In the late
1990s and early
2000s, opposing efforts to legalize or ban same-sex civil marriage made it a topic of debate all over the world. At present, same-sex marriages are recognized in
Belgium,
Canada, the
Netherlands,
Spain and the
U.S. state of
Massachusetts (for same-sex marriages performed within that state under its laws).
Civil unions,
domestic partnerships or
registered partnership offer varying amounts of the benefits of marriage, which are available in:
Andorra,
Argentina,
Brazil,
Croatia,
Czech Republic,
Denmark,
Finland,
France,
Germany,
Iceland,
Israel,
Luxembourg,
Mexico,
New Zealand,
Norway,
Portugal,
Slovenia,
Sweden,
Switzerland, Scotland, and the
United Kingdom;
Tasmania, and the
U.S. states of
California,
Connecticut,
Hawaii,
Maine,
New Jersey, and
Vermont; and the U.S.
District of Columbia (Washington, DC).
The first same-sex union in modern history with government recognition was obtained in Denmark in 1989 (although historian
John Boswell argues numerous same-sex unions existed in pre-modern Europe; however, his scholarship standards are subject to intense debate).
[1] Scandinavian
registered partnership is nearly equal to marriage, including legal adoption rights in Sweden, and since June, also in Iceland. However these partnerships are written separately from marriage in the existing laws, and are thus not called marriage except in daily speech.