Countries that approved gay marriage before usa

The prize: tickets to next year's Rugby World Cup in Britain. Currently, Iceland is regarded as one of the most gay-friendly countries in the world, with a large number of foreign same-sex couples visiting Iceland to get married there.

The Church bore an extremely bitter attitude regarding this decision, and held massive protests across the country to derail the change. Full recognition of rights to same-sex couples, however, was not given until 5 years later. Icelanda country well known for its liberal attitude towards same sex partners, passed a law on June 27,that allowed same-sex couples to legally marry.

When the lower courts rejected their motion, they appealed to the Portuguese Constitutional Court in July of The court decided on the basis of a vote that, though the constitution does not legalize same sex marriages, it also does not oppose it.

The complicated case of the couple now had to be handled by the Portuguese Parliament.

Before US gay marriage

It begins with the history of same-sex unions during ancient times, which consisted of unions ranging from informal and temporary relationships to highly ritualized unions, and continues to modern-day state-recognized same-sex marriage.

Same sex marriage is legal in 38 countries which have a combined population of billion people (around 20% of the world’s population). Finally, on June 5,same-sex marriages were legalized in Portugal in spite of protests by the Catholic Church of the country.

The Lutheran Church of Sweden had agreed to bless gay partnerships sincebut were not yet ready to allow gay weddings in their churches. However, the success of the President and her allied advocates in support of same-sex marriages in Argentina reveals the increasing willingness of the country to stand against the rigid measures of the Church.

The country, then headed by a Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir, who openly declared herself to be gay, met little political resistance in passing this law. DUTCH PIONEERS: The Netherlands in became the world's first country to legalize gay marriage.

While this case was being processed, major political changes were taking place place in the scenario of same-sex marriages in the country. Regardless of one's stance, it cannot be argued that, for the same-sex couples living in the countries listed below, they must have considered their respective nations' passing through of legislation allowing them to be married, and those marriages to be fully recognized to be nothing short of a personal and national victory.

To some, same-sex marriage is considered immoral, while to others it is viewed as a basic, or even God-given, right. Gay rights activists said the stunt made a mockery of the institution of marriage at a time when gay and lesbian couples are still barred in most countries from marrying one another.

In July ofArgentina became the first Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriages, attributing Argentine gay people the same marital rights as the nation's heterosexuals. Same-Sex Marriage Around the World Since the first same-sex marriages were legally recognized in the Netherlands innearly 40 other jurisdictions – mostly in Europe and the Americas – have enacted laws allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry.

There is a long story lying behind the legalization of same-sex marriages in Portugal. Russia is an example of a nation that does not necessarily criminalize same-sex couples, but the government places serious restrictions on people who are gay, which is still a way of censoring relationships that are not heterosexual.

This article contains a timeline of significant events regarding same-sex marriage and legal recognition of same-sex couples worldwide. They took the issue to court, claiming they were unjustly discriminated on the basis of their sexual orientation, which was not legal as per the Portuguese constitution.

A long and taxing national debate preceded the decision, with the Senate finally voting 33 to 27 in favor of the law. Then inthe Parliament passed another law making adoption by same-sex couples legal. Although six out of the seven parties represented in the Parliament voted in favor, the Christian Democrats refused to support the law.

Like other Scandinavian countries, the Swedish community has always been progressive in its social attitudes, and has openly accepted same-sex couples. Sweden was thus one of the first few countries to designate legally recognized partnership rights to gay couples in the mid s, and also allowed such couples to adopt children as early as However, the major step of legalizing same-sex marriages in the country was taken inwhen a large majority of the Swedish Parliament voted in favor of the law.

Events concerning same. This is despite there being no clear separation of the church from state in this country. The same is true in many Asian countries and a few eastern European nations.

Where Same Sex Marriage

This choice is fueled not just by the fact that same-sex marriages are legalized in the country, but also because the Icelandic society in general is highly progressive, and largely accepts such marriages without any resistance. The map above shows which countries have fully legalized same sex-marriage as of 1 Octoberbut does not show those that have alternative arrangements such as civil unions and/or domestic partnerships.

This year, Thailand and Liechtenstein join the list.