The Freedom to Marry Internationally
"The exclusion of same-sex couples from the benefits and responsibilities of marriage was not a small and tangential inconvenience resulting from a few surviving relics of societal prejudice destined to evaporate like the morning dew. It represented a harsh if oblique statement by the law that same-sex couples are outsiders, and that their need for affirmation and protection of their intimate relations as human beings is somehow less than that of heterosexual couples. It signifies that their capacity for love, commitment and accepting responsibility is by definition less worthy of regard than that of heterosexual couples. The intangible damage to same-sex couples is as severe as the material deprivation. They are not entitled to celebrate their commitment to each other in a joyous public event recognised by the law. They are obliged to live in a state of legal blankness in which their unions remain unmarked by the showering of presents and the commemoration of anniversaries so celebrated in our culture."
— South Africa Constitution Court Ruling for the freedom to marry, 12/1/2005
Use the key resources below to learn more about the advancement of the freedom to marry throughout the world.
FROM EVAN WOLFSON:
Marriage equality, justice in immigration go together
Gay people—both citizens and non-citizens—have a direct stake in both immigration fairness and ending anti-gay discrimination.
INTERVIEW: A 20/20 vision for marriage equality in Wisconsin
Quest interviews Evan Wolfson, discussing why marriage matters and the fight for marriage equality — its beginning, history, recent triumphs, and the future challenges/obtacles ahead. Wolfson talks about what we must do now in order to move forward and follow the lead of recent countries (Spain, Canada) who have joined Belgium and the Netherlands in legalizing marriage. He also talks about the shift in public opinion and how time is on the side of fairness and equality.
ANALYSIS: How will same-sex couples legally married in Massachusetts, Canada, or elsewhere be treated?
Past battles over marriage and divorce show a pattern. For a period of time, there will be a patchwork of law and responses...
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WHERE YOU CAN GO TO GET INVOLVED OR LEARN MORE:
Immigration Equality
Immigration Equality is a national organization that works to end discrimination in U.S. immigration law, to reduce the negative impact of that law on the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and HIV-positive people, and to help obtain asylum for those persecuted in their home country based on their sexual orientation, transgender identity or HIV-status.
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
The mission of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights
Commission (IGLHRC) is to secure the full enjoyment of the human
rights of all people and communities subject to discrimination or
abuse on the basis of sexual orientation or expression, gender
identity or expression, and/or HIV status. A US-based non-profit,
non-governmental organization (NGO), IGLHRC effects this mission
through advocacy, documentation, coalition building, public education,
and technical assistance.
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THE NUMBERS: POLLING & STATISTICS:
Swedes support full marriage equality
Seventy-one percent of Swedes favor moving beyond the nation's 14-year-old registered-partnership law and granting gay couples access to full marriage, a new poll has found.
Record numbers of Australians in favor of marriage equality
A report by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission
(HREOC), launched on June 22, recommends that laws discriminating
against gay people be removed. The report comes at a time when record
numbers of Australians are in favor of granting gay and lesbian
couples the protections and responsibilities of marriage.
Majority in Israel support gay couple rights
The survey, by the German-based Friedrich Naumann Foundation, asked
adult Israelis whether gay and lesbian couples should be afforded
pension and survivorship rights. Fifty-sex percent said it is either
good or necessary. Thirty-sex percent of those polled said it was "not
good" with 9 percent unsure.
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LEGISLATIVE STATUS ABROAD
International progress toward the freedom to marry
Where do other nations stand on achieving the freedom to marry?
Timeline Of Gay and Lesbian Marriage, Partnership or Unions Worldwide
UK Gay News compiles a timeline outlining legislation worldwide that
has affected the marriage equality movement and its victories in the
last two and a half decades. Continuously updated.
International Research Project on same-sex unions in Europe
The International Research Project on same-sex unions in Europe is a
resource on European partnership laws.
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PUBLICATIONS:
South Africa Constitution Court Ruling for the freedom to marry
South Africa's Marriage/Civil Union Bill
As presented by the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs (National Assembly
November 2006
GAY MARRIAGE: For Better or for Worse? What We've Learned From the Evidence
This book looks to Scandinavia where gay and lesbian couples have enjoyed the rights and benefits of marriage since 1989.
Civil Marriage Act, Statutes of Canada 2005, chapter 33
Read Canada's marriage law (Final version).
Spain's Prime Minister Zapatero defends equality and freedom for all
Complete text of the speech of the Prime Minister of the Government, José Luis Rodrguez Zapatero, to Parliament in defense of the reform of the Civil Code which will permit matrimony between persons of the same sex.
To Have and To Hold — Or Not: The Influence of the Christian Right on Gay Marriage Laws in the Netherlands, Canada, and the United States
This study compares the status of marriage laws in the Netherlands, the first country to grant gay people marriage rights, Canada, which federally recognized gay and lesbian couples' marriages just weeks after this article was published, and the United States, where one state recognizes marriage but numerous state and federal initiatives are still underway to ban recognition of same-sex couples' marriages.
Will Providing Marriage Rights to Same-Sex Couples Undermine
Heterosexual Marriage? Evidence from Scandinavia and the Netherlands
Since the November 2003 court ruling allowing same-sex couples to
marry in Massachusetts, a new debate on expanding the right to marry
has exploded across the United States. While the debate involves many
issues, one particularly controversial question is whether
heterosexual people would change their marriage behavior if same-sex
couples were given the same marital rights and obligations. The report
finds that overall, there is no evidence that giving partnership
rights to same-sex couples had any impact on heterosexual marriage in
Scandinavian countries and the Netherlands.
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NEWS:
Without anti-discrimination laws in place, same-sex couples will continue to be subjected to the arbitrary policies of individual employers
Goldman Sachs' chief operating officer for Asia (ex-Japan), Matt Fremont-Smith, said domestic partners of the same or opposite sex were entitled to benefits including medical insurance and leave policies such as family leave, domestic partnership leave (equivalent to marriage leave) and bereavement leave. "There is a clear business case for it," he said. "To be the best firm, we must have the best people and the best people are drawn from the broadest pool of applicants. The more diverse our people, the more diverse their ideas and perspectives, the more creative our solutions."
Uruguay holds Latin America's first wedding for a same-sex couple
Uruguay on Thursday became the first nation in Latin America to marry a gay couple, after a law allowing couples living together to formalize their union went into effect at the start of the year.
A Win For European Couples
The European Court of Justice, which rules on questions arising under European Union law, has held that the surviving partner of a German registered same-sex partnership may be able to claim a pension under the benefits plan maintained by that nation's theatrical industry union. The ruling has the potential of opening up claims for a broad range of benefits and rights for same-sex couples in legally recognized domestic partnerships in European nations that don't have full marriage equality.
Court Rules on Marriage Rights
EU nations that recognize same-sex unions as legal marriages must grant surviving partners the same pension rights as given to those in traditional marriages, the EU Court of Justice ruled Tuesday.
Pension victory for same-sex partners at European court
Gay and lesbian activists today welcomed a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg on the rights of same-sex partners to 'survivor pensions.' The court ruled that a German gay man is entitled to a payment from the pension of his dead partner.
Norway to end exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage
The Norwegian government put forth a long-expected bill to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage on Friday, clearing the way for same-sex couples to secure the same marriage rights as heterosexuals.
Huge Irish majority come out for marriage equality
A TV3 poll has found that 72% of viewers back the Irish government's proposal to introduce legal recognition for gay and lesbian couples…Last month lesbian and gay rights activists in Ireland came together to form a pressure group to push for full marriage equality in the country.
Gay-friendliness is not only about values
Israeli psychology professor Carlo Strenger writes that gay equality is more than an issue of morality and advocates for the economic importance of tolerance; cites research-specific examples.
Love In The Air From Bondi to Bangkok to Beijing
Twenty gay and lesbian advocates in Beijing celebrated Valentine's Day by handing out roses to promote awareness about gay issues, including marriage equality.
Israel Grants Full Adoption for Gay Couples
Gay and lesbian couples in Israel will be allowed the same adoption rights as heterosexual couples, the Israeli government announced Tuesday.
ACT wants resolution to gay stand-off
The ACT government has told a gay-rights rally it expects a disagreement with the commonwealth over its plan to allow same-sex civil unions to be resolved by the end of March, but neither side are giving any ground. The ACT also used the rally to announce plans to give gay couples equal access to parental leave.
Spain takes big changes in stride
These days, a civics course in Spain's public schools teaches that modern families can be quite different — single parents with kids, or same-sex couples raising adopted children. This and a host of other social reforms have given traditionally Catholic Spain a striking new look. And while the clergy is fighting the changes, the general public seems to be taking them in its stride.
Spaniards Overwhelmingly Approve Of Marriage Equality
With just over a month before Spain goes to the polls the Socialist government's same-sex marriage law is causing barely a ripple in the campaign. A public opinion poll released this month by Instituto Opina shows that nearly 75 percent of those questioned said they are fine with the law and it should not be repealed. Only 18 percent favor abolishing the law.
Widespread Support For Marriage Equality In Sweden
As the Swedish government prepares to take up legislation that would end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage a new poll shows the idea has the support of 70-percent of the electorate.
European Court: Gays Have Right To Adopt
In a ruling that could have far-reaching consequences the European Court of Human Rights said Tuesday that the exclusion of individuals to adopt children simply because of their sexual orientation is discriminatory and in breach of the European Convention of Human Rights.
Marriage equality is ‘coming closer’ in Israel
In what is being heralded as a “first step towards civil marriage” in Israel, same-sex and mixed-faith couples are being offered partnership cards.
Ireland moves toward marriage equality
Green Party justice spokesman Ciarán Cuffe said the Government
proposal would give cohabiting gay and lesbian couples, who register
their relationship with a new agency, the same rights under the law as
heterosexual couples. "This is a major step forward in Irish equality
legislation," he said.
Colombia court OKs health benefits for gay couples
Gay couples in Colombia won the same social security rights as their
straight counterparts in a court ruling called a major advance for gay
people in this conservative Roman Catholic country.
Sweden moving towards the freedom to marry for gay couples
Sweden's three opposition parties, the Social Democrats, the Greens
and the Left Party have put forward a motion in the Swedish Parliament
to allow gay couples to legally marry. There is wide support in the
parliament for the move, with the only party against the plans the
Christian Democrats.
Lesbian pol in Japan gets hitched
Kanako Otsuji, 32, Japan's first openly lesbian politician tied the
knot Sunday with her partner of four years, Maki Kimura, 32. After the
wedding, Ms. Otsuji told GayJapanNews: "Gays and lesbians are hiding
themselves in society to protect themselves. I want people to know
that gays and lesbians exist in society by looking at us (Kanako and
Maki).
China holds first Freedom to Marry Day protest
On Valentine's Day, Beijing's gay population protested for marriage
equality. This was the Freedom to Marry Day event in China. In
addition, many by-standers supported the protesters. "I think it's
only fair; it's everybody's right to get married," Liu Peng, one of
the crowd who watched the protest, told the Advocate. "I support them.
I think it's great."
In South Africa, new law needs to be bolstered with education
Legalization had been expected to bring more gays out of the closet to
lead normal lives, knowing they would have the same benefits as their
non-gay brothers and sisters. However, some now fear being victimized
by those who feel betrayed by the African National Congress-dominated
government.
COMMENTARY: Spanish lessons
How did Spain, a country with a long Catholic tradition, manage to
implement marriage equality? A year after same-sex unions became
legal, an on-the-ground analysis of how it happened—and what Americans
can learn.
Taiwan Pride punctuated with desire for marriage equality
Thousands of gays, lesbians, and transsexuals marched through the
streets of Taipei, showing their pride and calling for marriage and
civil rights protections. President Chen Shui-bian has asked
Parliament to draft a Human Rights Basic Law which legalizes gay
marriage.
Gay couples gain right of movement throughout Europe
A sweeping reform of residency requirements throughout the European
Union went into effect on Tuesday including the right of gay and
lesbian couples to live anywhere in the EU and to have their
relationships "facilitated" even in countries which do not have
partner laws.
Canadian Senate makes it official: Marriage equality nationwide
The Canadian Senate followed the House of Commons with a vote for
marriage, making Canada the fourth country in the world to end gay
couples' exclusion from marriage nationwide. While thousands of
same-sex couples have already married in the past two years in parts
of Canada, parliament's historic vote means an end to marriage
discrimination throughout the country, proves to people worldwide that
everyone benefits when gay couples are treated equally, and puts
Canada leagues ahead of its neighbor to the south.
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MULTIMEDIA:
What Canadians think about same-sex marriage debate
A young Canadian filmmaker hit the local college in Edmonton to find out what people thought about the conservative government bringing the marriage debate back into the house of commons.
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The mission of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) is to secure the full enjoyment of the human rights of all people and communities subject to discrimination or abuse on the basis of sexual orientation or expression, gender identity or expression, and/or HIV status. A US-based non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO), IGLHRC effects this mission through advocacy, documentation, coalition building, public education, and technical assistance.
Complete text of the speech of the Prime Minister of the Government, José Luis Rodrguez Zapatero, to Parliament in defense of the reform of the Civil Code which will permit matrimony between persons of the same sex.
Since the November 2003 court ruling allowing same-sex couples to marry in Massachusetts, a new debate on expanding the right to marry has exploded across the United States. While the debate involves many issues, one particularly controversial question is whether heterosexual people would change their marriage behavior if same-sex couples were given the same marital rights and obligations. The report finds that overall, there is no evidence that giving partnership rights to same-sex couples had any impact on heterosexual marriage in Scandinavian countries and the Netherlands.
