Timeline of same-sex marriage
Encyclopedia
This page contains a timeline of significant events regarding same-sex marriage
and legal recognition of same-sex couples worldwide in modern history, followed by a timeline of notable same-sex marriages and unions. Also, events concerning same-sex marriages are listed in bold.
This is the first state constitutional provision banning same-sex marriage to be ruled unconstitutional.
level rights.
In the southern Chinese
province of Fujian
, through the Ming dynasty
period, women would bind themselves in contracts to younger women in elaborate ceremonies. Men also entered similar arrangements. This type of arrangement was also similar in ancient European history.
The first recorded mention of the performance of same-sex marriages occurred during the early Roman Empire. These same-sex marriages were solemnized with the same ceremonies and customs which were used for heterosexual marriages. Cicero
mentions the marriage (using the Latin verb for "to marry", i.e. nubere) of the son of Curio the Elder in a casual manner as if it was commonplace. Cicero states that the younger Curio was "united in a stable and permanent marriage" to Antonius. Martial also mentions a number of same-sex marriages. By Juvenal's time, gay marriages seem to have become commonplace as he mentions attending gay marriages as if there were "nothing special.". These gay marriages continued until Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. A law in the Theodosian Code (C. Th. 9.7.3) was issued in 342 AD by the Christian emperors Constantius II and Constans. This law prohibited same-sex marriage in ancient Rome
and ordered that those who were so married were to be executed.
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
and legal recognition of same-sex couples worldwide in modern history, followed by a timeline of notable same-sex marriages and unions. Also, events concerning same-sex marriages are listed in bold.
2011
- October 25: Brazil's Supreme Court of JusticeSuperior Court of Justice (Brazil)The Superior Court of Justice is the highest appellate court in Brazil for non-constitutional questions of federal law. The STJ also has original jurisdiction over some cases...
rules that two women can legally be married. - October 21: DanishDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
government announces plans to legalize same-sex marriage as of spring 2012. - September 1: Liechtenstein’s registered partnership law takes effect.
- August 9: Chilean President Sebastián Piñera introduces a civil union bill.
- August 1: Same-sex marriage is in effect legalized by the Suquamish tribe in Washington for tribe members.
- July 26: The Colombian Constitutional Court orders Colombian Congress to legislate in order to give full-marriage rights to same-sex couples. Four bills were announced: two of them explicitly use the word "marriage", the others use "civil union with full rights". The court also established that same-sex couples in long term relationships are legally a family, and have to be protected.
- July 24: Gender-neutral marriage laws become effective in New York state.
- July 13: The States of JerseyStates of JerseyThe States of Jersey is the parliament and government of Jersey.The Assembly of the States of Jersey has exercised legislative powers since 1771, when law-making power was transferred from the Royal Court of Jersey....
passed the Civil Partnership Bill 2011 by a unanimous vote of 33-0, it is now awaiting royal assentRoyal AssentThe granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
. - July 1: Rhode Island civil union law became effective, Independent Governor Lincoln ChafeeLincoln ChafeeLincoln Davenport Chafee is an American politician who has been the 74th Governor of Rhode Island since January 2011. Prior to his election as governor, Chafee served in the United States Senate as a Republican from 1999 until losing his Senate re-election bid in 2006 to Democrat Sheldon...
signed the bill into law a day later but was made retroactiveEx post facto lawAn ex post facto law or retroactive law is a law that retroactively changes the legal consequences of actions committed or relationships that existed prior to the enactment of the law...
from July 1, 2011. - June 29: Rhode Island Senate approves by a vote of 21-16 the same-sex civil unions billhttp://www.npr.org/2011/06/29/137510698/rhode-island-senate-passes-civil-unions-bill. The bill has the support of Independent Governor Lincoln ChafeeLincoln ChafeeLincoln Davenport Chafee is an American politician who has been the 74th Governor of Rhode Island since January 2011. Prior to his election as governor, Chafee served in the United States Senate as a Republican from 1999 until losing his Senate re-election bid in 2006 to Democrat Sheldon...
. - June 24: New York state passes same-sex marriage 33-29 in the State Senate. Governor Andrew CuomoAndrew CuomoAndrew Mark Cuomo is the 56th and current Governor of New York, having assumed office on January 1, 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 64th New York State Attorney General, and was the 11th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development...
signed the bill into law two hours later and becomes effective in 30 days. - June 19 : The registered partnership law was approved by 68.8 percent of voters and will go into effect on September 1, 2011 in Liechtenstein.
- June 14 : French parliament rejects same-sex marriage bill presented by the opposition Socialist Party seeking to legalize same-sex marriage by 293 votes to 222.
- June 1 : Illinois civil unions law take effect.
- May 20: The civil union bill passed the Rhode Island House by a vote of 62-11, now it makes its way to the RI Senate were the bill is expected to pass there as well http://www.projo.com/news/politics/content/CIVIL_UNIONS_VOTE_05-20-11_KSO6A4T_v100.31fa500.html.
- May 12: Gov. Jack Markell signed Delaware's civil unions bill into law, which will take effect on January 1, 2012.
- May 5: The Brazilian Supreme Court approved civil unions for same-sex couples in BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
unanimously - ten votes in favour, one abstention and no votes against this decision. BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
has the largest CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
population in the world. - April 14: Delaware House of Representatives gave final approval to a civil unions bill that will provide same-sex couples with all of the rights and benefits of marriage under state law. The House voted 26-15 in favor of the measure.
- April 08: The Delaware State Senate passes a bill legalizing civil unions by a vote of 13-6.http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=8034&MediaType=1&Category=26.
- April 06: Isle of Man civil partnership takes effect.
- March 30: Washington state now recognizes out-of-state same-sex marriages as domestic partnershipshttp://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=7966&MediaType=1&Category=26.
- March 24: The Colorado State Senate passes a bill legalizing civil unions by a vote of 23-12http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=7908&MediaType=1&Category=26. The bill died in the Committee stage in the lower house by a vote of 5-6http://www.denverpost.com/legislature/ci_17747919http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=7974&MediaType=1&Category=26.
- March 16: Parliament in LiechtensteinLiechtensteinThe Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over , and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan...
unanimously passed the bill legalizing registered partnerships by a vote of 24-0. It will take effect on September 1, 2011. - March 15: The Isle of ManIsle of ManThe Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
introduces civil partnership. The bill for legalization was signed into law. It will take effect on April 6, 2011. - February 25: Maryland State Senate passed legislation to allow same-sex marriage. A vote in the House was postponed until 2012.
- February 23: Hawaii Governor signs the bill legalizing civil unions, which will take effect on January 1, 2012.
- February 23: Obama administration drops defence of DOMADoma- Places :* Domah, a mandal in Ranga Reddy district, Andhra Pradesh, India* Doma, Nigeria, a local government are in Nasarawa State, Nigeria* Duma , a Palestinian town in the West Bank- Other uses :...
. - February 16: Hawaii Legislature passes civil unions bill.
- February 7: First same-sex civil partnership under Irish Law takes place in Dublin.
- January 31: Illinois Governor signs civil union law. The law will take effect on June 1, 2011.
- January 28: The Hawaii Senate passed a proposed civil union law by a vote of 19-9.
- January 10: The top court of the province of SaskatchewanSaskatchewanSaskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
in Canada rules that marriage commissioners cannot refuse to wed same-sex couples on religious grounds. - January 1: The Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act, 2010 takes effect in Ireland. In addition certain foreign same sex relationships are recognized as civil partnerships in Ireland since January 13.
2010
- December 23: The Commencement Order bringing into law the Civil Partnership Act, 2010 is signed by the Irish Minister for Justice.
- December 14: Student Lesbian Couple Wed in Hanoi, Vietnam
- December 2: The Illinois SenateIllinois SenateThe Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the state of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. The Illinois Senate is made up of 59 senators elected from...
votes 34-24 to approve civil unionCivil unionA civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
s in the state. - November 30: The Illinois House of RepresentativesIllinois House of RepresentativesThe Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
votes 61-52 to approve civil unionCivil unionA civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
s in the state. - August 16: The Supreme Court of Justice of the NationSupreme Court of Justice of the NationThe Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation is the highest federal court in the United Mexican States. It consists of a President of the Supreme Court and ten Ministers who are confirmed by the Senate from a list proposed by the President of the Republic.Justices of the SCJN serve for fifteen...
of MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, in a 9–2 ruling, upholds a Mexico CityMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
law permitting same-sex couples entering into marriages to adopt children. - August 12: United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
federal district judge Vaughn Walker denies a motion to stay his ruling in Perry v. SchwarzeneggerPerry v. SchwarzeneggerPerry v. Schwarzenegger is a federal lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California challenging the federal constitutionality of Proposition 8, a 2008 ballot initiative that amended the California Constitution to restrict marriage to opposite-sex couples,...
pending appeal, however, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Alaska* District of Arizona...
eventually continues the judge's stay. - August 10: The Supreme Court of Justice of Costa RicaSupreme Court of Justice of Costa RicaThe Supreme Court of Justice of Costa Rica is the court of greater hierarchy of Law and Justice in Costa Rica....
issues a 5–2 ruling to halt a planned referendum on same-sex civil unions which had originally been scheduled for December 5. - August 10: A district judge in the state of New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
rules that a lesbian couple that was issued a marriage license by Sandoval County Clerk Victoria Dunlap on February 20, 2004 and later married may seek a divorce under state law. - August 10: The Supreme Court of Justice of the NationSupreme Court of Justice of the NationThe Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation is the highest federal court in the United Mexican States. It consists of a President of the Supreme Court and ten Ministers who are confirmed by the Senate from a list proposed by the President of the Republic.Justices of the SCJN serve for fifteen...
of MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
votes 9–2 to mandate that all 31 states in the nation of Mexico are required to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions, namely Mexico CityMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. - August 5: The Supreme Court of Justice of the NationSupreme Court of Justice of the NationThe Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation is the highest federal court in the United Mexican States. It consists of a President of the Supreme Court and ten Ministers who are confirmed by the Senate from a list proposed by the President of the Republic.Justices of the SCJN serve for fifteen...
, the highest federal court in MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, votes 8–2 to uphold the constitutionality of Mexico City's same-sex marriage law. - August 4: U.S. District Court of Northern California declares that Proposition 8California Proposition 8 (2008)Proposition 8 was a ballot proposition and constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections...
, a 2008 California-electorate ban on same-sex marriage, violates due processDue processDue process is the legal code that the state must venerate all of the legal rights that are owed to a person under the principle. Due process balances the power of the state law of the land and thus protects individual persons from it...
and equal protection clauses in the U.S. Constitution. Supporters of the proposition are likely to appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Alaska* District of Arizona...
. - July 21: The President of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de KirchnerCristina Fernández de KirchnerCristina Elisabet Fernández de Kirchner , commonly known as Cristina Fernández or Cristina Kirchner is the 55th and current President of Argentina and the widow of former President Néstor Kirchner. She is Argentina's first elected female president, and the second female president ever to serve...
signs the same-sex marriage bill into law. - July 19: The President of Ireland signs the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill into law. The law will take effect on 1 Jan 2011.
- July 15: The Argentine SenateArgentine SenateThe Argentine Senate is the upper house of the Argentine National Congress. It has 72 senators: three for each province and three for the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires...
passes by 33–27 the same-sex marriage bill, previously approved by the Chamber of Deputies in May. The bill now goes to the President for final approval. - July 8: The Irish "Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009" was passed by the Seanad by 48 to 4 votes.
- July 1: The Relationships Register Bill 2010LGBT rights in New South Wales-Activism and decriminalization:The Campaign Against Moral Persecution, also known as C.A.M.P., was founded in Sydney in September 1970 and was one of Australia's fist gay rights organisations. C.A.M.P...
in New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
takes effect. - July 1: The renamed Irish "Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009" passes Report and Final Stages in the Dáil.
- June 27: Jóhanna SigurðardóttirJóhanna SigurðardóttirJóhanna Sigurðardóttir , , is the Prime Minister of Iceland. Many years a politician, she was previously Iceland's Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security from 1987–1994 and 2007–2009. She has been a member of the Althing for Reykjavík constituencies since 1978, winning re-election on eight...
, Icelandic prime-minister, became the world's first head of government to enter a same-sex marriage. - June 27: Same-sex marriage law in Iceland took effect.
- June 11: The IcelandIcelandIceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic AlthingAlthingThe Alþingi, anglicised variously as Althing or Althingi, is the national parliament of Iceland. The Althingi is the oldest parliamentary institution in the world still extant...
unanimously passed a law by a vote of 49-0 legalizing same-sex marriage. - June 5: Same-sex marriage law becomes effective in PortugalSame-sex marriage in PortugalSame-sex marriage has been legal in Portugal since June 5, 2010. The government of Prime Minister José Sócrates introduced a bill for legalization in December 2009; it was passed by the Assembly of the Republic in February 2010. The bill was declared legally valid by the Portuguese Constitutional...
, five days after being published in the official journal Diário da RepublicaDiário da RepúblicaDiário da República is the official gazette of Portugal. Before 1976, it was called Diário do Governo.It is published by Imprensa Nacional and comprises two Series. Laws, Decree-laws, decisions of the Constitutional Court and other relevant texts are published in the I Series. Regulations, public...
. - May 27: The Irish Civil Partnership Bill passes the Committee Stage in the Dáil and moves on to the Report Stage.
- May 19: The Relationships Register Bill 2010 in AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
received Royal AssentRoyal AssentThe granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
. The law will take effect on 1 July, 2010. - May 17: President Aníbal Cavaco SilvaAníbal Cavaco SilvaAníbal António Cavaco Silva, GCC , is the President of Portugal. He won the Portuguese presidential election on 22 January 2006 and was re-elected on 23 January 2011, for a second five-year term. Cavaco Silva was sworn in on 9 March 2006....
ratifies same-sex marriage legislation in PortugalSame-sex marriage in PortugalSame-sex marriage has been legal in Portugal since June 5, 2010. The government of Prime Minister José Sócrates introduced a bill for legalization in December 2009; it was passed by the Assembly of the Republic in February 2010. The bill was declared legally valid by the Portuguese Constitutional...
, making it the sixth country in Europe, and eighth country overall, to allow same-sex marriages. - May 12: The Relationships Register Bill 2010 is approved by the NSW Legislative CouncilNew South Wales Legislative CouncilThe New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
(upper house) - May 11: The Relationships Register Bill 2010 is approved by the NSW Legislative AssemblyNew South Wales Legislative AssemblyThe Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
- May 5: The Argentine lower chamberArgentine Chamber of DeputiesThe Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Argentine National Congress. This Chamber holds exclusive rights to create taxes, to draft troops, and to accuse the President, the ministers and the members of the Supreme Court before the Senate....
approves a same-sex marriage bill by 125–109. - April 8: PortugalSame-sex marriage in PortugalSame-sex marriage has been legal in Portugal since June 5, 2010. The government of Prime Minister José Sócrates introduced a bill for legalization in December 2009; it was passed by the Assembly of the Republic in February 2010. The bill was declared legally valid by the Portuguese Constitutional...
's Constitutional CourtPortuguese Constitutional CourtThe Portuguese Constitutional Court is a special court, defined by the Portuguese Constitution as part of the judicial branch of the Portuguese political organization. Unlike the rest of the country's courts, the Constitutional Court has important characteristics, such as a special composition,...
rules that the same-sex marriage bill passed by the legislature is not unconstitutional. - March 4: Same-sex marriage law becomes effective in Mexico CitySame-sex marriage in Mexico CitySame-sex marriage is legal in Mexico City —the Federal District of Mexico— having been approved by its Legislative Assembly on 21 December 2009, and signed into law by Head of Government Marcelo Ebrard on 29 December 2009...
. - March 3: Same-sex marriage law becomes effective in the District of Columbia.
- March 2: Slovenia's lower house passes same-sex marriage law in the "first reading" by 46–38.
- February 11: The PortugueseSame-sex marriage in PortugalSame-sex marriage has been legal in Portugal since June 5, 2010. The government of Prime Minister José Sócrates introduced a bill for legalization in December 2009; it was passed by the Assembly of the Republic in February 2010. The bill was declared legally valid by the Portuguese Constitutional...
Assembly of the RepublicAssembly of the RepublicThe Assembly of the Republic is the Portuguese parliament. It is located in a historical building in Lisbon, referred to as Palácio de São Bento, the site of an old Benedictine monastery...
passes same-sex marriage law in the "second reading". It still has to be signed by the PresidentPresident of PortugalPortugal has been a republic since 1910, and since that time the head of state has been the president, whose official title is President of the Portuguese Republic ....
, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, who is waiting on the Constitutional Court's ruling on the constitutionality of the bill. - January 27: Dáil ÉireannDáil ÉireannDáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
, the Lower House of the Irish Parliament, passes the Second Stage of the Civil Partnership Bill, 2009. - January 8: PortugalSame-sex marriage in PortugalSame-sex marriage has been legal in Portugal since June 5, 2010. The government of Prime Minister José Sócrates introduced a bill for legalization in December 2009; it was passed by the Assembly of the Republic in February 2010. The bill was declared legally valid by the Portuguese Constitutional...
's Assembly of the RepublicAssembly of the RepublicThe Assembly of the Republic is the Portuguese parliament. It is located in a historical building in Lisbon, referred to as Palácio de São Bento, the site of an old Benedictine monastery...
passes same-sex marriage law in the "first reading" by 125–99. - January 1: Same-sex marriage law became effective in New Hampshire and registered partnership law became effective in Austria.
2009
- December 29: Mexico CitySame-sex marriage in Mexico CitySame-sex marriage is legal in Mexico City —the Federal District of Mexico— having been approved by its Legislative Assembly on 21 December 2009, and signed into law by Head of Government Marcelo Ebrard on 29 December 2009...
's Head of GovernmentHead of Government of the Federal DistrictThe Head of Government wields executive power in the Mexican Federal District.The Head of Government serves a six-year term, running concurrently with that of the President of the Republic....
("Mayor") Marcelo EbrardMarcelo EbrardMarcelo Luis Ebrard Casaubón is the current Head of Government of the Federal District since December 5, 2006. He is a Mexican politician affiliated to the Party of the Democratic Revolution who served as Secretary-General of the former Mexican Federal District Department, minister of public...
signs same-sex marriage bill into law. - December 28: The first same-sex marriage in Argentina and Latin America is conducted in UshuaiaUshuaiaUshuaia may refer to the following:*Ushuaia, a city in Argentina.**Ushuaia Department, an administrative division**Ushuaia River**Ushuaia International Airport**Colegio Nacional de Ushuaia, National School of Ushuaia....
, province of Tierra del FuegoTierra del Fuego Province (Argentina)Tierra del Fuego is an Argentine province entirely separated from mainland Argentina by the Strait of Magellan. It includes:* The eastern part of the Isla Grande of Tierra del Fuego archipelago and the Staten Island.* Argentina's claims to the Falkland Islands and to...
. The same couple that was allowed -and later denied- to marry in Buenos Aires is successfully issued a marriage license after Governor Fabiana RíosFabiana RíosMaría Fabiana Ríos is an Argentine politician of the party ARI . She is the governor of the province of Tierra del Fuego since December 17, 2007. She is currently the only woman governor in Argentina.Ríos was elected governor on June 24, 2007...
's intervention. - December 21: Mexico CitySame-sex marriage in Mexico CitySame-sex marriage is legal in Mexico City —the Federal District of Mexico— having been approved by its Legislative Assembly on 21 December 2009, and signed into law by Head of Government Marcelo Ebrard on 29 December 2009...
's Legislative AssemblyLegislative Assembly of the Federal DistrictThe Legislative Assembly of the Federal District is the legislative branch of government of the Mexican Federal District. Between 1988 and 1993, it was known as the Assembly of Representatives of the Federal District , during which period it had reduced powers with respect to the current...
legalizes same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples. The law was passed by 39–20. Civil unions had been available since 2007, but full marriage was not yet recognized. - December 18: The District of Columbia legalizes same-sex marriage when Mayor Adrian FentyAdrian FentyAdrian Malik Fenty was the sixth, and at age 36, the youngest, mayor of the District of Columbia. He served one term—from 2007 to 2011—losing his bid for reelection at the primary level to Democrat Vincent C. Gray...
signed the same-sex marriage bill approved by the DC Council into law. This made DCWashington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
the eighth jurisdiction in the United States to legalize same-sex marriage. In order to take effect the law needs to survive a 30 day review period of Congress. - December 15: The District of Columbia passes the same sex marriage performance law in the "second reading" by 11–2. The bill is sent to Mayor Adrian FentyAdrian FentyAdrian Malik Fenty was the sixth, and at age 36, the youngest, mayor of the District of Columbia. He served one term—from 2007 to 2011—losing his bid for reelection at the primary level to Democrat Vincent C. Gray...
to be signed. - December 3: Washington stateDomestic partnership in WashingtonState Registered Domestic Partnerships in Washington were created in the aftermath of the Andersen v. King County decision. Subsequent legislation has made a SRDP the equivalent of marriage under state law.-Beginnings:...
"all-but-marriage" law becomes effective after 54 percent approval by voters in that state on November 3. - December 2: The New York State Senate rejects same-sex marriage legislation by a vote of 24 to 38.
- December 1: The District of Columbia passes the same sex marriage performance law in the "first reading" by 11–2. There is one more reading to go yet.
- November 30: A national judge in Argentina blocks the marriage authorized by a previous ruling in Buenos Aires, creating a judiciary conflict. The wedding -originally supposed to be held the following day, on December 1- is suspended until further notice.
- November 13: A court in Buenos Aires, Argentina rules that a gay couple should be issued a marriage license. The mayor of the city does not appeal the sentence and the first same-sex marriage in Latin America is expected to be conducted in the following days.
- November 4: Ballot measure in MaineSame-sex marriage in MaineSame-sex marriage in Maine is currently unrecognized. A bill to allow same-sex marriages in Maine was signed into law on May 6, 2009, by Governor Baldacci following legislative approval, but opponents successfully petitioned for a referendum on the issue, putting the law on hold before it went into...
overturns same-sex marriage while Ballot measure in WashingtonSame-sex marriage in WashingtonSame-sex marriage is not recognized as marriage in Washington state. The Washington Supreme Court would have made Washington the second U.S. state to recognize these unions if it had decided differently in two cases that had been consolidated for appeal...
upholds "everything-but-marriage." - November 3: WashingtonSame-sex marriage in WashingtonSame-sex marriage is not recognized as marriage in Washington state. The Washington Supreme Court would have made Washington the second U.S. state to recognize these unions if it had decided differently in two cases that had been consolidated for appeal...
"everything-but-marriage" law passes by ballot held this day. Both WashingtonSame-sex marriage in WashingtonSame-sex marriage is not recognized as marriage in Washington state. The Washington Supreme Court would have made Washington the second U.S. state to recognize these unions if it had decided differently in two cases that had been consolidated for appeal...
"everything-but-marriage" law and MaineSame-sex marriage in MaineSame-sex marriage in Maine is currently unrecognized. A bill to allow same-sex marriages in Maine was signed into law on May 6, 2009, by Governor Baldacci following legislative approval, but opponents successfully petitioned for a referendum on the issue, putting the law on hold before it went into...
same-sex marriage had ballots. - October 22: Swedish Lutheran ChurchChurch of SwedenThe Church of Sweden is the largest Christian church in Sweden. The church professes the Lutheran faith and is a member of the Porvoo Communion. With 6,589,769 baptized members, it is the largest Lutheran church in the world, although combined, there are more Lutherans in the member churches of...
approves same sex marriage to commence on November 1. - October 1: Domestic partnership law become effective in NevadaRecognition of same-sex unions in NevadaSame-sex marriage in Nevada was banned in 2002 through Question 2, an amendment to the Constitution of Nevada, which passed with almost 67 percent of the vote. In 2009, the Nevada Legislature passed a bill to create legal recognition of same-sex unions in Nevada...
. - September 28: OregonDomestic partnership in OregonIn April and May 2007, following a previous attempt in 2005, the Oregon state legislature passed legislation to make virtually all of the rights afforded to married couples available to same-sex couples. The new status will be referred to in Oregon law as a domestic partnership, avoiding the use...
fixed up the domestic partnership legislation to include surnames. - September 1: Same-sex marriage became legal in Vermont.
- August 21: Evangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaEvangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaThe Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
approves blessing of same-sex relationships. - August 3: Domestic partnerships (that provide a limited amount of legal rights to same-sex couples) became legal in WisconsinRecognition of same-sex unions in WisconsinDomestic partnerships for same-sex couples have been recognized in Wisconsin since August 3, 2009 despite same-sex marriage and "a legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals" being banned by Wisconsin statutes and a constitutional amendment in...
. - July 6: The District of Columbia recognizes same-sex marriage, but cannot be performed in DC itself, the same as with New YorkSame-sex marriage in New YorkSame-sex marriage in the U.S. state of New York became legal on July 24, 2011, under the Marriage Equality Act, which was passed on June 24, 2011, by the New York State Legislature and signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo on the same day...
. - July 1: Registered partnerships become legal in HungaryRecognition of same-sex unions in HungaryHungary provides registered partnerships to same-sex couples since 1 July 2009. This institution offers nearly all the benefits of marriage. The unregistered cohabitation of same-sex couples was recognised and placed on equal footing with the unregistered cohabitation of different-sex couples in...
. Australia recognizes unregistered cohabitation. ColoradoRecognition of same-sex unions in ColoradoRecognition of same-sex unions in Colorado occurs within the framework of designated beneficiary agreements, effectual since July 1, 2009. These agreements grant limited rights, such as funeral arrangements and death benefits for same-sex partners...
recognizes designated beneficiary agreements. (similar to the U.S. state of Hawaii). - June 3: New Hampshire legalizes same-sex marriage.
- May 31: NevadaRecognition of same-sex unions in NevadaSame-sex marriage in Nevada was banned in 2002 through Question 2, an amendment to the Constitution of Nevada, which passed with almost 67 percent of the vote. In 2009, the Nevada Legislature passed a bill to create legal recognition of same-sex unions in Nevada...
approves domestic partnerships by an overwhelming majority after an override of the Governors veto (the Nevada domestic partnership law is modeled on the California and Oregon models). - May 26: California Supreme Court upholds Proposition 8California Proposition 8 (2008)Proposition 8 was a ballot proposition and constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections...
, constitutionally defining marriage between a man and a woman, but rules that previously officiated same-sex marriages shall remain valid. - May 18: Washington stateDomestic partnership in WashingtonState Registered Domestic Partnerships in Washington were created in the aftermath of the Andersen v. King County decision. Subsequent legislation has made a SRDP the equivalent of marriage under state law.-Beginnings:...
Governor Chris Gregoire signs the "everything-but-marriage" bill into law, but may face a challenge with Referendum 71 being filed. - May 6: MaineSame-sex marriage in MaineSame-sex marriage in Maine is currently unrecognized. A bill to allow same-sex marriages in Maine was signed into law on May 6, 2009, by Governor Baldacci following legislative approval, but opponents successfully petitioned for a referendum on the issue, putting the law on hold before it went into...
legalizes same-sex marriage. - May 1: Same-sex marriage becomes legal in SwedenSame-sex marriage in SwedenSame-sex marriage in Sweden has been legal since 1 May 2009, following the adoption of a new, gender-neutral law on marriage by the Swedish parliament on 1 April 2009, making Sweden the seventh country in the world to open marriage to same sex couples nationwide...
. - April 27: Same-sex marriage becomes legal in IowaSame-sex marriage in IowaSame-sex marriage in the U.S. state of Iowa became legal on April 3, 2009.Iowa's first dealings with same-sex marriage came in 1998, after recent court cases on same-sex unions, starting in Hawaii, found that denying the right to marry to same-sex couples was incompatible with the Equal Protection...
following the Iowa Supreme CourtIowa Supreme CourtThe Iowa Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Iowa. As constitutional head of the Iowa Judicial Branch, the Court is composed of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices....
decision. - April 20: Hungarian Parliament approves registered partnership billRecognition of same-sex unions in HungaryHungary provides registered partnerships to same-sex couples since 1 July 2009. This institution offers nearly all the benefits of marriage. The unregistered cohabitation of same-sex couples was recognised and placed on equal footing with the unregistered cohabitation of different-sex couples in...
. - April 16: Gov. David A. Paterson unveils same-sex marriage bill for New YorkSame-sex marriage in New YorkSame-sex marriage in the U.S. state of New York became legal on July 24, 2011, under the Marriage Equality Act, which was passed on June 24, 2011, by the New York State Legislature and signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo on the same day...
. - April 7: Vermont legalizes same-sex marriage.
- April 3: IowaSame-sex marriage in IowaSame-sex marriage in the U.S. state of Iowa became legal on April 3, 2009.Iowa's first dealings with same-sex marriage came in 1998, after recent court cases on same-sex unions, starting in Hawaii, found that denying the right to marry to same-sex couples was incompatible with the Equal Protection...
legalizes same-sex marriage after its Supreme CourtIowa Supreme CourtThe Iowa Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Iowa. As constitutional head of the Iowa Judicial Branch, the Court is composed of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices....
unanimously struck down a provision limiting marriage to one man and one woman. - April 1: SwedenSame-sex marriage in SwedenSame-sex marriage in Sweden has been legal since 1 May 2009, following the adoption of a new, gender-neutral law on marriage by the Swedish parliament on 1 April 2009, making Sweden the seventh country in the world to open marriage to same sex couples nationwide...
legalizes same-sex marriage. - March 27: JapanSame-sex marriage in JapanSame-sex marriage is currently not legal in Japan, nor have serious steps been taken to introduce legislation.Article 24 of the Japanese constitution states that "Marriage shall be based only on the mutual consent of both sexes and it shall be maintained through mutual cooperation with the equal...
approves its nationals to marry same-sex foreign partners in countries where same-sex marriage is legal. - January 28: The Constitutional CourtConstitutional Court of ColombiaThe Constitutional Court of Colombia is the highest entity in the judicial branch of government in the Republic of Colombia in charge of safeguarding the integrity and supremacy of the Colombian Constitution of 1991 within the Constitutional laws.However it is not the highest court of criminal...
of ColombiaRecognition of same-sex unions in ColombiaColombia has no laws providing for same-sex marriage. However, as a result of Constitutional Court ruling on 29 January 2009, same-sex couples can be recognised as de facto unions , which were previously available only to heterosexual couples and which provide all of the rights of marriage...
ruled that same-sex couples are entitled to the same rights as opposite-sex couples in common-law marriageCommon-law marriageCommon-law marriage, sometimes called sui juris marriage, informal marriage or marriage by habit and repute, is a form of interpersonal status that is legally recognized in limited jurisdictions as a marriage even though no legally recognized marriage ceremony is performed or civil marriage...
s. The ruling means that civil and political rights such as nationality, residency, housing protection, and state benefits are now granted to same-sex partners. - January 1: Same-sex marriage becomes legal in NorwaySame-sex marriage in NorwaySame-sex marriage became legal in Norway on January 1, 2009 when a gender neutral marriage bill was enacted after being passed by the Norwegian legislature in June 2008...
.
2008
- November 19: Supreme Court of Nepal orders the government to legalize same-sex marriage.
- November 12: Same-sex marriage becomes legal in ConnecticutSame-sex marriage in ConnecticutConnecticut joined Massachusetts as one of two states in the U.S. to perform marriages of same-sex couples on November 12, 2008. Connecticut was the third state to do so, but only the second where the decision was not repealed.-Civil union:...
. - November 4: Measures pass amending the constitutions of ArizonaArizona Proposition 102 (2008)Arizona Proposition 102 was an amendment to the constitution of the state of Arizona adopted by a referendum held in 2008. It added Article 30 of the Arizona Constitution, which says:"Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state."- Overview :On...
, CaliforniaCalifornia Proposition 8 (2008)Proposition 8 was a ballot proposition and constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections...
, and Florida to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman - October 10: Supreme Court of Connecticut legalizes same-sex marriage.
- August 19: Argentina approves the first nation-wide gay rights measure, extending to same-sex couples the right to claim their deceased partners' pensions.
- July 1: Maryland domestic partnership laws become effective.
- June 16: Same-sex marriage becomes legal in CaliforniaSame-sex marriage in CaliforniaThe status of same-sex marriage in California is unique among the 50 U.S. states, in that the state formerly granted marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but has discontinued doing so...
. - June 11: NorwaySame-sex marriage in NorwaySame-sex marriage became legal in Norway on January 1, 2009 when a gender neutral marriage bill was enacted after being passed by the Norwegian legislature in June 2008...
legalizes same-sex marriage. Civil unions and domestic partnerships had been available in Norway since 1993, but full marriage was not yet recognized. - May 22: Maryland governor Martin O'MalleyMartin O'MalleyMartin Joseph O'Malley is an American Democratic politician who is currently serving as the 61st Governor of Maryland. Previously, he served as the mayor of Baltimore from 1999 to 2007. He is currently the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.-Early life, education and career:O'Malley...
signs into law two bills establishing limited domestic partnershipDomestic partnershipA domestic partnership is a legal or personal relationship between two individuals who live together and share a common domestic life but are neither joined by marriage nor a civil union...
rights in that state. - May 15: Supreme Court of CaliforniaSupreme Court of CaliforniaThe Supreme Court of California is the highest state court in California. It is headquartered in San Francisco and regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Its decisions are binding on all other California state courts.-Composition:...
legalizes same-sex marriage in the landmark In re Marriage CasesIn re Marriage CasesIn re Marriage Cases 43 Cal.4th 757 [76 Cal.Rptr.3d 683, 183 P.3d 384], was a California Supreme Court case with the dual holding that "statutes that treat persons differently because of their sexual orientation should be subjected to strict scrutiny" and the existing "California legislative and...
ruling. - February 1: Domestic partnership in OregonDomestic partnership in OregonIn April and May 2007, following a previous attempt in 2005, the Oregon state legislature passed legislation to make virtually all of the rights afforded to married couples available to same-sex couples. The new status will be referred to in Oregon law as a domestic partnership, avoiding the use...
take effect after court rescinds injunction. - January 1: Civil unions in New Hampshire take effect.
- January 1: Civil unions in UruguayCivil unions in UruguayOn January 1, 2008, Uruguay became the first Latin American country to have a national civil union law, titled Ley de Unión Concubinaria.The bill for legalization, proposed by Senator Margarita Percovich of the Broad Front, was passed in Chamber of Deputies on 29 November 2007 after having been...
take effect.
2007
- On November 29, the first foreign same-sex wedding is held in HanoiHanoiHanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
, VietnamVietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
between a Japanese and an Irish national. The wedding raises much attention in the gay and lesbian community in Vietnam. - September 18: Maryland Court of AppealsMaryland Court of AppealsThe Court of Appeals of Maryland is the supreme court of the U.S. state of Maryland. The court, which is composed of one chief judge and six associate judges, meets in the Robert C. Murphy Courts of Appeal Building in the state capital, Annapolis...
upholds state law banning same-sex marriage, overturning a lower court ruling. - August 30: Iowa's Defense of Marriage ActSame-sex marriage in IowaSame-sex marriage in the U.S. state of Iowa became legal on April 3, 2009.Iowa's first dealings with same-sex marriage came in 1998, after recent court cases on same-sex unions, starting in Hawaii, found that denying the right to marry to same-sex couples was incompatible with the Equal Protection...
was struck down as unconstitutional as a result of a legal challenge. The state has announced plans to appeal, but couples began applying for marriage licenses immediately in anticipation of an injunction. About 20 couples obtained marriage licenses and one couple married before the judge issued a stay of his ruling pending appeal. - June 23: In ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
A landmark gay rights bill was derailed at the last minute by a bloc of conservative senators, but supporters vowed to revive the legislation. The bill, which had been endorsed by conservative President Álvaro UribeÁlvaro UribeAlvaro Uribe Vélez was the 58th President of Colombia, from 2002 to 2010. In August 2010 he was appointed Vice-chairman of the UN panel investigating the Gaza flotilla raid....
, would have made Colombia the first nation in Latin America to grant same-sex couples in long-term relationships the same rights to health insurance, inheritance and social security as heterosexual couples. Although states and cities have passed laws allowing same-sex couples to share assets, no other country in the overwhelmingly Roman Catholic region has done so at a national level. Colombia's Constitutional Court recognized similar rights to shared property and inheritance in February, but the decision did not mention health insurance or social security. - June 14: The two houses of the MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
legislature, sitting together as a Constitutional Convention, defeat a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in a vote of 154 against and 46 in favor. 50 votes in favor would have been required for the amendment to go on the ballot for a popular vote in the 2008 elections. - May 31: The state of New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
legalizes civil unions, to take effect on January 1, 2008. - May 9: The state of OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
legalizes domestic partnerships. The law will go into effect on January 1, 2008 (but was delayed 48 hours prior to coming into effect, then after a court case in February it was allowed to come into effect from February 1, 2008). - April 21: The state of Washington legalizes domestic partnerships. The law went into effect on July 22, 2007.
- January 12: The Mexican state of CoahuilaCoahuilaCoahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...
legalizes civil unions. It is the first state to do so in Mexico and the second entity (after the government of Federal District, which rules Mexico CityMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
). However, the law took effect in Coahuila first. - January 1: In SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
a registered partnership law takes effect.
2006
- December 7: CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's Members of Parliament rejected Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s motion to re-open the equal marriage debate. The motion was defeated 175–123, and every political party had more MPs supporting same-sex marriage than in the previous vote. The prime minister declared the issue "settled". - November 30: South AfricaSame-sex marriage in South AfricaSame-sex marriage has been legal in South Africa since 30 November 2006, when the Civil Union Act, 2006 came into force, having been passed by Parliament earlier that month. A ruling by the Constitutional Court on 1 December 2005 had given Parliament one year to make same-sex marriage legal...
legalizes same-sex marriage as the Civil Union Act is published and comes into force. The act provides for the "voluntary union of two persons [...] which is solemnised and registered by way of either a marriage or a civil partnership." It allows individual marriage officers to opt out of performing same-sex marriage ceremonies if doing so would conflict with their "conscience, religion and belief." The first marriage under the act takes place on 1 December. - November 29: South African Deputy PresidentDeputy President of South AfricaThe Deputy President of South Africa is the acting President of South Africa when the President is outside the country's borders, unable to fulfill the duties of the office, or when the Presidency is vacant. The Deputy President is also a member of the National Assembly and the Cabinet...
Phumzile Mlambo-NgcukaPhumzile Mlambo-NgcukaPhumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is a South African politician who was Deputy President of South Africa from 2005 to 2008. She was the first woman to hold the position and was the highest ranking woman in the history of South Africa...
, acting for PresidentPresident of South AfricaThe President of the Republic of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under South Africa's Constitution. From 1961 to 1994, the head of state was called the State President....
Thabo MbekiThabo MbekiThabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
, signs the Civil Union Bill. - November 28: South Africa's upper houseUpper houseAn upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
, the National Council of ProvincesNational Council of ProvincesThe National Council of Provinces is the upper house of the Parliament of South Africa under the constitution which came into full effect in 1997...
, approves the Civil Union Bill by a vote of 36 to 11. - November 21: IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's supreme court rules that same-sex marriages performed abroad will be formally registered by the Israeli Interior Ministry. This ruling makes equal the status of same-sex couples and other Israeli couples who cannot be married by the formal religious institutions in Israel (e.g. couples from different religions). - November 14: The National Assembly of South AfricaNational Assembly of South AfricaThe National Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of South Africa, located in Cape Town, Western Cape Province. It consists of no fewer than 350 and no more than 400 members...
approves the Civil Union Bill by a vote of 229 to 41. The ruling African National CongressAfrican National CongressThe African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
requires its members to vote for the bill, while most opposition parties vote against it; the Democratic Alliance allows its members a free vote. - November 9: The Legislative Assembly of Mexico CityMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
passes a civil union law that recognizes same sex couples for the first time in Mexico. - November 7: In the U.S. elections, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
rejects an initiative banning same-sex marriageSame-sex marriageSame-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
. The first state in the country to do so. However, seven other states pass marriage amendments. - October 25: New Jersey Supreme CourtNew Jersey Supreme CourtThe New Jersey Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It has existed in three different forms under the three different state constitutions since the independence of the state in 1776...
unanimously rules in favor of marriage equality; 4–3 say decision whether to rewrite marriage law or write civil union law for homosexuals (separate but equalSeparate but equalSeparate but equal was a legal doctrine in United States constitutional law that justified systems of segregation. Under this doctrine, services, facilities and public accommodations were allowed to be separated by race, on the condition that the quality of each group's public facilities was to...
debate) is left to the legislature in the next six months. The three dissenting justices dissented because they believed same-sex couples should have the full right to marry. - September 12: The Minister of Home AffairsMinister of Home Affairs (South Africa)The Minister of Home Affairs is the minister in the Cabinet of South Africa with responsibility for the Department of Home Affairs. The position includes responsibility for immigration, refugee and asylum policy, for the civil registry, and for the issuing of identity documents and passports.-List...
, Nosiviwe Mapisa-NqakulaNosiviwe Mapisa-NqakulaNosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is a South African politician, appointed minister of correctional services in 2009. She was the minister of home affairs from 2004.Mapisa-Nqakula obtained a teacher's diploma from the Bensonvale Teachers College....
, introduces the Civil Union Bill in the National Assembly of South AfricaNational Assembly of South AfricaThe National Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of South Africa, located in Cape Town, Western Cape Province. It consists of no fewer than 350 and no more than 400 members...
, in response to the Constitutional Court's ruling from the previous year. - July 26: Washington State Supreme Court issues its decision upholding state DOMADefense of Marriage ActThe Defense of Marriage Act is a United States federal law whereby the federal government defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman. Under the law, no U.S. state may be required to recognize as a marriage a same-sex relationship considered a marriage in another state...
laws - July 23: SloveniaSloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
's same-sex registered partnership law made effective. - July 14: The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eighth CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Arkansas* Western District of Arkansas...
overturns Judge Joseph F. BataillonJoseph F. BataillonJoseph F. Bataillon is a United States federal judge.Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Bataillon received a B.A. from Creighton University in 1971 and a J.D. from Creighton University School of Law in 1974. He was a deputy public defender, Douglas County, Nebraska from 1974 to 1980...
's 2005 decision in Citizens for Equal Protection v. BruningCitizens for Equal Protection v. BruningCitizens for Equal Protection v. Bruning, 455 F.3d 859 , was a federal lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska and decided on appeal by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit challenging the federal constitutionality of Nebraska Initiative...
, and rules that "laws limiting the state-recognized institution of marriage to heterosexual couples ... do not violate the Constitution of the United States." - July 6: New York State Court of Appeals rules that the NYS Constitution does not mandate recognition of same sex marriage.
- June 20: The law allowing adoption by same-sex couples is published in the Belgian Official JournalBelgian Official JournalThe Belgian Official Journal is the official journal of the Kingdom of Belgium....
. - May 18: King Albert II of BelgiumAlbert II of BelgiumAlbert II is the current reigning King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
signs the bill allowing adoption by same-sex couples into law. - April 20: BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
: The Senate approves legislation allowing adoption by same-sex couples with 34 votes in favour versus 33 against with 2 abstentions. The bill has now passed both ChambersBelgian Federal ParliamentThe Belgian Federal Parliament is a bicameral parliament. It consists of the Chamber of Representatives and the Senate . It sits in the Palace of the Nation .- Chamber of Representatives :...
and is sent to the KingAlbert II of BelgiumAlbert II is the current reigning King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
for promulgationPromulgationPromulgation is the act of formally proclaiming or declaring a new statutory or administrative law after its enactment. In some jurisdictions this additional step is necessary before the law can take effect....
on May 4. - March 15: The Czech RepublicCzech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
passes a registered partnership law, takes effect July 1.
2005
- UgandaUgandaUganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and LatviaSame-sex marriage in LatviaIn December 2005, Latvia decided to constitutionally ban same-sex marriage.On 23 September 1999 the Latvian National Human Rights Office presented registered partnership bill. On 28 September 1999 the proposal was sent to the Human Rights and Public Affairs Commission of the Saeima of the Republic...
amend their constitutions to ban same-sex marriageSame-sex marriageSame-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
. - December 19: The first civil partnershipCivil unionA civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
ceremony in Northern IrelandNorthern IrelandNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
takes place. Two days later the first ceremonies are held in EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and WalesWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. - December 5: The United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's legalization of civil partnershipsCivil unionA civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
comes into force. - December 1: BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
: The Chamber of Representatives approves legislation allowing adoption by same-sex couples with 77 votes in favor versus 62 against with 7 abstentions. The bill is sent to the SenateBelgian SenateThe Belgian Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral Federal Parliament of Belgium, the other being the Chamber of Representatives. It is considered to be the "upper house" of the Federal Parliament.-History and future:...
, which decides to review it on December 14. - December 1: In the case of Minister of Home Affairs v Fourie, the Constitutional Court of South AfricaConstitutional Court of South AfricaThe Constitutional Court of South Africa was established in 1994 by South Africa's first democratic constitution: the Interim Constitution of 1993. In terms of the 1996 Constitution the Constitutional Court established in 1994 continues to hold office. The court began its first sessions in February...
unanimously finds the restriction of marriage to opposite-sex couples to be unconstitutional, giving ParliamentParliament of South AfricaThe Parliament of South Africa is South Africa's legislature and under the country's current Constitution is composed of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces....
one year to introduce same-sex marriageSame-sex marriage in South AfricaSame-sex marriage has been legal in South Africa since 30 November 2006, when the Civil Union Act, 2006 came into force, having been passed by Parliament earlier that month. A ruling by the Constitutional Court on 1 December 2005 had given Parliament one year to make same-sex marriage legal...
. - November 8: United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
: TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
becomes the 18th state to write a ban on same-sex marriage into its constitution, defining marriage as "the union of one man and one woman" and prohibiting the state from "creating or recognizing any legal status identical or similar to marriage," when voters approved the amendment in the November elections. - July 19: CanadaSame-sex marriage in CanadaOn July 20, 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world and the first country in the Americas to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide with the enactment of the Civil Marriage Act which provided a gender-neutral marriage definition...
: the Civil Marriage ActCivil Marriage ActThe Civil Marriage Act was legislation legalizing same-sex marriage across Canada...
(Bill C-38) is passed by the Canadian SenateCanadian SenateThe Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
. It became law on July 20 after receiving Royal AssentRoyal AssentThe granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
. - June 30: SpainSame-sex marriage in SpainSame-sex marriage in Spain has been legal since July 3, 2005. In 2004, the nation's newly elected social democratic government, led by President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, began a campaign for its legalization, including the right of adoption by same-sex couples...
: The Congress of Deputies passed the same-sex marriage bill for a second time, overruling the rejection of the Spanish Senate a week before. The law took effect on July 3, after it was publicized in the official government registry. King Juan Carlos, who holds a right of veto, expeditiously granted the law his Royal Assent the day after the law was passed. - June 28: Canada: Canadian House of CommonsCanadian House of CommonsThe House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
passes Bill C-38, which will legalize same-sex marriage. - June 23: Canada: A judge in New BrunswickNew BrunswickNew Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
rules that same-sex couples have the right to equal marriage in that province. - June 5: A referendum is passed in SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
giving same sex couples the same inheritance and tax rights as married heterosexual couples. Switzerland's is a direct democracyDirect democracyDirect democracy is a form of government in which people vote on policy initiatives directly, as opposed to a representative democracy in which people vote for representatives who then vote on policy initiatives. Direct democracy is classically termed "pure democracy"...
and this referendumReferendumA referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
is binding. - May 12: United States: the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska announced its decision in favor of the plaintiffs in Citizens for Equal Protection v. BruningCitizens for Equal Protection v. BruningCitizens for Equal Protection v. Bruning, 455 F.3d 859 , was a federal lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska and decided on appeal by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit challenging the federal constitutionality of Nebraska Initiative...
, overturning Nebraska Initiative Measure 416Nebraska Initiative Measure 416 (2000)Nebraska Initiative Measure 416 of 2000 is a ballot initiative that amended the Nebraska Constitution to make it unconstitutional for the state to recognize or perform same-sex marriages or civil unions. The referendum was approved by 70% of the voters....
based on the Equal Protection ClauseEqual Protection ClauseThe Equal Protection Clause, part of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, provides that "no state shall ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws"...
, the First AmendmentFirst Amendment to the United States ConstitutionThe First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
, and the Contract ClauseContract ClauseThe Contract Clause appears in the United States Constitution, Article I, section 10, clause 1. It states:The Contract Clause prohibits states from enacting any law that retroactively impairs contract rights...
's prohibition on bills of attainderBill of attainderA bill of attainder is an act of a legislature declaring a person or group of persons guilty of some crime and punishing them without benefit of a judicial trial.-English law:...
. Judge Joseph F. BataillonJoseph F. BataillonJoseph F. Bataillon is a United States federal judge.Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Bataillon received a B.A. from Creighton University in 1971 and a J.D. from Creighton University School of Law in 1974. He was a deputy public defender, Douglas County, Nebraska from 1974 to 1980...
's decision concluded that Nebraska had no rational basis in denying gays and lesbians marriage licenses. On July 14, 2006, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eighth CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Arkansas* Western District of Arkansas...
overturned Judge Bataillon's decision and ruled that "laws limiting the state-recognized institution of marriage to heterosexual couples ... do not violate the Constitution of the United States."
This is the first state constitutional provision banning same-sex marriage to be ruled unconstitutional.
- April 21: Same-sex marriage bill passed by Spain's lower house of parliament.
- April 7: United States: The ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
State Senate passes legislation that legalizes same-sex civil unions. On April 13, the bill is passed through the ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
House of Representatives with the added "marriage is between a man and a woman" definition. The bill is sent back to the Senate for approval. Finally, on April 20, the State Senate approved the amended bill by a vote of 26–8 and Republican Governor Jodi RellJodi RellMary Jodi Rell is a Republican politician and was the 87th Governor of the U.S. state of Connecticut from 2004 until 2011. She was the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut under Governor John G. Rowland, who resigned during a corruption investigation. Rell is Connecticut's second female Governor,...
signed the same-sex civil union bill into law. - April 7: United States: New York City Mayor Michael BloombergMichael BloombergMichael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
orders city agencies to recognize legal same-sex marriages from other states and countries. This order will give same-sex couples who married in places such as Massachusetts or Canada rights that couples recognized under the city's existing domestic partnership law do not have, including the power to make life-or-death medical decisions. Same-sex spouses will also be able to collect worker's compensation if a partner dies. - March 14: United States: Judge Richard KramerRichard KramerThe Honorable Richard A. Kramer was born in Brookline, Massachusetts on July 22, 1947 and graduated from the University of Southern California Law School in 1972 as a Doctor of Jurisprudence, following a Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude degree in political science in 1969. He was appointed to the...
of San Francisco County Superior CourtSuperior courtIn common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
said CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. - February 22: United Kingdom: The British government announces December 5, 2005 as the implementation date for the Civil Partnership Act. Ceremonies can begin from December 19, 2005 in Northern Ireland, December 20 in Scotland and December 21 in England and Wales, after the mandatory waiting period, although under special circumstances the waiting period can be waived.
- February 1: Canada: Bill C-38Civil Marriage ActThe Civil Marriage Act was legislation legalizing same-sex marriage across Canada...
, which would extend civil marriage rights to same-sex couples across all of Canada, introduced in the House of Commons. - January 27: SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
: The Swedish government announces the launching of a report into whether same-sex marriage should be legalized. - January 19: United States: The Louisiana Supreme CourtLouisiana Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court of Louisiana is the highest court and court of last resort in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The modern Supreme Court, composed of seven justices, meets in the French Quarter of New Orleans....
reinstated the anti-same-sex marriage amendment that had been struck by a District Judge in October, 2004.
2004
- LuxembourgLuxembourgLuxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
passes a law of civil unions and takes effect. - December 9: CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
: Acting on a reference questionReference questionIn Canadian law, a Reference Question is a submission by the federal or a provincial government to the courts asking for an advisory opinion on a major legal issue. Typically the question concerns the constitutionality of legislation....
from Parliament, the Canadian Supreme Court states that a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Canada would be constitutional. Prime Minister Paul Martin says his government will introduce same-sex marriage legislation in January. - December 8: IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
: The Israeli government indicates that it will recognize same-sex partnerships for certain benefits, and will introduce legislation formalizing this status. - December 8: New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
: Parliament passes civil union legislation by 65 votes to 55. The new law provides a way for de facto couples, including same-sex couples, to gain legal recognition of their relationships, but stops short of same-sex marriage. - November 30: South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
: The Supreme Court of AppealSupreme Court of Appeal of South AfricaThe Supreme Court of Appeal is an appellate court in South Africa; it is the highest appeal court except in constitutional matters, which are ultimately decided by the Constitutional Court...
rules that the common law concept of marriage must be extended to include same-sex couples. Although the ruling does not immediately permit same-sex marriage in South Africa, it is considered a major step in that direction. - November 26: Canada: In one of Canada's largest class-action lawsuits, the Ontario Court of Appeal upholds a lower court ruling whereby Canadians whose same-sex partners died after April 1985 are entitled to Canada Pension Plan survivors' benefits.
- November 17: United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
: The British House of Lords passes the Civil Partnership Act to allow same-sex couples to obtain civil partnerships. This is the final legislative hurdle for the bill, becomes law on receiving Royal Assent by Queen Elizabeth II on November 18. Same-sex couples had to wait until December 2005 before the act comes into force, the delay being necessary to allow administrative changes. - November 9: IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
: An Irish High Court judge rules that a lesbian couple who married in Canada may proceed with their case seeking to have their marriage recognized for the purposes of Irish tax law. - November 5: Canada: A judge in SaskatchewanSaskatchewanSaskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
rules that same-sex couples must enjoy the right to equal marriage in that province. - November 4: Canada: Two lesbian couples denied marriage licenses file a lawsuit against the governments of Canada and of Newfoundland and LabradorNewfoundland and LabradorNewfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, asking for the legalization of same-sex marriage in that province. - November 3: United States Results of November 2 vote confirms that state constitutional amendments prohibiting same-sex marriage are passed in eleven states: ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, MississippiMississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, MontanaMontanaMontana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, North DakotaNorth DakotaNorth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, and UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. The measures in Oregon, Mississippi, and Montana bar same-sex marriage only; those in the other states bar civil unions and domestic partnerships as well; and MichiganLGBT rights in MichiganThe Michigan constitution bans same-sex marriage and places restrictions towards the forming of same-sex unions.- Laws against same-sex intimate contact :...
bars granting any benefits whatsoever to same-sex couples. - October: United States: LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
– District Judge William Morvant of Baton RougeBaton Rouge, LouisianaBaton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
struck down the amendment, approved by voters in September, on the grounds that it violated a provision of the state constitution requiring that an amendment to cover only one subject; the amendment prevented the state from recognizing any legal status for common-law relationships, domestic partnerships and civil unions between both homosexual and heterosexual couples. - September 18: United States: LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
voters ratified a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as only between a man and a woman. - August 13 : AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
bans same-sex marriageSame-sex marriageSame-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
. See - May 17: United States: MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
– first legal same-sex marriages in the U.S. performed. - March 9: Terence Reidy, the City Manager of Asbury Park, New JerseyAsbury Park, New JerseyAsbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 16,116. The city is known for its rich musical history, including its association with...
issues 10 marriage licenses to same-sex couples and Asbury Park deputy mayor James Bruno marries one couple before New Jersey Attorney GeneralNew Jersey Attorney GeneralThe Attorney General of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state. The office is appointed by the Governor of New Jersey and term limited...
Peter C. HarveyPeter C. HarveyPeter C. Harvey was the first African American to serve as New Jersey Attorney General. Harvey was appointed by New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey as Acting Attorney General on February 15, 2003, and was confirmed by the New Jersey Senate as Attorney General on June 16, 2003...
announces the following day that he will pursue charges against city officials for these actions. - March 8: The Northwest Women's Law Center and Lambda Legal sue King County, Washington on behalf of 8 couples.
- March 3: The Multnomah County government in Oregon began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples , licenses were later deemed invalid by the Oregon State Supreme Court in April 2005.
- February 27: New Paltz, New YorkNew Paltz, New YorkNew Paltz is a town in Ulster County, New York, USA. The population was 14,003 at the 2010 census. The town is located in the southeastern part of the county and is south of Kingston, New York. New Paltz contains a village also with the name New Paltz...
mayor Jason WestJason WestJason West is the mayor of the village of New Paltz, New York, having resumed the duties of office on June 1, 2011. He served previously as the village's mayor from January 1, 2003 to May 31, 2007....
marries 25 same-sex couples in a public ceremony. He is later served with multiple misdemeanor charges. - February 20: In New MexicoSame-sex marriage in New MexicoSame-sex marriages are not performed in the state of New Mexico, which also does not provide civil unions or domestic partnerships. Although New Mexican law does not explicitly permit or prohibit same-sex marriage, the state does not recognize such marriages established in other jurisdictions.A...
, Sandoval CountySandoval County, New Mexico-Indian reservations:Sandoval County has 12 Indian reservations and two joint-use areas lying within its borders, the second most of any county in the United States -Indian reservations:Sandoval County has 12 Indian reservations and two joint-use areas lying within its borders, the second most of...
clerk Victoria Dunlap issues marriage licenses to more than 60 same-sex couples until stopped by the state attorney general later that day, declaring them invalid; 26 couples were married by local pastors on the courthouse steps that day, and most of the other couples who received licenses married elsewhere. A district court later issued an injunction prohibiting Dunlap from issuing licenses to same-sex couples. Dunlap's motion to the state supreme court to lift the restraining order was rejected on July 8. - February 12: United States, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
: Newly-elected San Francisco mayor Gavin NewsomGavin NewsomGavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician who is the 49th and current Lieutenant Governor of California. Previously, he was the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, and was elected in 2003 to succeed Willie Brown, becoming San Francisco's youngest mayor in 100 years. Newsom was re-elected in 2007...
issues the first same-sex marriage certificatesSan Francisco 2004 same-sex weddingsThe San Francisco 2004 same-sex weddings took place between February 12 and March 11, 2004. Newly-elected San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom gained international attention and attracted controversy when he issued a directive to the city-county clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples...
in the U.S., purely as an exercise of executiveExecutive (government)Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
power. These certificates were later nullified by the California Supreme Court. - February 6 : A new circular by Belgian Minister of Justice Laurette OnkelinxLaurette OnkelinxLaurette A.J. Onkelinx is a Belgian politician from the Francophone Socialist Party. She is the Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health in the Belgian federal government, i.e., the Van Rompuy I Government, which took office on 30 December 2008.-Biography:Born to Gaston Onkelinx and Germaine...
allows all binational same-sex marriages. To get married, whatever the sex, one of future spouses must be either Belgian or a registered resident, that means more than 3 months legal stay in BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. This prevents matrimonial tourism. - February 4: The Massachusetts Supreme Court issues a clarification of its ruling in Goodridge saying that civil unions are not a sufficient alternative to full marriage rights for same-sex couples.
2003
- November 18: United States: MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
: decision in Goodridge v. Department of Public HealthGoodridge v. Department of Public HealthGoodridge v. Dept. of Public Health, 798 N.E.2d 941 , was a landmark state appellate court case dealing with same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. The November 18, 2003, decision was the first by a U.S... - July 14: CroatiaCroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
: Same-sex union law accepted by Croatian parliament Sabor. It grants same-sex partners who have cohabited for at least 3 years the same rights as enjoyed by unmarried cohabiting opposite sex partners; only inheritance and financial support. Croatia was one of the first former socialist states that recognized same sex couples, after Hungary. - June 17: CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
: The Canadian government announces that it will not appeal the Ontario appeals court ruling that permitted same-sex marriage. Instead, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien indicates that his government will introduce legislation to legalize same-sex marriage. - June 10: Canada: The Court of Appeal for Ontario rules that the law restricting marriage to heterosexual couples contravenes the equality provisions in the Canadian Charter of Rights and FreedomsCanadian Charter of Rights and FreedomsThe Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a bill of rights entrenched in the Constitution of Canada. It forms the first part of the Constitution Act, 1982...
. The court does not permit the province any grace time to bring its law in conformity with the ruling. Thus, Ontario has become the first jurisdiction in North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
to recognize same-sex marriages. TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
announces that its city clerk will begin to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and two same-sex couples who filed suit have their marriages retroactively recognized. On June 11, the attorney general of Ontario announces that his government will conform to the court ruling. - June 1: BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
: The law permitting same-sex civil marriage comes into force. A circular by Minister of Justice Marc VerwilghenMarc VerwilghenMarc Ernest Elisabeth Robert Juliette Verwilghen, born 21 September 1952 in Dendermonde, is a Belgian politician.Verwilghen studied law at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the University of Ghent and is the holder of an honorary doctorate from Ghent....
limits it to marriage between Belgians or between Belgian and Dutch persons. - May 1: Canada: The British Columbia Court of AppealBritish Columbia Court of AppealThe British Columbia Court of Appeal is the highest appellate court in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The BCCA hears appeals from the Supreme Court of British Columbia and a number of boards and tribunals. The BCCA also hears criminal appeals from the Provincial Court of British...
becomes the first provincial court of appeal to rule that the Canadian government must legally recognize same-sex marriage. - March 26, 2003–Decided June 26, 2003: United States Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the United StatesThe Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
Lawrence v. TexasLawrence v. TexasLawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 , is a landmark United States Supreme Court case. In the 6-3 ruling, the Court struck down the sodomy law in Texas and, by proxy, invalidated sodomy laws in the thirteen other states where they remained in existence, thereby making same-sex sexual activity legal in...
. Responding to a reported weapons disturbance in a private residence, HoustonHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
police entered petitioner Lawrence's apartment and saw him and another adult man, petitioner Garner, engaging in a private, consensual sexual act. Petitioners were arrested and convicted of deviate sexual intercourse in violation of a Texas statute forbidding two persons of the same sex to engage in certain intimate sexual conduct. In a 6-3 decision the court struck down the TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
law and, by proxy, invalidated sodomy laws in the thirteen other states where they remained in existence. - February 28: Belgium: The law extending civil marriage to same-sex couples is published in the Belgian Official JournalBelgian Official JournalThe Belgian Official Journal is the official journal of the Kingdom of Belgium....
. In accordance with article 23 of the law, it will come into force on the first day of the fourth month after that in which it was published. - February 13: Belgium: King Albert IIAlbert II of BelgiumAlbert II is the current reigning King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
signs the bill extending civil marriage to same-sex couples into law. - January 30: Belgium: The Chamber of Representatives approves legislation extending civil marriage to same-sex couples with 91 votes in favor versus 22 against with 9 abstentions. The bill has now passed both ChambersBelgian Federal ParliamentThe Belgian Federal Parliament is a bicameral parliament. It consists of the Chamber of Representatives and the Senate . It sits in the Palace of the Nation .- Chamber of Representatives :...
and is sent to the KingAlbert II of BelgiumAlbert II is the current reigning King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
for promulgationPromulgationPromulgation is the act of formally proclaiming or declaring a new statutory or administrative law after its enactment. In some jurisdictions this additional step is necessary before the law can take effect....
.
2002
- December 13: ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
: The City Legislature of Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
passes bill 1004 to provide a same-sex civil union registry. - November 28: Belgium: The SenateBelgian SenateThe Belgian Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral Federal Parliament of Belgium, the other being the Chamber of Representatives. It is considered to be the "upper house" of the Federal Parliament.-History and future:...
approves legislation extending civil marriage to same-sex couples with 46 votes in favor versus 15 against with 4 abstentions. The bill is sent to the Chamber of Representatives. - July 12: Canada: Ontario Superior Court of JusticeOntario Superior Court of JusticeThe Superior Court of Justice is the superior court of general jurisdiction for the Province of Ontario, Canada. It is the successor to the former Ontario Court of Justice , and was created on April 19, 1999...
rules that January 14, 2001 marriages are legal, but stays judgment pending appeal. (Upheld June 10, 2003; see Same-sex marriage in OntarioSame-sex marriage in OntarioThe first legal same-sex marriages performed in Ontario were of Kevin Bourassa to Joe Varnell, and Elaine Vautour to Anne Vautour, by Rev. Brent Hawkes on January 14, 2001....
.) - June 5: Sweden: Law passed allowing same-sex couples to apply for adoption.
2001
- September 28: FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
: The Eduskunta (Parliament of Finland) passes a law on the "registered partnership", which allows two members of the same sex to register their partnership and gain much of the same rights and duties as married couples. (Adoption was not included.) The law came into force on March 1, 2002. - August 1: GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
legally allows life partnerships for same-sex couples. - April 1: NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
: Laws that permit marriage for same-sex couples and grant same-sex couples adoption rights come into effect. Four same-sex couples are married at the stroke of midnight by the Mayor of Amsterdam. Civil servants in charge of marrying couples in the Netherlands are allowed to refuse to marry same-sex couples if they claim they are morally opposed to it, but only if they had been hired before the legalization. Anyone hired after that date cannot refuse to do so without being fired. - March 15: PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
: The existing União de Facto law (non-registered civil partnership) is changed to include same-sex partners. Child adoption is only allowed for opposite-sex partners. - February 14: Same-sex couples from Marriage Equality USA began asking for marriage licenses in Los AngelesLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, New York City, and San FranciscoSan Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
including Davina Kotulski and Molly McKay. - January 14: CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
: Two same-sex marriages were performed in OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, of Kevin Bourassa to Joe Varnell and Elaine Vautour to Anne Vautour, by Rev. Brent HawkesBrent HawkesBrent Hawkes, is a Canadian clergyman. Since 1977, he has served as senior pastor of Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto for LGBT parishioners, and is one of Canada's leading gay rights activists....
. Although registration of the marriages was initially denied, a successful court challenge upheld their legality on June 10, 2003, thus retroactively making them the first legal same-sex marriages in modern times.
2000
- December 21: NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
: Queen Beatrix signs the marriage bill into law. It went in effect on April 1, 2001. - December 19: Netherlands: The Senate approves legislation that opens marriage for same-sex couples.
- September 12: Netherlands: The House of Representatives approves legislation that opens marriage for same-sex couples with majority of 109 against 33 votes.
- July 1: VermontVermontVermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
becomes the first place in the world to recognise the rights of same sex couples after a Court ruling and so invented the term "civil union". - January 1: BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
: Legislation allowing for "registered partnership" comes into effect.
1999
- November: FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
: The French Parliament approves legislation (art. 515-1 et s. Code civil) that:
-
- creates a relationship register for both gay and straight couples (called "Pacte civil de solidaritéPacte civil de solidaritéIn France, a pacte civil de solidarité commonly known as a PACS /paks/ , is a form of civil union between two adults for organising their joint life. It brings rights and responsibilities, but less so than marriage...
" abbreviated as "PaCS"); and - redefines the non-registered partnership as the stable union between two adults regardless of their gender (before this law, previous decisions of the French highest Court ruled that there could be no couple without appearance of marriage, therefore excluding gay people from any vision of family).
- creates a relationship register for both gay and straight couples (called "Pacte civil de solidarité
1998
- November 3: Hawaii voters, by a 69–31% margin, vote to amend the state's constitution to give the legislature sole jurisdiction over marriage laws and to prohibit intervention by state courts.
- January 1 – NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
– "registered partnership" legalized.
1996
- IcelandIcelandIceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
"registered partnership" legalized. - United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
– Defense of Marriage ActDefense of Marriage ActThe Defense of Marriage Act is a United States federal law whereby the federal government defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman. Under the law, no U.S. state may be required to recognize as a marriage a same-sex relationship considered a marriage in another state...
(this bans the federal Government from recognising same-sex marriages or any other kind of same-sex union) is signed into law by Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
1995
- January 1 : SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
– registered partnership becomes effective (law: June 23, 1994). UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
becomes the first state in the US to have a DOMA in the statutes banning same-sex marriage, after "same-sex marriage fear" from HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. - HungaryHungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
– Unregistered cohabitation granted Domestic Partnership
level rights.
1994
- January 1: 45 out of the 50 states in the US define a marriage under statute as being between a man and a woman.
1993
- August 1: NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
's "registered partnership" comes into effect (law passed on April 30, 1993) - May 5: The Hawaii State Supreme CourtHawaii State Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court of Hawaii is the highest court of the State of Hawaii in the United States. Its decisions are binding on all other courts of the Hawaii State Judiciary. The principal purpose of the Supreme Court is to review the decisions of the trial courts in which appeals have been granted...
rules in Baehr v. Lewin that the HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
state statute limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples is presumed to be unconstitutional unless the state can present a "compelling state interest" justifying the same-sex marriage ban.
1990
- October 20: 40 of the 50 states in the US now define marriage under statute as being a union between a man and a woman.
1989
- October 1: DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
: World's first modern legally recognized same-sex unionsCivil unions in DenmarkRegistered partnerships in Denmark were created by a law enacted on June 7, 1989, the world's first such law, and came into force on October 1, 1989. It was extended to Greenland in 1996 and later amended in 1999. Registered partnerships have almost all the same qualities as marriage...
called "registered partnership".
1984
- September 1: City of Berkeley in CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
is the first place in the world to invent the term "domestic partnership", by providing a domestic partnership registry and then other cities/counties follow suit.
1980
- 25 out of 50 states in the US define a marriage as being between a man and a woman under statute.
1975
- September 1: VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
becomes the fourth state to ban same-sex marriage through a statuteStatuteA statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
. - March 26: In ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Boulder county clerk Clela Rorex issued marriage licenses to a same sex couples after receiving an opinion from the local district attorney's office saying that state marriage law did not prohibit same sex unions. Over the next month she issued six same-sex marriage licenses, two for female couples and four for male couples. The state DA's office later issued an opinion that the licenses were invalid and no new licenses were issued. - January 7: Two men from Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix, ArizonaPhoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
are granted a marriage license by their county clerk. The Arizona Supreme CourtArizona Supreme CourtThe Arizona Supreme Court is the state supreme court of the U.S. state of Arizona. It consists of a Chief Justice, a Vice Chief Justice, and three associate justices. Each justice is appointed by the governor of Arizona from a list recommended by a bipartisan commission. Justices stand for...
would later declare the license to be invalid, citing the Bible in its decision. Later that year, the Arizona State Legislature passes a law banning same-sex marriage.
1973
- January 1: MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
becomes the first state in the US to ban same-sex marriage, under §2–201 of the Family Law Act 1973 statute – it quotes "only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid in this State".
1972
- October 23: Two women by the names of Marjorie Jones and Tracy Knight are denied a marriage license in KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
by a county clerk who refused upon seeking advice from the district attorney.
1970
- May 18: United States, MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
: Jack BakerJack Baker (activist)Jack Baker is an American LGBT activist in the state of Minnesota. He and his partner, James Michael McConnell, were the first American gay couple to seek a marriage license and the first gay couple to establish a legal relationship via adult adoption.-Student activism:On May 18, 1969, , the...
and James Michael McConnell applied for a marriage license in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The license was denied, and this denial was appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which refused to hear the case. See the court opinion in Baker v. NelsonBaker v. NelsonRichard John Baker v. Gerald R. Nelson was a case in which the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that Minnesota law limited marriage to different-sex couples and that this limitation did not violate the United States Constitution...
. In 1971, they obtain a marriage license from another Minnesota county, and are married before a Methodist minister in Minneapolis. Until 1973, there was no definition of marriage in any statute in any US state, but at common law, marriage was held to be between a man and a woman and therefore same-sex marriage was effectively banned. (see Baker v. NelsonBaker v. NelsonRichard John Baker v. Gerald R. Nelson was a case in which the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that Minnesota law limited marriage to different-sex couples and that this limitation did not violate the United States Constitution...
).
Before 1970
Various types of same-sex marriages have existed, ranging from informal, unsanctioned relationships to highly ritualized unions.In the southern Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
province of Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
, through the Ming dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
period, women would bind themselves in contracts to younger women in elaborate ceremonies. Men also entered similar arrangements. This type of arrangement was also similar in ancient European history.
The first recorded mention of the performance of same-sex marriages occurred during the early Roman Empire. These same-sex marriages were solemnized with the same ceremonies and customs which were used for heterosexual marriages. Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
mentions the marriage (using the Latin verb for "to marry", i.e. nubere) of the son of Curio the Elder in a casual manner as if it was commonplace. Cicero states that the younger Curio was "united in a stable and permanent marriage" to Antonius. Martial also mentions a number of same-sex marriages. By Juvenal's time, gay marriages seem to have become commonplace as he mentions attending gay marriages as if there were "nothing special.". These gay marriages continued until Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. A law in the Theodosian Code (C. Th. 9.7.3) was issued in 342 AD by the Christian emperors Constantius II and Constans. This law prohibited same-sex marriage in ancient Rome
Homosexuality in Ancient Rome
Same-sex attitudes and behaviors in ancient Rome often differ markedly from those of the contemporary West. Latin lacks words that would precisely translate "homosexual" and "heterosexual." The primary dichotomy of ancient Roman sexuality was active/dominant/masculine and...
and ordered that those who were so married were to be executed.
See also
- Same-sex marriageSame-sex marriageSame-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
- Same-sex marriage legislation around the worldSame-sex marriage legislation around the worldSame-sex marriage is currently carried out throughout ten countries: the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, and Argentina. Six U.S. states and one U.S. district perform same-sex marriages, those being Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New...
- Status of same-sex marriageStatus of same-sex marriageThe status of same-sex marriage changes frequently as legislation and legal action takes place around the world. Summarized in this article are the current trends and consensus of political authorities and religions throughout the world.-Civil recognition:...
- First same-sex marriage in SpainFirst same-sex marriage in SpainThe first same-sex marriage in Spain after the Roman Imperial era took place on June 8, 1901.Two women, Marcela Gracia Ibeas and Elisa Sanchez Loriga, attempted to get married in A Coruña . To achieve it Elisa had to adopt a male identity: Mario Sánchez, as listed on the marriage certificate...
- Timeline of LGBT historyTimeline of LGBT historyThe following is a timeline of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender related history.-9660 to 5000 BC:* Mesolithic rock art in Sicily depicts phallic male figures in pairs that have been interpreted variously, including as depictions of homosexual intercourse.-7000 to 1700 BC:*Among the sexual...