Same-Sex Marriage, Around The World
In Montpellier, France, Vincent Autin (center) and Bruno Boileau, with Mayor Helene Mandroux, are married in a civil ceremony on May 29. They were the first same-sex couple to marry in France after the government voted to legalize gay marriage. Claude Paris/AP hide caption
In Montpellier, France, Vincent Autin (center) and Bruno Boileau, with Mayor Helene Mandroux, are married in a civil ceremony on May 29. They were the first same-sex couple to marry in France after the government voted to legalize gay marriage.
Claude Paris/APSame-sex couples rejoiced in the United States on Wednesday, as the U.S. Supreme Court in a 5-4 ruling struck down as unconstitutional a federal law denying benefits to same-sex couples.
That got us wondering: Where else in the world can same-sex couples get married legally?
Here's a list of countries and the year each legalized gay marriage.
Netherlands – 2001
Belgium – 2003
Spain – 2005
Canada – 2005
South Africa – 2006
Norway – 2008
Sweden – 2009
Portugal – 2010
Iceland – 2010
Argentina – 2010
Denmark – 2012
Brazil – 2013
France – 2013
Additionally, lawmakers in New Zealand approved a bill in April to legalize same-sex marriage. The law is expected to go into effect in August. Lawmakers in Uruguay approved a similar measure in April. That law goes into effect later this year.