First country to legalise gay marriage

This article contains a timeline of significant events regarding same-sex marriage and legal recognition of same-sex couples worldwide. 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. Events concerning same.

A growing number of governments around the world are considering whether to grant legal recognition to same-sex marriages. So far, more than two dozen countries have enacted national laws allowing gays and lesbians to marry, mostly in Europe and the Americas. In Mexico, some jurisdictions allow same-sex couples to wed, while others do not.

Same-Sex Marriage Around the World Since the first same-sex marriages were legally recognized in the Netherlands in , nearly 40 other jurisdictions – mostly in Europe and the Americas – have enacted laws allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry. This year, Thailand and Liechtenstein join the list.

Nearly 30 countries have officially legalized gay marriage. June 26 marks the fifth anniversary of gay marriage being legalized across the entire United States. To commemorate this milestone in LGBTQ history, we are taking a look at countries around the world that have officially legalized same-sex marriage.

To some, same-sex marriage is considered immoral, while to others it is viewed as a basic, or even God-given, right. 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. In July of , Argentina became the first Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriages, attributing Argentine gay people the same marital rights as the nation's heterosexuals.

Ireland recently legalized same-sex marriage by referendum, but it was not the first country to allow marriage rights to same-sex couples.

Since the Netherlands became the first country to allow same-sex marriage 12 years ago, many countries have followed suit. France is the latest and supporters of gay marriage hope it will soon clear the final legal hurdles in Britain. But where in the world can same-sex couples already get married?