Countries that legalised gay marriage in 2017
Same-sex marriage represents a critical milestone in the LGBTQ+ rights movement, allowing couples of the similar sex to legally marry and obtain the same marital benefits as heterosexual couples. The journey towards legalization has been varied across the globe, influenced by cultural, religious, and political factors. In some regions, the push for marriage equality has gained significant traction and achieved legal recognition, often after prolonged public and legal battles.
While complete marriage equality is celebrated in many places, an alternative approach through civil unions or household partnerships persists in others. These frameworks typically grant a subset of rights that marriage suggestions, focusing on aspects like property rights or hospital visitation. However, they often fall short in areas such as inheritance, pension rights, and parental responsibilities, highlighting a gap in the legal recognition of relationships.
The acceptance and implementation of same-sex marriage have brought substantial legal benefits, including inheritance rights, tax reductions, and enhanced health insurance options, which are central for the security and well-being of families. This progr
Here are the countries where same-sex marriage is officially legal
June 26 marks the fifth anniversary of gay marriage being legalized across the entire Joined States.
To commemorate this milestone in LGBTQ history, we are taking a peek at countries around the world that have officially legalized same-sex marriage. Nearly 30 out of 195 countries have passed laws allowing gay marriage, according to the Pew Explore Center.
Below is a timeline for the countries where same-sex marriage is officially legal. The year marks when the law was first enacted in that country.
2000: The Netherlands
The territory became the first in the world to legalize same-sex marriage. The tracking year, four couples married in the world’s first same-sex wedding in 2001. [Associated Press]
2003: Belgium
Three years after the new rule was enacted, the country’s parliament granted same-sex couples the right to adopt in 2006. [Pew Explore Center]
2005: Canada
The nation's traditional definition of civil marriage was changed to involve the union between homosexual couples. [Pew Research Center]
2005: Spain
The new law gave same-sex couples all of the same marital and adoption righ
Marriage Equality Around the World
The Human Rights Campaign tracks developments in the legal recognition of same-sex marriage around the world. Working through a worldwide network of HRC global alumni and partners, we lift up the voices of community, national and regional advocates and share tools, resources, and lessons learned to allow movements for marriage equality.
Current State of Marriage Equality
There are currently 38 countries where same-sex marriage is legal: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Uruguay.
These countries have legalized marriage equality through both legislation and court decisions.
Countries that Legalized Marriage Equality in 2025
Liechtenstein: On May 16, 2024, Liechtenstein's government passed a bill in favor of marriage equality. The law went into effect January 1, 2025.
The 32 countries around the world where same-sex marriage is legal
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- There are currently 32 countries that authorize same-sex couples to marry.
- The latest country to go by legislation was Slovenia, which did so on October 4, 2022.
- Most countries possess legalized same-sex marriage via legislation, but some were through court decisions.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
People fighting for lgbtq+ marriage rights around the world have seen global support increase in recent years. Australia, Malta, and Germany legalized same-sex marriage in 2017, and Taiwan made history in 2019, becoming the first government in Asia to welcome legislation on marriage equality.
Slovenia became the first post-communist country to legalize it on October 4, 2022, after the Constitutional Court of Slovenia overturned a prior ban on gay marriages in July, arguing that it violated the country's constitution. The court gave the Slovenian government six
The 26 Countries That Have Legalized Gay Marriage — And Photos of the Celebrations
This makes Australia the 26th nation in the planet that allows lgbtq+ couples to wed, according to Pew Research Center.
The Netherlands was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage in December 2000.
The 2015 Supreme Court ruling on Obergefell v. Hodges made same-sex marriage legal in the U.S. after a sweeping change in public opinion on the issue. As of 2001, 57% of Americans opposed same-sex marriage. But the tides own turned in a big way: Today, 62% support it, according to Pew Research.
However, the Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a case that considers the legal bond between gay rights and religious liberty. The justices are divided over whether a baker discriminated against a homosexual couple when he refused to produce their wedding cake in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission.
The ruling could acquire wide-ranging implications for anti-discrimination laws, for the LGBT society and other minorities in the U.S.
Couples in Australia have to present 28 days’ observe before marrying, so the first queer ceremonies won’t seize place until