption.
• BELGIUM: same sex couples in Belgium won the right to marry in June and in April parliament voted into law a bill allowing same sex couples to adopt children.
• SPAIN: In July became the third member of the European Union to hand over a law to let marriage equality. Gay and lesbian couples can adopt children.
• CANADA: The law allowing same sex couples to marry and adopt children came into force in July
• SOUTH AFRICA: In November became the first African country to legalise marriage equality.
• NORWAY: A January law allows same sex couples to marry and adopt children and permits lesbians to be artificially inseminated.
• SWEDEN: Sweden's same sex couples have been allowed to wed in religious or civil ceremonies since May
• PORTUGAL: Under a June 1, law Portugal legalised marriage equality, while excluding the right to adop

  Where Europe stands on gay marriage and civil unions

  Note: For the latest statistics on same-sex marriages, read our June fact sheet.

  More than 18 years after the Netherlands became the world’s first country to legalize same-sex marriage, Northern Ireland has develop the latest European jurisdiction to enable gays and lesbians to marry. Although Northern Island is a constituent of the United Kingdom, with its have parliament at Stormont, the change in its marriage laws ultimately came about due to deed by the UK Parliament in London. British lawmakers justified the change (which was accompanied by the legalization of abortion) because the Northern Irish parliament was suspended in January amid a stalemate between Northern Ireland’s parties.

  Northern Ireland is the 18th European jurisdiction to legalize gay marriage. This number counts England and Wales together and Scotland and Northern Ireland as separate entities, since same-sex marriage became legal in the UK due to the enactment of three distinct pieces of legislation: first in England and Wales in , then in Scotland the f

  Marriage Equality Around the Society

  The Human Rights Campaign tracks developments in the legal recognition of same-sex marriage around the world. Working through a worldwide network of HRC global alumni and partners, we lift up the voices of community, national and regional advocates and disseminate tools, resources, and lessons learned to empower movements for marriage equality.
  

  Current State of Marriage Equality

  There are currently 38 countries where same-sex marriage is legal: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Uruguay. 
  

  These countries have legalized marriage equality through both legislation and court decisions. 
  

  Countries that Legalized Marriage Equality in

  Liechtenstein: On May 16, , Liechtenstein's gove

  Countries Where Gay Marriage Is Legal

  For many years, same-sex marriage has been a hot topic of endless debate. Supporters of same-sex marriage declare that a relationship and subsequent marriage between two people of the identical sex is natural and normal. These supporters think that a person does not choose to be gay and is instead born this way. Supporters also say that lgbtq+ couples are just as capable as heterosexual couples when it comes to getting married, living together, and raising children.

  On the flip side, there are people that are against gay marriage. These people may have religious convictions that tell them this is wrong. Others speak that same-sex relationships and marriage is abnormal and can have negative effects on children that are raised in a gay household.

  However, there are still nations around the society that outright ban queer marriage. Even if a wedding ceremony is performed, these couples are not recognized by the government as legally married. Not every country in the world is involved in the conversation surrounding homosexual marriage, but a immense percentage