At the moment, the United States is a bit of a patchwork quilt. A married
same-sex couple with their children can go on a few hour long drive, wander
through a number of states, briefly enter Canada, and change their status:
In Canada: they would be regarded as married. They and their children
would have full provincial and federal rights.
In the U.S. depending upon the state they were in, they would be:
Considered married, and having full state rights equivalent to being
married.
Recognized as being civil unionized, and having full state rights.
Recognized as being in a domestic partnership and having some state
rights
Being forcibly divorced, considered roommates, having their children
regarded as illegitimate, having no access to each other if one enters a
hospital, unable to make medical decisions if their partner is
incapacitated, etc.
As of 2009-MAY-08:
Same-sex couples can marry in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Iowa. They were
able to marry in California for much of 2008.
Same-sex couples in Maine can plan on marrying in mid-2009 and couples in
Vermont can plan on marrying in early 2010 as SSM laws in those states become
effective.
A SSM bill is before Governor Lynch in New Hampshire.
The District of Columbia and states of New York and New Mexico recognize
valid SSMs performed elsewhere.
State agencies in New York state recognize SSMs performed elsewhere.
Interracial couples had a similar situation back in the 1960's before the
1967 U.S. Supreme Court's ruling -- Loving v. Virginia -- made
interracial marriages legal across the country.
According to Wikipedia on 2009-MAY-08:
Colors used in the above map:
Same-sex marriages (Enabling legislation passed; either available
now or in the near future)
Foreign same-sex marriages recognized
Civil Unions or Domestic Partnerships granting rights similar to
marriage
Civil Unions or Domestic Partnerships granting limited/enumerated
rights
No specific prohibition or recognition of same-sex marriages or
unions
Legislation bans same-sex marriage
Constitution bans same-sex marriage
Constitution bans same-sex marriage and other kinds of
same-sex unions
Notes:
States typically provide a few hundred benefits, protections and rights to
same-sex married couples and their children.
The 1,049 federal rights, benefits and
privileges automatically given to married opposite-sex couples are denied
same-sex couples because of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
Current status in Canada:
Since 2005-JUL-20. all loving, committed couples -- both same-sex and
opposite-sex -- have been able marry in all but one province and in all three
territories of Canada, The one exception was Prince Edward Island (PEI). They
initially couldn't figure out a process that would enable them to marry same sex
couples. Their motivation quickly increased when they faced a lawsuit from a
lesbian couple. Realizing that they had zero chance of winning at court, the
province quickly devised a mechanism to
do the job.
Both same-sex and opposite-sex couples can marry in Canada whether they are Canadians or citizens of
another country.
Year 2000: * Netherlands: Gay and lesbian couples, who are either citizens of
the Netherlands or who have residency permits, are able to marry and
adopt. This was the first country in the world to make same-sex marriages
available. More details.
2003: Belgium: Same-sex couples couples who are residents or
citizens can marry, but cannot yet adopt. More details.
Spain: 2005: The country legalized SSM in 2005-JUN.
More details.
Canada: 2005: The country legalized SSM in 2005-JUL-20.
More details. Because of Canada's closeness to the
U.S. in terms of culture and geography, we have covered events leading up to
SSM in detail.
South Africa: 2006: Their Constitutional Court -- South Africa's
highest court -- ruled on 2005-DEC that same-sex marriages must be legalized
within a year. On 2006-NOV-15, their legislature passed a law legalizing
same-sex marriage, by a vote of 230 to 41 with three abstentions.
Norway: 2008: Enabling legislation was passed during
2008-JUN; same-sex couples are now able to marry in 2009.
More details.
Sweden: 2009: Enabling legislation was overwhelmingly passed by
Parliament on 2009-APR-01. It will take effect on 2009-MAY-01.
More details.
* Years cited are when enabling legislation was passed. Most
legislatures passed laws that only took effect months later.
Other notes:
Europe: Many countries in Europe have created a type of civil
union for same-sex couples which grant them most or all of the benefits and
obligations of marriage.
Israel: This country is unique in the world, in that
most couples are not permitted to marry within their own country. Couples
who are not Orthodox Jews must leave the country, get married elsewhere,
return to Israel and register their foreign marriages. Due to a loophole in
the law, this applies also to same-sex couples. The loophole is expected to
be plugged eventually. More details.
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