Argentina
Buenos Aires became the first city in Latin America to grant same sex civil unions. After a long debate, at 6:20 am the bill was approved by 29 votes against 10. Now, gay and lesbian couples have the right to register their relationship in a civil union. Although the union is only valid in Buenos Aires it is an important step towards acceptance of the GLBTT community.
Belgium
November, 2002. The Belgian senate has approved a bill to recognize same-sex marriage. It still has to be approved by lower house by sources says it won't be a problem. Alike the Netherlands that only allows Dutchs (or legal immigrants) and their partners to marry (no matter the sex of the persons), the Belgian government will allow everybody to marry.
Canada
December, 2002. Under the Canadian Chart of Human Rights, discrimination based on sexual orientation is prohibited, thus, excluding gays from marriage is unconstitutional, according to recent rules in Ontario and Quebec. However the federal government has appealed the decision and now is evaluating three possibilities in order to legalize same-sex unions:
Marriage could remain an opposite-sex institution. Gays could use "civil unions"
With the cooperation of the provinces and territories, Parliament could leave marriage to the religions.
Marriage could be changed to also include same-sex couples
Civil Unions would continue to discriminate against gays and lesbians as they would still not be equal to heterosexuals under the law.
Leaving the marriage to the religions would disappoint both pro same sex marriage and the ones against. And many people would use their religion as a shield to ignore gay unions.
Only the third option, would bring full equality to the GLTTB community.
For more official information go to the Department of Justice or Canada's Same-Sex Marriage Website.
Previous: Quebec's Justice ruled that marriage should be extended to gays and lesbians, and gave 2 years to the Federal Government to amend the law. The Government appealed.
July: Ontario's Justice ruled than not granting marriage to gays and lesbians was a violation of the civil rights. The appeal in Ontario was made despite the support of the population and the governments of several provinces including Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba. Important is to say that gay couples already have the same pension rights as straight couples. In most provinces gay and lesbian couples can adopt children together and fill only one income tax declaration. The Metropolitan Community Church and the Anglican Church of British Columbia are marring gay/lesbian couples.
China
China's psychiatric community still considers homosexuality an illness. However, it is not illegal to be gay in China, but police harassment depends on local municipal or provincial policies, many unwritten, as is much of Chinese law.
Columbia
Military gays are now free to reveal their sexual orientation, live on base with a partner, and be affectionate with each other away from work. Presumably civilian gays receive similarly enlightened treatment.
Denmark
In 1989 became the first country in the world to allow same-sex marriages. In 2000, Denmark passed a law that gives homosexuals couples the right to obtain custody of children by a previous heterosexual marriage.
Iceland
Approved registered cohabitation in 1996, which gives gay couples many of the legal rights enjoyed by heterosexual married couples, including adoption.
Finland
The Finnish parliament approved a law granting gay men and lesbians the right to obtain some but not all the rights of married couples.
France
France's new domestic partnership law took effect in October, 2000 which means couples can form Civil Solidarity Pacts in a local court house, and receive similar marriage rights such as inheritance, tax, housing etc. A commitment ceremony could then take place afterwards, with a religious or non religious theme, to date many thousands of couples have registered.
Greenland
Greenland is a self-governing dependency of Denmark. When Denmark became the first country to introduce a partnership law in 1989, Greenland declined to go along with this. In 1994 the parliament changed its mind and requested a royal decree to bring the Danish law into effect. The law became operative in 1996.
Germany
There is gay marriage but doesn't cover adoption yet.
Hungary
Passed a law in 1996 granting gay couples inheritance and pension rights, but law doesn't allow adoptions. Hungary's situation results from a legal case that applied the European Charter, more for political reasons [i.e. fear of not being accepted into the EU] than anything else and ruled in favor of same-sex relationships. The status of gays is probably broader than just pension rights.
Italy
A few cities have taken the symbolic step of creating a register for unmarried couples, but the measures carry no legal weight.
Japan
Japanese psychiatrists have now declared same-sex orientation is not a mental illness.
Netherlands
Exactly the same rights as heterosexual couples. Full marriage since 2001..
Norway
Same sex marriage is legal and called Registered Domestic Partnership since Aug. 1, 1993. It is virtually the same as Sweden and Denmark. It can be used for mental patient commitment. The Norwegian church does not allow church marriages, but it is very influential as it is a State Church, and it supported the passage, though there is a rural backlash which has caused a church schism.
Portugal
March, 2001. Lesbian and gay couples who have lived together for more than two years the same rights as heterosexual couples in common law marriages
Scotland
Scottish parliament passed a gay recognition law, the Adults With Incapacity Bill, from now on, same gender couples have similar rights as heterosexuals, in being consulted about the affairs of a partner if he or she becomes incapacitated.
South Africa
The Pretoria High Court in South Africa ruled Friday that same-sex couples had the same right as opposite-sex couples to adopt children, however recently a petition for same-sex marriage has been denied.
Spain
Gay couples have no official status except in Catalonia, but barring them from adopting children or receiving inheritance benefits.
Sweden
June 7, 2002. Under the law, cohabiting gay couples registered in a legal partnership can apply for the right to adopt children from within the country and abroad. Civil unions are allowed since 1995.
UK
Plans to enable gay and unmarried couples the same right as heterosexual married couples are being drawn up it emerged last night. Under the proposals gay and co-habiting couples will have the same property, pension and 'next-of-kin' rights as married couples enjoy. The civil partnership register, as it is known, was introduced by Lord Lester. Cabinet Office Minister Barbara Roche is understood to have asked civil servants to draw up blueprints for the register which could be ready by the autumn. It is therefore no surprise that Lord Lester's private member's bill that would have legalized partnership unions in Britain has been withdrawn. Lord Lester withdrew it Monday, saying he will not press for passage in this session of Parliament. Instead Lord Lester said he had recommended a select committee to examine the whole issue of partnership unions. The government made it clear from the onset that they did not support Lord Lester's bill, but were keen to write their own legislation. If all goes according to plan, insiders believe that a law introducing civil register partnerships could be announced in the next Queen's Speech.
USA
June 26, 2002. President Bush has signed a bill allowing death benefits to be paid to the domestic partners of firefighters and police officers who die in the line of duty, permanently extending a federal death benefit to same-sex couples for the first time. Gay marriage is only legal in Vermont. |
