There’s a growing number of countries that are legalizing same-sex marriage and as of 2021, there are 29 countries where same-sex marriage is legally performed and recognized.
Although there are more than two dozen countries that have marriage equality, the expansion of LGBTQ+ rights around the globe has been uneven since there are still many countries opposing same-sex relationships.
Below is a list of countries that have legalized same-sex marriage.
Countries that allow same-sex marriage
In 2000, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage with four couples marrying the following year in the world’s first same-sex wedding. Three years later in 2003, Belgium became the second country to legalize same-sex marriage and in 2006 the country’s parliament granted same-sex couples the right to adopt.
Same sex marriage in Canada became legal in 2005 after the Canadian Parliament passed legislation making it legal nationwide. After many years and several debates in 2005, the Civil Marriage Act was introduced. That same year, the Spanish parliament legalized gay marriage and guaranteed equal rights to all married couples regardless of sexual orientation.
In 2006, the South African parliament legalized same-sex marriage, one year after its highest court ruled that previous marriage laws violated the South African constitution’s guarantee of equal rights. Even though gay couples in Norway can legally marry, adopt children, and undergo artificial insemination, the Church of Norway began sanctioning same-sex weddings in 2017.
Although gay couples had been allowed to register for civil unions since 1995, the Swedish parliament voted by an overwhelming majority to legalize same-sex marriage in 2009. The next year, a measure legalizing same-sex marriage passed in Iceland with public opinion polls before the vote, indicating broad support and no members of the country’s legislature voted against it.
Portugal legalized same-sex marriage in 2010, but the law doesn’t give couples the right to adopt children. The same year, Argentina became the first country in Latin America to make gay marriage legal. Denmark legalized gay marriage in 2012, and a few days later the measure was enacted into law when Queen Margrethe II gave her royal assent to the bill.
In 2013, four countries legalized same-sex marriage. First, Uruguay’s Congress passed legislation legalizing gay marriage. Then, France became the 14th country to grant same-sex couples the right to wed. Brazil was the next country to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide. In July 2013, Queen Elizabeth II gave her royal assent to a bill legalizing gay marriage in Wales and England.
In 2014, the parliaments in Scotland and Luxembourg voted overwhelmingly to approve legislation legalizing same-sex marriage. In 2015, four countries legalized gay marriage including Finland, Ireland, Greenland, and the United States. In 2016, Columbia became the fourth Catholic-majority country in South America to make gay marriage legal. Germany, Malta, and Australia followed suit the next year.
Austria, Taiwan, Ecuador, and Northern Ireland legalized same-sex marriage in 2019, with Taiwan becoming the first country in Asia to permit same-sex couples to wed. In May 2020, Costa Rica became the first Central American country to legalize gay marriage. In September 2021, Switzerland held a referendum with a 64% yes-vote which means they will allow same-sex couples to marry in July 2022.
Terminology and history
Proponents of the legal recognition of same-sex marriage have long used the terms equal marriage and marriage equality so that same-sex marriage is recognized on equal ground with opposite-sex marriage.
On the other hand, opponents of gay marriage characterized same-sex couples as seeking “special rights”. With many countries revising their marriage laws and recognizing same-sex couples, English dictionaries have also corrected their definition of the word marriage.
Same-sex relationships have been documented throughout history, but in most cases, they’ve been viewed negatively. However, there is some evidence that they were not only tolerated but also encouraged in some places.
For example, historians have reported that in Ancient Greece same-sex relationships between men may have been seen favorably. However, homophobia has also been widely used to shame same-sex relationships, and worse, to punish those involved.
In Closing
Although many countries have accepted same-sex couples to marry and have children, there are still those that don’t condone it, and people who are against it. The LGBTQ+ community also faces unique travel issues, but with thorough planning and awareness of the place you’re visiting, you will be able to enjoy the travel as anyone else.
The good news is that activists campaigning for same-sex marriage rights around the world have seen a rise in global support in recent years.
