The state of marriage, world-wide
Dec. 1st, 2009 08:08 amI was reading an article about marriage equality. Our progress in the US seems to proceed at a snail's pace, but then I have to contrast that with the fact that same-sex couples were unable to marry anywhere during my childhood; and it was a crime punishable by imprisonment to be gay in the UK right up to 1968, when I was already 16. So the current state of marriage world-wide tells me that we are in fact making progress toward full equality:
Completely equal status: Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Spain, Norway, Sweden, South Africa
Pending equality: Nepal, Portugal (both have announced their intention to equalize marriage law in the next few months)
Under consideration: Iceland, Slovenia, Luxemburg (all likely to move in the next year)
Australia: Federally, same-sex marriage is banned, but 'registered partnerships' are being floated in some provinces.
Israel: Courts decided that the state must recognize same-sex marriages granted in other countries, though there is no legislation supporting this position.
There are various bills, acts, and legal cases working through other cities, states and jurisdictions. Of particular interest is the progress being made in South America, where various states and jurisdications have passed or are considering domestic partnership or civil union legislation. The United Kingdom, in its own muddled way, created Civil Unions for same-sex couples, that are mostly equivalent to marriage, although they cannot be formalized in a church!
A list of various countries/provinces/cities that have passed some type of domestic partner/civil union type legislation: Andorra, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, New Zealand, Switzerland, Uruguay, Argentina (some districts), Mexico (Coahuila and Federal District).
So in 50 years since our cry for equallity started, we have come this far. Eventually, the US will follow.
Completely equal status: Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Spain, Norway, Sweden, South Africa
Pending equality: Nepal, Portugal (both have announced their intention to equalize marriage law in the next few months)
Under consideration: Iceland, Slovenia, Luxemburg (all likely to move in the next year)
Australia: Federally, same-sex marriage is banned, but 'registered partnerships' are being floated in some provinces.
Israel: Courts decided that the state must recognize same-sex marriages granted in other countries, though there is no legislation supporting this position.
There are various bills, acts, and legal cases working through other cities, states and jurisdictions. Of particular interest is the progress being made in South America, where various states and jurisdications have passed or are considering domestic partnership or civil union legislation. The United Kingdom, in its own muddled way, created Civil Unions for same-sex couples, that are mostly equivalent to marriage, although they cannot be formalized in a church!
A list of various countries/provinces/cities that have passed some type of domestic partner/civil union type legislation: Andorra, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, New Zealand, Switzerland, Uruguay, Argentina (some districts), Mexico (Coahuila and Federal District).
So in 50 years since our cry for equallity started, we have come this far. Eventually, the US will follow.