Timeline of same-sex marriage

This page contains a timeline of significant events regarding same-sex marriage and legal recognition of same-sex couples worldwide in modern history, followed by a timeline of notable same-sex marriages and unions. Events concerning same-sex marriages becoming legal are listed in bold.

Significant events regarding recognition of same-sex couples

2012

• February 16: The New Jersey Assembly passed legislation 41-33 legalizing same-sex marriage on Thursday, sending the measure to Republican Gov. Chris Christie, who has promised a veto.
• February 14: The New Jersey Senate passed a bill that would allow gay and lesbian couples to marry. The Senate voted 24-16 in favor of the measure, sending it to the Assembly, which plans to consider it Feb. 16.
• February 13: Washington Governor Chris Gregoire signs a same-sex marriage bill into law, making Washington the seventh state plus the District of Columbia to legalize same-sex marriage in the U.S. It takes effect on June 7 unless enough signatures are gathered to require a state-wide referendum on the November ballot.
• February 7: A three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rules 2–1 that the ban on same-sex marriage in California is unconstitutional.
• January 6: The Court of Justice of the Brazilian state of Alagoas requires public notaries to accept same-sex marriage without the need to enter on justice, the first state in the country to grant such broad rights to gay couples.
• January 1: Civil unions became available to same-sex couples in Delaware and Hawaii.

2011

• November 30: Queensland, Australia passes civil partnerships.
• November 28: Quintana Roo, Mexico's first same-sex marriages were held in the community of Kantunilkin because the state's civil code does not state sex or gender requirements for marriage.
• October 25: Brazil's Supreme Court of Justice rules that two women can legally be married.
• October 21: Danish government announces plans to legalize same-sex marriage as of spring 2012.
• September 1: Liechtenstein’s registered partnership law takes effect.
• August 9: Chilean President Sebastián Piñera introduces a civil union bill.
• August 1: Same-sex marriage is in effect legalized by the Suquamish tribe in Washington for tribe members.
• July 26: The Colombian Constitutional Court orders Colombian Congress to legislate in order to give full-marriage rights to same-sex couples. Four bills were announced: two of them explicitly use the word "marriage", the others use "civil union with full rights". The court also established that same-sex couples in long term relationships are legally a family, and have to be protected.
• July 24: Same-sex marriage becomes legal in New York state.
• July 13: The States of Jersey passed the Civil Partnership Bill 2011 by a unanimous vote of 33–0, it is now awaiting royal assent.
• July 1: Rhode Island civil union law became effective, Independent Governor Lincoln Chafee signed the bill into law on July 2, 2011 but the law was made retroactive from July 1, 2011. It priorly was approved 21-16 by the state Senate on June 29[2] and by the Assembly in a 62-11 vote on May 20[3].
• June 24: New York state passes same-sex marriage 33–29 in the State Senate after being approved earlier on June 5 by the Assembly in a 80-63 vote. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law two hours later and it became effective 30 days later.
• June 19 : The registered partnership law was approved in Liechtenstein by 68.8 percent of voters and will go into effect on September 1, 2011.
• June 14 : French parliament rejects same-sex marriage bill presented by the opposition Socialist Party by 293 votes to 222.
• June 1 : Illinois civil unions law take effect.
• May 12: Gov. Jack Markell signed Delaware's civil unions bill into law, which will take effect on January 1, 2012.
• May 5: The Brazilian Supreme Court approved civil unions for same-sex couples in Brazil unanimously — ten votes in favour, one abstention and no votes against this decision. Brazil has the largest Catholic population in the world.
• April 06: Isle of Man civil partnership takes effect.
• March 30: Washington state now recognizes out-of-state same-sex marriages as domestic partnerships[4].
• March 24: The Colorado State Senate passes a bill legalizing civil unions by a vote of 23–12[5]. The bill died in the Committee stage in the lower house by a vote of 5–6[6][7].
• March 16: Parliament in Liechtenstein unanimously passed the bill legalizing registered partnerships by a vote of 24–0. It will take effect on September 1, 2011.
• March 15: The Isle of Man introduces civil partnership. The bill for legalization was signed into law. It will take effect on April 6, 2011.
• February 25: Maryland State Senate passed legislation to allow same-sex marriage. A vote in the House was postponed until 2012.
• February 23: Hawaii Governor signs a bill legalizing civil unions, which will take effect on January 1, 2012.
• February 23: Obama administration drops defence of DOMA.
• February 7: First same-sex civil partnership under Irish Law takes place in Dublin.
• January 31: Illinois Governor signs civil union law. The law will take effect on June 1, 2011.
• January 10: The top court of the province of Saskatchewan in Canada rules that marriage commissioners cannot refuse to wed same-sex couples on religious grounds.
• January 1: The Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act, 2010 takes effect in Ireland. In addition certain foreign same sex relationships are recognized as civil partnerships in Ireland since January 13.

2010

• December 23: The Commencement Order bringing into law the Civil Partnership Act, 2010 is signed by the Irish Minister for Justice.
• December 14: A student lesbian couple wed in Hanoi, Vietnam.
• November 30: The Illinois House of Representatives votes 61–52 to approve civil unions in the state.
• August 16: The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation of Mexico, in a 9–2 ruling, upholds a Mexico City law permitting same-sex couples entering into marriages to adopt children.
• August 12: United States federal district judge Vaughn Walker denies a motion to stay his ruling in Perry v. Schwarzenegger pending appeal, however, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit eventually continues the judge's stay.
• August 10: The Supreme Court of Justice of Costa Rica issues a 5–2 ruling to halt a planned referendum on same-sex civil unions which had originally been scheduled for December 5.
• August 10: A district judge in the state of New Mexico rules that a lesbian couple that was issued a marriage license by Sandoval County Clerk Victoria Dunlap on February 20, 2004 and later married may seek a divorce under state law.
• August 10: The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation of Mexico votes 9–2 to mandate that all 31 states in the nation of Mexico are required to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions, namely Mexico City.
• August 5: The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation, the highest federal court in Mexico, votes 8–2 to uphold the constitutionality of Mexico City's same-sex marriage law.
• August 4: U.S. District Court of Northern California declares that Proposition 8, a 2008 California-electorate ban on same-sex marriage, violates due process and equal protection clauses in the U.S. Constitution. Supporters of the proposition are likely to appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
• July 21: The President of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner signs the same-sex marriage bill into law.
• July 19: The President of Ireland signs the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill into law. The law will take effect on 1 Jan 2011.
• July 15: The Argentine Senate passes by 33–27 the same-sex marriage bill, previously approved by the Chamber of Deputies in May. The bill now goes to the President for final approval.
• July 8: The Irish "Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009" was passed by the Seanad by 48 to 4 votes.
• July 1: The Relationships Register Bill 2010 in New South Wales, Australia takes effect.
• July 1: The renamed Irish "Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009" passes Report and Final Stages in the Dáil.
• June 27: Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, Icelandic prime-minister, became the world's first head of government to enter a same-sex marriage.
• June 27: Same-sex marriage law in Iceland took effect.
• June 11: The Icelandic Althing unanimously passed a law by a vote of 49-0 legalizing same-sex marriage.
• June 5: Same-sex marriage law becomes effective in Portugal, five days after being published in the official journal Diário da Republica.
• May 27: The Irish Civil Partnership Bill passes the Committee Stage in the Dáil and moves on to the Report Stage.
• May 19: The Relationships Register Bill 2010 in Australia received Royal Assent. The law will take effect on 1 July, 2010.
• May 17: President Aníbal Cavaco Silva ratifies same-sex marriage legislation in Portugal, making it the sixth country in Europe, and eighth country overall, to allow same-sex marriages.
• May 12: The Relationships Register Bill 2010 is approved by the NSW Legislative Council (upper house)
• May 11: The Relationships Register Bill 2010 is approved by the NSW Legislative Assembly
• May 5: The Argentine lower chamber approves a same-sex marriage bill by 125–109.
• April 8: Portugal's Constitutional Court rules that the same-sex marriage bill passed by the legislature is not unconstitutional.
• March 4: Same-sex marriage law becomes effective in Mexico City.
• March 3: Same-sex marriage law becomes effective in the District of Columbia.
• March 2: Slovenia's lower house passes same-sex marriage law in the "first reading" by 46–38.
• February 11: The Portuguese Assembly of the Republic passes same-sex marriage law in the "second reading". It still has to be signed by the President, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, who is waiting on the Constitutional Court's ruling on the constitutionality of the bill.
• January 27: Dáil Éireann, the Lower House of the Irish Parliament, passes the Second Stage of the Civil Partnership Bill, 2009.
• January 8: Portugal's Assembly of the Republic passes same-sex marriage law in the "first reading" by 125–99.
• January 1: Same-sex marriage law became effective in New Hampshire and registered partnership law became effective in Austria.

2009

• December 29: Mexico City's Head of Government ("Mayor") Marcelo Ebrard signs same-sex marriage bill into law.
• December 28: The first same-sex marriage in Argentina and Latin America is conducted in Ushuaia, province of Tierra del Fuego. The same couple that was allowed -and later denied- to marry in Buenos Aires is successfully issued a marriage license after Governor Fabiana Ríos's intervention.
• December 21: Mexico City's Legislative Assembly legalizes same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples. The law was passed by 39–20. Civil unions had been available since 2007, but full marriage was not yet recognized.
• December 18: The District of Columbia legalizes same-sex marriage when Mayor Adrian Fenty signed the same-sex marriage bill approved by the DC Council into law. This made DC the eighth jurisdiction in the United States to legalize same-sex marriage. In order to take effect the law needs to survive a 30 day review period of Congress.
• December 15: The District of Columbia passes the same sex marriage performance law in the "second reading" by 11–2. The bill is sent to Mayor Adrian Fenty to be signed.
• December 3: Washington state "all-but-marriage" law becomes effective after 54 percent approval by voters in that state on November 3.
• December 2: The New York State Senate rejects same-sex marriage legislation by a vote of 24 to 38.
• December 1: The District of Columbia passes the same sex marriage performance law in the "first reading" by 11–2. There is one more reading to go yet.
• November 30: A national judge in Argentina blocks the marriage authorized by a previous ruling in Buenos Aires, creating a judiciary conflict. The wedding -originally supposed to be held the following day, on December 1- is suspended until further notice.
• November 13: A court in Buenos Aires, Argentina rules that a gay couple should be issued a marriage license. The mayor of the city does not appeal the sentence and the first same-sex marriage in Latin America is expected to be conducted in the following days.
• November 3: Ballot measure in Maine overturns same-sex marriage while Ballot measure in Washington upholds "everything-but-marriage".
• October 22: Swedish Lutheran Church approves same sex marriage to commence on November 1.
• October 1: Domestic partnership law become effective in Nevada.
• September 28: Oregon fixed up the domestic partnership legislation to include surnames.
• September 1: Same-sex marriage became legal in Vermont.
• August 21: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America approves blessing of same-sex relationships.
• August 12: First civil union in Ecuador is performed.
• August 3: Domestic partnerships (that provide a limited amount of legal rights to same-sex couples) became legal in Wisconsin.
• July 6: The District of Columbia recognizes same-sex marriage, but cannot be performed in DC itself, the same as with New York.
• July 1: Registered partnerships become legal in Hungary. Australia recognizes unregistered cohabitation. Colorado recognizes designated beneficiary agreements. (similar to the U.S. state of Hawaii).
• June 3: New Hampshire legalizes same-sex marriage.
• May 31: Nevada approves domestic partnerships by an overwhelming majority after an override of the Governors veto (the Nevada domestic partnership law is modeled on the California and Oregon models).
• May 26: California Supreme Court upholds Proposition 8, constitutionally defining marriage between a man and a woman, but rules that previously officiated same-sex marriages shall remain valid.
• May 18: Washington state Governor Chris Gregoire signs the "everything-but-marriage" bill into law, but may face a challenge with Referendum 71 being filed.
• May 6: Maine legalizes same-sex marriage.
• May 1: Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Sweden.
• April 27: Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Iowa following the Iowa Supreme Court decision.
• April 20: Hungarian Parliament approves registered partnership bill.
• April 16: Gov. David A. Paterson unveils same-sex marriage bill for New York.
• April 7: Vermont legalizes same-sex marriage.
• April 3: Iowa legalizes same-sex marriage after its Supreme Court unanimously struck down a provision limiting marriage to one man and one woman.
• April 1: Sweden legalizes same-sex marriage.
• March 27: Japan approves its nationals to marry same-sex foreign partners in countries where same-sex marriage is legal.
• January 28: The Constitutional Court of Colombia ruled that same-sex couples are entitled to the same rights as opposite-sex couples in common-law marriages. The ruling means that civil and political rights such as nationality, residency, housing protection, and state benefits are now granted to same-sex partners.
• January 1: Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Norway.

2008

• November 19: Supreme Court of Nepal orders the government to legalize same-sex marriage.
• November 12: Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Connecticut.
• November 4: Measures pass amending the constitutions of Arizona, California, and Florida to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. California's legalization of same-sex marriage is overturned.
• October 10: Supreme Court of Connecticut legalizes same-sex marriage.
• September 28: Ecuador's new Constitution is approved by 63.9% of voters, legalizing civil unions for same-sex couples.
• August 19: Argentina approves the first nation-wide gay rights measure, extending to same-sex couples the right to claim their deceased partners' pensions.
• July 1: Maryland domestic partnership laws become effective.
• June 16: Same-sex marriage becomes legal in California.
• June 11: Norway legalizes same-sex marriage. Civil unions and domestic partnerships had been available in Norway since 1993, but full marriage was not yet recognized.
• May 22: Maryland governor Martin O'Malley signs into law two bills establishing limited domestic partnership rights in that state.
• May 15: Supreme Court of California legalizes same-sex marriage in the landmark In re Marriage Cases ruling.
• February 1: Domestic partnership in Oregon take effect after court rescinds injunction.
• January 1: Civil unions in New Hampshire take effect.
• January 1: Civil unions in Uruguay take effect.

2007

• On November 29, the first foreign same-sex wedding is held in Hanoi, Vietnam between a Japanese and an Irish national. The wedding raises much attention in the gay and lesbian community in Vietnam.
• September 18: Maryland Court of Appeals upholds state law banning same-sex marriage, overturning a lower court ruling.
• August 30: Iowa's Defense of Marriage Act was struck down as unconstitutional as a result of a legal challenge. The state has announced plans to appeal, but couples began applying for marriage licenses immediately in anticipation of an injunction. About 20 couples obtained marriage licenses and one couple married before the judge issued a stay of his ruling pending appeal.
• June 23: In Colombia A landmark gay rights bill was derailed at the last minute by a bloc of conservative senators, but supporters vowed to revive the legislation. The bill, which had been endorsed by conservative President Álvaro Uribe, would have made Colombia the first nation in Latin America to grant same-sex couples in long-term relationships the same rights to health insurance, inheritance and social security as heterosexual couples. Although states and cities have passed laws allowing same-sex couples to share assets, no other country in the overwhelmingly Roman Catholic region has done so at a national level. Colombia's Constitutional Court recognized similar rights to shared property and inheritance in February, but the decision did not mention health insurance or social security.
• June 14: The two houses of the Massachusetts legislature, sitting together as a Constitutional Convention, defeat a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in a vote of 154 against and 46 in favor. 50 votes in favor would have been required for the amendment to go on the ballot for a popular vote in the 2008 elections.
• May 31: The state of New Hampshire legalizes civil unions, to take effect on January 1, 2008.
• May 9: The state of Oregon legalizes domestic partnerships. The law will go into effect on January 1, 2008 (but was delayed 48 hours prior to coming into effect, then after a court case in February it was allowed to come into effect from February 1, 2008).
• April 21: The state of Washington legalizes domestic partnerships. The law went into effect on July 22, 2007.
• January 12: The Mexican state of Coahuila legalizes civil unions. It is the first state to do so in Mexico and the second entity (after the government of Federal District, which rules Mexico City). However, the law took effect in Coahuila first.
• January 1: In Switzerland a registered partnership law takes effect.

2006

• December 7: Canada's Members of Parliament rejected Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s motion to re-open the equal marriage debate. The motion was defeated 175–123, and every political party had more MPs supporting same-sex marriage than in the previous vote. The prime minister declared the issue "settled".
• November 30: South Africa legalizes same-sex marriage as the Civil Union Act is published and comes into force. The act provides for the "voluntary union of two persons [...] which is solemnised and registered by way of either a marriage or a civil partnership". The bill was passed by the National Assembly by 299 votes to 41 on November 14, and by the National Council of Provinces by 36 votes to 11 on November 28. It was signed by Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, acting for President Thabo Mbeki, on November 29. The first marriage takes place on December 1.
• November 21: Israel's supreme court rules that same-sex marriages performed abroad will be formally registered by the Israeli Interior Ministry. This ruling makes equal the status of same-sex couples and other Israeli couples who cannot be married by the formal religious institutions in Israel (e.g. couples from different religions).
• November 9: The Legislative Assembly of Mexico City passes a civil union law that recognizes same sex couples for the first time in Mexico.
• November 7: In the U.S. elections, Arizona rejects an initiative banning same-sex marriage. The first state in the country to do so. However, seven other states pass marriage amendments.
• October 25: New Jersey Supreme Court unanimously rules in favor of marriage equality; 4–3 say decision whether to rewrite marriage law or write civil union law for homosexuals (separate but equal debate) is left to the legislature in the next six months. The three dissenting justices dissented because they believed same-sex couples should have the full right to marry.
• September 12: The Minister of Home Affairs, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, introduces the Civil Union Bill in the National Assembly of South Africa, in response to the Constitutional Court's ruling from the previous year.
• July 26: Washington State Supreme Court issues its decision upholding state DOMA laws
• July 23: Slovenia's same-sex registered partnership law made effective.
• July 14: The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit overturns Judge Joseph F. Bataillon's 2005 decision in Citizens for Equal Protection v. Bruning, and rules that "laws limiting the state-recognized institution of marriage to heterosexual couples ... do not violate the Constitution of the United States."
• July 6: New York State Court of Appeals rules that the NYS Constitution does not mandate recognition of same sex marriage.
• June 20: The law allowing adoption by same-sex couples is published in the Belgian Official Journal.
• May 18: King Albert II of Belgium signs the bill allowing adoption by same-sex couples into law.
• April 20: Belgium: The Senate approves legislation allowing adoption by same-sex couples with 34 votes in favour versus 33 against with 2 abstentions. The bill has now passed both Chambers and is sent to the King for promulgation on May 4.
• March 15: The Czech Republic passes a registered partnership law, takes effect July 1.

2005

• Uganda and Latvia amend their constitutions to ban same-sex marriage.
• December 19: The first civil partnership ceremony in Northern Ireland takes place. Two days later the first ceremonies are held in England and Wales.
• December 5: The United Kingdom's legalization of civil partnerships comes into force.
• December 1: Belgium: The Chamber of Representatives approves legislation allowing adoption by same-sex couples with 77 votes in favor versus 62 against with 7 abstentions. The bill is sent to the Senate, which decides to review it on December 14.
• December 1: In the case of Minister of Home Affairs v Fourie, the Constitutional Court of South Africa unanimously finds the restriction of marriage to opposite-sex couples to be unconstitutional, giving Parliament one year to introduce same-sex marriage.
• November 8: United States: Texas becomes the 18th state to write a ban on same-sex marriage into its constitution, defining marriage as "the union of one man and one woman" and prohibiting the state from "creating or recognizing any legal status identical or similar to marriage", when voters approved the amendment in the November elections.
• July 19: Canada: the Civil Marriage Act (Bill C-38) is passed by the Canadian Senate. It became law on July 20 after receiving Royal Assent.
• June 30: Spain: The Congress of Deputies passed the same-sex marriage bill for a second time, overruling the rejection of the Spanish Senate a week before. The law took effect on July 3, after it was publicized in the official government registry. King Juan Carlos, who holds a right of veto, expeditiously granted the law his Royal Assent the day after the law was passed.
• June 28: Canada: Canadian House of Commons passes Bill C-38, which will legalize same-sex marriage.
• June 23: Canada: A judge in New Brunswick rules that same-sex couples have the right to equal marriage in that province.
• June 5: A referendum is passed in Switzerland giving same sex couples the same inheritance and tax rights as married heterosexual couples. Switzerland's is a direct democracy and this referendum is binding.
• May 12: United States: the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska announced its decision in favor of the plaintiffs in Citizens for Equal Protection v. Bruning, overturning Nebraska Initiative Measure 416 based on the Equal Protection Clause, the First Amendment, and the Contract Clause's prohibition on bills of attainder. Judge Joseph F. Bataillon's decision concluded that Nebraska had no rational basis in denying gays and lesbians marriage licenses. On July 14, 2006, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit overturned Judge Bataillon's decision and ruled that "laws limiting the state-recognized institution of marriage to heterosexual couples ... do not violate the Constitution of the United States."

This is the first state constitutional provision banning same-sex marriage to be ruled unconstitutional.

• April 21: Same-sex marriage bill passed by Spain's lower house of parliament.
• April 7: United States: The Connecticut State Senate passes legislation that legalizes same-sex civil unions. On April 13, the bill is passed through the Connecticut House of Representatives with the added "marriage is between a man and a woman" definition. The bill is sent back to the Senate for approval. Finally, on April 20, the State Senate approved the amended bill by a vote of 26–8 and Republican Governor Jodi Rell signed the same-sex civil union bill into law.
• April 7: United States: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg orders city agencies to recognize legal same-sex marriages from other states and countries. This order will give same-sex couples who married in places such as Massachusetts or Canada rights that couples recognized under the city's existing domestic partnership law do not have, including the power to make life-or-death medical decisions. Same-sex spouses will also be able to collect worker's compensation if a partner dies.
• March 14: United States: Judge Richard Kramer of San Francisco County Superior Court said California's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.
• February 22: United Kingdom: The British government announces December 5, 2005 as the implementation date for the Civil Partnership Act. Ceremonies can begin from December 19, 2005 in Northern Ireland, December 20 in Scotland and December 21 in England and Wales, after the mandatory waiting period, although under special circumstances the waiting period can be waived.
• February 1: Canada: Bill C-38, which would extend civil marriage rights to same-sex couples across all of Canada, introduced in the House of Commons.
• January 27: Sweden: The Swedish government announces the launching of a report into whether same-sex marriage should be legalized.
• January 19: United States: The Louisiana Supreme Court reinstated the anti-same-sex marriage amendment that had been struck by a District Judge in October, 2004.

2004

• Luxembourg passes a law of civil unions and takes effect.
• December 9: Canada: Acting on a reference question from Parliament, the Canadian Supreme Court states that a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Canada would be constitutional. Prime Minister Paul Martin says his government will introduce same-sex marriage legislation in January.
• December 8: Israel: The Israeli government indicates that it will recognize same-sex partnerships for certain benefits, and will introduce legislation formalizing this status.
• December 8: New Zealand: Parliament passes civil union legislation by 65 votes to 55. The new law provides a way for de facto couples, including same-sex couples, to gain legal recognition of their relationships, but stops short of same-sex marriage.
• November 30: South Africa: The Supreme Court of Appeal rules that the common law concept of marriage must be extended to include same-sex couples. Although the ruling does not immediately permit same-sex marriage in South Africa, it is considered a major step in that direction.
• November 26: Canada: In one of Canada's largest class-action lawsuits, the Ontario Court of Appeal upholds a lower court ruling whereby Canadians whose same-sex partners died after April 1985 are entitled to Canada Pension Plan survivors' benefits.
• November 17: United Kingdom: The British House of Lords passes the Civil Partnership Act to allow same-sex couples to obtain civil partnerships. This is the final legislative hurdle for the bill, becomes law on receiving Royal Assent by Queen Elizabeth II on November 18. Same-sex couples had to wait until December 2005 before the act comes into force, the delay being necessary to allow administrative changes.
• November 9: Ireland: An Irish High Court judge rules that a lesbian couple who married in Canada may proceed with their case seeking to have their marriage recognized for the purposes of Irish tax law.
• November 5: Canada: A judge in Saskatchewan rules that same-sex couples must enjoy the right to equal marriage in that province.
• November 4: Canada: Two lesbian couples denied marriage licenses file a lawsuit against the governments of Canada and of Newfoundland and Labrador, asking for the legalization of same-sex marriage in that province.
• November 3: United States Results of November 2 vote confirms that state constitutional amendments prohibiting same-sex marriage are passed in eleven states: Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, Oregon, and Utah. The measures in Oregon, Mississippi, and Montana bar same-sex marriage only; those in the other states bar civil unions and domestic partnerships as well; and Michigan bars granting any benefits whatsoever to same-sex couples.
• October: United States: Louisiana – District Judge William Morvant of Baton Rouge struck down the amendment, approved by voters in September, on the grounds that it violated a provision of the state constitution requiring that an amendment to cover only one subject; the amendment prevented the state from recognizing any legal status for common-law relationships, domestic partnerships and civil unions between both homosexual and heterosexual couples.
• September 18: United States: Louisiana voters ratified a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as only between a man and a woman.
• August 13 : Australia bans same-sex marriage. See
• May 17: United States: Massachusetts – first legal same-sex marriages in the U.S. performed.
• March 9: Terence Reidy, the City Manager of Asbury Park, New Jersey issues 10 marriage licenses to same-sex couples and Asbury Park deputy mayor James Bruno marries one couple before New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey announces the following day that he will pursue charges against city officials for these actions.
• March 8: The Northwest Women's Law Center and Lambda Legal sue King County, Washington on behalf of 8 couples.
• March 3: The Multnomah County government in Oregon began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples , licenses were later deemed invalid by the Oregon State Supreme Court in April 2005.
• February 27: New Paltz, New York mayor Jason West marries 25 same-sex couples in a public ceremony. He is later served with multiple misdemeanor charges.
• February 20: In New Mexico, Sandoval County clerk Victoria Dunlap issues marriage licenses to more than 60 same-sex couples until stopped by the state attorney general later that day, declaring them invalid; 26 couples were married by local pastors on the courthouse steps that day, and most of the other couples who received licenses married elsewhere. A district court later issued an injunction prohibiting Dunlap from issuing licenses to same-sex couples. Dunlap's motion to the state supreme court to lift the restraining order was rejected on July 8.
• February 12: United States, California: Newly-elected San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom issues the first same-sex marriage certificates in the U.S., purely as an exercise of executive power. These certificates were later nullified by the California Supreme Court.
• February 6 : A new circular by Belgian Minister of Justice Laurette Onkelinx allows all binational same-sex marriages. To get married, whatever the sex, one of future spouses must be either Belgian or a registered resident, that means more than 3 months legal stay in Belgium. This prevents matrimonial tourism.
• February 4: The Massachusetts Supreme Court issues a clarification of its ruling in Goodridge saying that civil unions are not a sufficient alternative to full marriage rights for same-sex couples.

2003

• November 18: United States: Massachusetts: decision in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health
• July 14: Croatia: Same-sex union law accepted by Croatian parliament Sabor. It grants same-sex partners who have cohabited for at least 3 years the same rights as enjoyed by unmarried cohabiting opposite sex partners; only inheritance and financial support. Croatia was one of the first former socialist states that recognized same sex couples, after Hungary.
• June 17: Canada: The Canadian government announces that it will not appeal the Ontario appeals court ruling that permitted same-sex marriage. Instead, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien indicates that his government will introduce legislation to legalize same-sex marriage.
• June 10: Canada: The Court of Appeal for Ontario rules that the law restricting marriage to heterosexual couples contravenes the equality provisions in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The court did not permit the province any grace time to bring its law in conformity with the ruling. Thus, Ontario becomes the first jurisdiction in North America to recognize same-sex marriages. Toronto announces that its city clerk will begin to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and two same-sex couples who filed suit have their marriages retroactively recognized. On June 11, the attorney general of Ontario announces that his government will conform to the court ruling.
• June 1: Belgium: The law permitting same-sex civil marriage comes into force. A circular by Minister of Justice Marc Verwilghen limits it to marriage between Belgians or between Belgian and Dutch persons.
• May 1: Canada: The British Columbia Court of Appeal becomes the first provincial court of appeal to rule that the Canadian government must legally recognize same-sex marriage.
• March 26, 2003–Decided June 26, 2003: United States Supreme Court Lawrence v. Texas. Responding to a reported weapons disturbance in a private residence, Houston police entered petitioner Lawrence's apartment and saw him and another adult man, petitioner Garner, engaging in a private, consensual sexual act. Petitioners were arrested and convicted of deviate sexual intercourse in violation of a Texas statute forbidding two persons of the same sex to engage in certain intimate sexual conduct. In a 6-3 decision the court struck down the Texas law and, by proxy, invalidated sodomy laws in the thirteen other states where they remained in existence.
• February 28: Belgium: The law extending civil marriage to same-sex couples is published in the Belgian Official Journal. In accordance with article 23 of the law, it will come into force on the first day of the fourth month after that in which it was published.
• February 13: Belgium: King Albert II signs the bill extending civil marriage to same-sex couples into law.
• January 30: Belgium: The Chamber of Representatives approves legislation extending civil marriage to same-sex couples with 91 votes in favor versus 22 against with 9 abstentions. The bill has now passed both Chambers and is sent to the King for promulgation.

2002

• December 13: Argentina: The City Legislature of Buenos Aires passes bill 1004 to provide a same-sex civil union registry.
• November 28: Belgium: The Senate approves legislation extending civil marriage to same-sex couples with 46 votes in favor versus 15 against with 4 abstentions. The bill is sent to the Chamber of Representatives.
• July 12: Canada: Ontario Superior Court of Justice rules that January 14, 2001 marriages are legal, but stays judgment pending appeal. (Upheld June 10, 2003; see Same-sex marriage in Ontario.)
• June 5: Sweden: Law passed allowing same-sex couples to apply for adoption.

2001

• September 28: Finland: The Eduskunta (Parliament of Finland) passes a law on the "registered partnership", which allows two members of the same sex to register their partnership and gain much of the same rights and duties as married couples. (Adoption was not included.) The law came into force on March 1, 2002.
• August 1: Germany legally allows life partnerships for same-sex couples.
• April 1: Netherlands: Laws that permit marriage for same-sex couples and grant same-sex couples adoption rights come into effect. Four same-sex couples are married at the stroke of midnight by the Mayor of Amsterdam. Civil servants in charge of marrying couples in the Netherlands are allowed to refuse to marry same-sex couples if they claim they are morally opposed to it, but only if they had been hired before the legalization. Anyone hired after that date cannot refuse to do so without being fired.
• March 15: Portugal: The existing União de Facto law (non-registered civil partnership) is changed to include same-sex partners. Child adoption is only allowed for opposite-sex partners.
• February 14: Same-sex couples from Marriage Equality USA began asking for marriage licenses in Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco including Davina Kotulski and Molly McKay.
• January 14: Canada: Two same-sex marriages were performed in Ontario, of Kevin Bourassa to Joe Varnell and Elaine Vautour to Anne Vautour, by Rev. Brent Hawkes. Although registration of the marriages was initially denied, a successful court challenge upheld their legality on June 10, 2003, thus retroactively making them the first legal same-sex marriages in modern times.

2000

• December 21: Netherlands: Queen Beatrix signs the marriage bill into law. It went in effect on April 1, 2001.
• December 19: Netherlands: The Senate approves legislation that opens marriage for same-sex couples.
• September 12: Netherlands: The House of Representatives approves legislation that opens marriage for same-sex couples with majority of 109 against 33 votes.
• July 1: Vermont becomes the first place in the world to recognise the rights of same sex couples after a Court ruling and so invented the term "civil union".
• January 1: Belgium: Legislation allowing for "registered partnership" comes into effect.

1999

• November: France: The French Parliament approves legislation (art. 515-1 et s. Code civil) that:

1. creates a relationship register for both gay and straight couples (called "Pacte civil de solidarité" abbreviated as "PaCS"); and
2. redefines the non-registered partnership as the stable union between two adults regardless of their gender (before this law, previous decisions of the French highest Court ruled that there could be no couple without appearance of marriage, therefore excluding gay people from any vision of family).

1998

• November 3: Hawaii voters, by a 69–31% margin, vote to amend the state's constitution to give the legislature sole jurisdiction over marriage laws and to prohibit intervention by state courts.
• January 1 – Netherlands – "registered partnership" legalized.

1996

• Iceland "registered partnership" legalized.
• United States – Defense of Marriage Act (this bans the federal Government from recognising same-sex marriages or any other kind of same-sex union) is signed into law by Bill Clinton.

1995

• January 1 : Sweden – registered partnership becomes effective (law: June 23, 1994). Utah becomes the first state in the US to have a DOMA in the statutes banning same-sex marriage, after "same-sex marriage fear" from Hawaii.
• Hungary – Unregistered cohabitation granted Domestic Partnership

level rights.

1994

• January 1: 45 out of the 50 states in the US define a marriage under statute as being between a man and a woman.

1993

• August 1: Norway's "registered partnership" comes into effect (law passed on April 30, 1993)
• May 5: The Hawaii State Supreme Court rules in Baehr v. Lewin that the Hawaii state statute limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples is presumed to be unconstitutional unless the state can present a "compelling state interest" justifying the same-sex marriage ban.

1990

• October 20: 40 of the 50 states in the US now define marriage under statute as being a union between a man and a woman.

1989

• October 1: Denmark: World's first modern legally recognized same-sex unions called "registered partnership".

1984

• September 1: City of Berkeley in California is the first place in the world to invent the term "domestic partnership", by providing a domestic partnership registry and then other cities/counties follow suit.

1980

• 25 out of 50 states in the US define a marriage as being between a man and a woman under statute.

1975

• September 1: Virginia becomes the fourth state to ban same-sex marriage through a statute.
• March 26: In Colorado, Boulder county clerk Clela Rorex issued marriage licenses to a same sex couples after receiving an opinion from the local district attorney's office saying that state marriage law did not prohibit same sex unions. Over the next month she issued six same-sex marriage licenses, two for female couples and four for male couples. The state DA's office later issued an opinion that the licenses were invalid and no new licenses were issued.
• January 7: Two men from Phoenix, Arizona are granted a marriage license by their county clerk. The Arizona Supreme Court would later declare the license to be invalid, citing the Bible in its decision. Later that year, the Arizona State Legislature passes a law banning same-sex marriage.

1973

• January 1: Maryland becomes the first state in the US to statutorily ban same-sex marriage, under §2–201 of the Maryland Family Law Code – it quotes "only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid in this State".

1972

• October 23: Two women by the names of Marjorie Jones and Tracy Knight are denied a marriage license in Kentucky by a county clerk who refused upon seeking advice from the district attorney.

1970

• May 18: United States, Minnesota: Jack Baker and James Michael McConnell applied for a marriage license in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The license was denied, and this denial was appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which refused to hear the case. See the court opinion in Baker v. Nelson. In 1971, they obtain a marriage license from another Minnesota county, and are married before a Methodist minister in Minneapolis. Until 1973, there was no definition of marriage in any statute in any US state, but at common law, marriage was held to be between a man and a woman and therefore same-sex marriage was effectively banned. (see Baker v. Nelson).

Before 1970

Various types of same-sex marriages have existed, ranging from informal, unsanctioned relationships to highly ritualized unions.

In the southern Chinese province of Fujian, through the Ming dynasty period, women would bind themselves in contracts to younger women in elaborate ceremonies. Men also entered similar arrangements. This type of arrangement was also similar in ancient European history.

The first recorded mention of the performance of same-sex marriages occurred during the early Roman Empire. These same-sex marriages were solemnized with the same ceremonies and customs which were used for heterosexual marriages. Cicero mentions the marriage (using the Latin verb for "to marry", i.e. nubere) of the son of Curio the Elder in a casual manner as if it was commonplace. Cicero states that the younger Curio was "united in a stable and permanent marriage" to Antonius. Martial also mentions a number of same-sex marriages. By Juvenal's time, gay marriages seem to have become commonplace as he mentions attending gay marriages as if they were "nothing special". These gay marriages continued until Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. A law in the Theodosian Code (C. Th. 9.7.3) was issued in 342 AD by the Christian emperors Constantius II and Constans. This law prohibited same-sex marriage in ancient Rome and ordered that those who were so married were to be executed.

See also

• Same-sex marriage
• Same-sex marriage legislation around the world
• Status of same-sex marriage
• First same-sex marriage in Spain
• Timeline of LGBT history