Thirty-Two Countries Across The Globe Where Same-Sex Marriage Is Officially Legal

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On 06 January 2022, Friday, the Supreme Court of India ordered all other courts in the country to transfer the legal petitions related to same-sex marriages in the country. Previously the petitions were pending before Delhi and Kerala High courts. Federal governments were also given a time period of 5 weeks to make their stance clear. Activists and gay couples are hoping to get legal recognition regarding same-sex marriages and are prepared for the long battle ahead. The legal face-off will be with the ruling party BJP, which was against the legalization of gay marriages in India.

This can be a massive intervention by India's top court, which in its landmark ruling in 2018 decriminalized homosexual sex and read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, striking down a colonial-era law that said that engaging in homosexual acts is punishable by 10 years in prison.

According to a US-based LGBTQ advocacy group, the Human Rights Campaign, only 32 countries across the globe recognise gay marriages.

1. Costa Rica (2020) - It is the first Central American Country to Legalize same-sex marriage in May 2020. In 2018, the country's highest court ruled that banning it was unconstitutional.

2. Northern Ireland (2019)- Same-sex marriage was made legal in October 2019 in this country. This happened due to the stringent action by UK's Parliament in London.

3. Ecuador (2019)- Gay marriages and marriage equality were legalized in this South American country by the Constitutional Court of this country on 12 June 2019.

4. Taiwan (2019)- This island nation is the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage on 17 May 2019. A bill was passed by Taiwan's legislature which was prompted by a 2017 decision by the Constitutional Court of the nation.

5. Austria (2019)- One of the Western European countries, Austria legalized same-sex marriage and included it under their marriage law on 01 January 2019. However, in 2017 the top court ruled that these partnerships were innately discriminatory.

6. Australia (2017)- The Parliament of Australia passed legislation to allow same-sex marriages on 07 December 2017. The decision came after people voted in favour of legalizing it, in a non-binding, nationwide referendum.

7. Malta (2017)- The Parliament of this country legalized gay marriage by unanimously voting for it in July 2017, even though the Catholic Church on the small Mediterranean island was against it.

8. Germany (2017)- This is the 15th European country to legalize same-sex marriages on 30 June 2017. A bill for the legalisation of same-sex marriage passed the Bundestag (Parliament) on this day.

9. Colombia (2016)- It is the fourth country in South America to legalize same-sex marriage on 28 April 2016. The ruling by the Constitutional Court of the country said irrespective of someone's sexual orientation, all people are free to choose independently to start a family, said an AFP report.

10. United States (2015)- US Supreme Court ruled that gay marriages will be legal across the country. It was first made legal in Massachusetts and before this ruling, 26 states and the District of Columbia had legalized same-sex marriage.

11. Greenland (2015)- It is one of the world's biggest islands. An autonomous territory of Denmark, in May 2015, the legislators in Greenland passed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage here.

12. Ireland (2015)- It became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage through a popular referendum on 22 May 2015. However, some Catholic Church leaders opposed the change.

13. Finland (2015)- Gay marriages were made legal in Finland in 2017 when a bill was approved by the Finnish Parliament that was related to legalizing same-sex marriages in November 2014. It is also one of the last five Nordic countries to legalize it.

14. Luxembourg (2014)- The bill passed by the Parliament, and the Chamber of Deputies on 18 June 2014 approved the legislation to allow same-sex couples to marry and adopt children. It eliminated the existing requirement that couples who are planning to get married need to submit to a medical exam.

15. Scotland (2014)- The Parliament of this country approved legislation and legalized same-sex marriage on 04 February 2014. However, the two largest Churches in Scotland lobbied against the bill and opposed gay marriage.

16. England and Wales (2013)- Queen Elizabeth II gave her royal approval to legalize same-sex marriage in England and Wales on 17 July 2013. This happened after months of debate in the British Parliament.

17. Brazil (2013)- In one of the world's fifth-largest countries, Marriage licenses were approved for same-sex couples by the National Council of Justice in Brazil on 14 May 2013. Earlier, only 27 jurisdictions in the country had allowed same-sex marriage.

18. France (2013)- The top court of this country, the Constitutional Council legalized same-sex marriage on 17 May 2013. It also ruled that the bill was constitutional.

19. New Zealand (2013)- The Parliament of this Pacific Island country legalized same-sex marriage on 17 April 2013 and the law took effect five months later in August. It also allows gay and lesbian couples to adopt children.

20. Uruguay (2013)- The lower house of the country's Congress passed legislation and legalized same-sex marriages on 10 April 2013. It is the second Latin American country to do so. Also, gay and lesbian couples got their rights for adoption as well.

21. Denmark (2012) - The country's legislature passed a bill that legalized gay marriage when Queen Margrethe II gave royal approval to it. It is also the first country to allow gay couples in registered partnerships and adopt children.

22. Argentina (2010) - This is the first Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriage in July 2010. But, like other countries, this one too has faced opposition from the Catholic Church and evangelical Protestant churches.

23. Portugal (2010) - It is the eighth nation in the world to legalize same-sex marriage in June 2010. Even though, the measure to legalize it was passed by the Parliament earlier in 2010, the Constitutional Court had to review the measure and it was considered valid constitutionally in April 2010. However, gay and lesbian couples do not have the right to adopt children as per their law.

24. Iceland (2010) - Icelandic Legislature passed a measure legalizing same-sex marriage in June 2010. Also, no member of the nation's legislature had voted against it. Also, the Parliament allows gay and lesbian couples to adopt children.

25. Sweden (2009) - The Parliament of this country legalized same-sex marriage in April 2009. The same year in October the Church also voted to allow its clergy to officiate at same-sex marriage ceremonies.

26. Mexico (2009) - In Some Jurisdictions - The Supreme Court of this country ruled in the favour of same-sex marriage in 2010, however, Mexico City legalized it in December 2009. However, this was not legalized across the country.

27. Norway (2008) - The law was passed by in June 2008 which made the definition of civil marriage gender-neutral. Not only the same-sex couples can marry, but they can also adopt children and undergo artificial insemination.

28. South Africa (2006) - The Parliament legalised same-sex marriage in November 2006. According to the South Africa Civil Union Act, they can adopt as well jointly. However, people from the Zulu community believe that homosexuality is morally not right.

29. Spain (2005)- Same-sex marriage was legalized here on 3 July 2005 and it gave equal rights to gay and lesbian couples and as per the law, gay or lesbian couples can adopt as well. However, Catholic Spanish Bishops and Vatican officials have strongly criticized this law.

30. Canada (2005) - Canadian Parliament approved the law on 20 July 2005. It legalized same-sex marriages in all 13 provinces and territories in Canada.

31. Belgium (2003)- Same-sex marriage is legal in Belgium since 1 June 2003 after King Albert II gave his royal assent and the bill was passed on 28 November 2002 by the Senate and by the Chamber of Representatives on 30 January 2003. In 2006, gay and lesbian couples were given the right to adopt children by the Parliament.

32. The Netherlands (2000) - Same-sex marriage is legal in this country since 1 April 2001. The House of Representatives and the Senate passed the bill for the legalization of same-sex marriage on 19 December 2000.