Gay Marriage
- In December 2004, the Canadian Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriages are constitutional. On June 28, 2005 the House of Commons voted to extend marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples throughout Canada. The Senate approved the measure in July 2005. It is now legal for gays and lesbians to marry every place in Canada. There is no residency requirement for Canadian marriage, but that does not mean a Canadian gay marriage will be recognized by other countries.
Europe
- Netherlands (Holland) has full marriage and registered partnership rights for same sex or opposite sex couples.
- Belgium in 2003 became the second country in the world to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry. Since 2006, gay and lesbian couples have been allowed to adopt children.
- Spain voted in June 2005 to extend full marriage rights to gay and lesbian citizens. The measure adds one sentence to existing Spanish marriage law: Marriage will have the same requirements and results when the two people entering into the contract are of the same sex or of different sexes.
Africa
- South Africa legalized gay marriage on November 30th, 2006. South Africa has one of the most inclusive constitutions in the world, calling for equal rights for gays and lesbians.
The United States
Massachusetts
- On May 17th, 2004, Massachusetts began marrying gay and lesbian couples. At this point, only residents of Massachusetts and states that allow gay marriage are allowed to marry there.
California
The California Supreme Court ruled that banning gay and lesbian couples from marrying is unconstitutional on May 15, 2008. The court gave 30 days for the state to begin marrying same-sex couples, so by June 16, 2008, gays and lesbians will be able to marry in California.
