ArticleslgStudy

science

Legal status of same-sex marriage

Legal status of same-sex marriage is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Legal status of same-sex marriage rather than just read about it. In short: The legal status of same-sex marriage has changed in recent years in numerous jurisdictions around the world. The current trends and consensus of political authorities and religions throughout the world are summarized in this article.

Legal status of same-sex marriage — main illustration
Legal status of same-sex marriage — illustration

Key takeaways

  • Legal status of same-sex marriage belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Legal status of same-sex marriage to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Legal status of same-sex marriage from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The legal status of same-sex marriage has changed in recent years in numerous jurisdictions around the world. The current trends and consensus of political authorities and religions throughout the world are summarized in this article. Recognition has been achieved through various mechanisms: legislative actions, high court rulings declaring statutory bans on same-sex marriage to be unconstitutional, and direct democracy where the electorate voted in favor of legalization through referendums or national postal surveys. The first country to legalize same-sex marriage was the Netherlands, where such marriages have been legal since 1 April 2001. The most recent country to extend full marriage rights to same-sex couples as of 2026 is Thailand, where the law took effect on 23 January 2025. On 25 November 2025, the European Court of Justice ruled that all member states of the European Union must recognize a lawful marriage between two European Union citizens of the same sex from another member country.

Civil recognition

Global summary Same-sex marriage is legal in the following countries:

Opinion polls Opinion polls for same-sex marriage by country

Africa

South Africa is the only African country that legally recognizes same-sex marriage.

South Africa

In December 2005, in the case of Minister of Home Affairs v Fourie, the Constitutional Court of South Africa ruled unanimously that bans on same-sex marriage were unconstitutional. The Court gave Parliament one year to change the laws, or same-sex marriage would be legalized by default. In November 2006, Parliament passed the Civil Union Act, under which both same-sex and opposite-sex couples may contract unions. A union under the Civil Union Act may, at the choice of the spouses, be called either a marriage or a civil partnership; whichever name is chosen, the legal effect is identical to that of a traditional marriage under the Marriage Act. Both religious and civil officials may refuse to perform same-sex marriages.

Namibia

In May 2023, the Supreme Court of Namibia ruled in favor of recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions, directing the Ministry of Home Affairs to recognize same-sex marriages legally performed outside Namibia. In response, President Nangolo Mbumba on 2 October 2024 assented to the Marriage Act of 2024, which defined marriage as being between two persons of opposite sex. The Act does not rescind recognition of foreign same-sex marriages recognized before its enactment, but prevents further same-sex marriages performed abroad from being recognized. Although the Act has not yet come into force as of November 2025, legal analysts have argued that its provisions contradict the Supreme Court's ruling and may face constitutional challenges regarding the separation of powers.

Americas

Argentina

On 22 July 2010, Argentina became the first country in Latin America to legalise same-sex marriage. The law also allows same-sex couples to adopt. And in many jurisdictions, including the city of Buenos Aires, it is also legal for non-residents and tourists.

Brazil

On 25 October 2011, Brazil's Supreme Court of Justice ruled that two women can enter into civil marriage under the current law, thus overturning the decision of two lower court's ruling against the women. Following this ruling, a growing number of courts of Brazilian states, such as the most populous state of São Paulo, implemented directives which allowed for same-sex civil marriages in the same manner as other marriages. Same-sex couples can currently have registered partnerships and full rights to adopt children in all states, and same-sex marriages based on court orders have occurred in several states in individual cases. On 14 May 2013, Brazil's National Justice Council (CNJ) ruled in favor of recognizing same-sex marriage nationwide.

Canada

In Canada between 2003 and 2005, court rulings in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Yukon ruled the prohibition of same-sex marriage to be contrary to the Charter of Rights, thus legalizing it in those jurisdictions (which covered 90% of the population). In response to these rulings, the governing Liberal party minority government introduced legislation to allow same-sex couples to marry. On 20 July 2005, the Canadian Parliament passed the Civil Marriage Act, defining marriage nationwide as "the lawful union of two persons to the exclusion of all others." This was challenged on 7 December 2006 by a motion tabled by the newly elected Conservative party, asking the government to introduce amendments to the Marriage Act to restrict marriage to opposite-sex couples; it was defeated in the House of Commons by a vote of 175 to 123. Canada does not have a residency requirement for marriage; consequently, many foreign couples have gone to Canada to marry, regardless of whether that marriage will be recognized in their home country. In fact, in some cases, a Canadian marriage has provided the basis for a challenge to the laws of another country, with cases in Ireland and Israel. The plaintiff in the case of United States v. Windsor, which challenged the Defense of Marriage Act, wed her wife in Ontario. Since 11 November 2004, the Canadian federal government's immigration department, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), considers same-sex marriages performed in Canada valid for the purposes of sponsoring a spouse to immigrate. Canadian immigration authorities previously considered long-term, same-sex relationships to be equivalent to similar heterosexual relationships as grounds for sponsorship.

Colombia

The Colombian Constitutional Court ruled in February 2007 that same-sex couples are entitled to the same inheritance rights as heterosexuals in common-law marriages. This ruling made Colombia the first South American nation to legally recognize same-sex couples. In January 2009, the Court ruled that same-sex couples must be granted all rights offered to cohabiting heterosexual couples. On 26 July 2011, the Court ordered the Congress to pass legislation giving same-sex couples similar rights to marriage within two years (by 20 June 2013). The law was defeated. In April 2016, the Colombian Constitutional Court voted 6–3 to allow same-sex marriage, with the ruling taking effect immediately. In 2015, the Colombian Constitutional Court ruled that same-sex couples could adopt children.

Costa Rica

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Legal status of same-sex marriage: .mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:"\a0 · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}vte Worldwide laws regarding same-sex intercourse, unions and expression. Same-sex intercourse legal. Recognition of unions: .mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}  Marriage   Extraterritorial marriage2   Civil unions   Limited domestic   Limited foreign   Optional certification Same-sex intercourse illegal. Penalties:   Death   Prison; death not enforced   Death under militias   Prison, with arrests or detention   Prison, not enforced1 Ambiguous.   None   Restriction of expression, not enforced   Restriction of association with arrests or detention 1No imprisonment in the past three years[timeframe?] or moratorium on law.2Marriage not available locally. Some jurisdictions may perform other types of partnerships.
.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:"\a0 · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}vte Worldwide laws regarding same-sex intercourse, unions and expression. Same-sex intercourse legal. Recognition of unions: .mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}  Marriage   Extraterritorial marriage2   Civil unions   Limited domestic   Limited foreign   Optional certification Same-sex intercourse illegal. Penalties:   Death   Prison; death not enforced   Death under militias   Prison, with arrests or detention   Prison, not enforced1 Ambiguous.   None   Restriction of expression, not enforced   Restriction of association with arrests or detention 1No imprisonment in the past three years[timeframe?] or moratorium on law.2Marriage not available locally. Some jurisdictions may perform other types of partnerships.
Legal status of same-sex marriage: Same-sex sexual activity legal   Same-sex marriage   Limited recognition (foreign residency rights)   No recognition of same-sex couples Same-sex sexual activity illegal   Prison but not enforced   Prison   Death penalty on books but not enforced   Enforced death penalty
Same-sex sexual activity legal   Same-sex marriage   Limited recognition (foreign residency rights)   No recognition of same-sex couples Same-sex sexual activity illegal   Prison but not enforced   Prison   Death penalty on books but not enforced   Enforced death penalty
Legal status of same-sex marriage: Equality of same-sex marriage in Mexican states   Legal equality of marriages of same-sex and opposite-sex couples   Marriage licenses are issued to same-sex couples despite not being allowed under state law; they may take more time to process or be more expensive than licenses for opposite-sex couples   Inequality of marriage: married same-sex couples do not legally qualify as married when it comes to the adoption of children, though adoptions may be allowed regardless.
Equality of same-sex marriage in Mexican states   Legal equality of marriages of same-sex and opposite-sex couples   Marriage licenses are issued to same-sex couples despite not being allowed under state law; they may take more time to process or be more expensive than licenses for opposite-sex couples   Inequality of marriage: married same-sex couples do not legally qualify as married when it comes to the adoption of children, though adoptions may be allowed regardless.
Legal status of same-sex marriage: Status of same-sex marriage in the United States   Performed and recognized   Recognized when performed elsewhere   Recognized by state and federal governments, but not by tribal government   (mixed jurisdiction; not performed by tribal government)   (mixed jurisdiction; not performed or recognized by tribal government) vte
Status of same-sex marriage in the United States   Performed and recognized   Recognized when performed elsewhere   Recognized by state and federal governments, but not by tribal government   (mixed jurisdiction; not performed by tribal government)   (mixed jurisdiction; not performed or recognized by tribal government) vte
Legal status of same-sex marriage: Laws regarding homosexuality in Asia Same-sex sexual activity legal   Marriage performed   Marriage recognized   Other type of partnership   Unregistered cohabitation   No recognition of same-sex couples Restricted or ambiguous   Restriction on freedom of expression, not enforced   Severe restriction of association with arrests or detention Same-sex sexual activity illegal   Prison, not enforced   Prison   Death penalty on books, not enforced   Enforced death penalty vte
Laws regarding homosexuality in Asia Same-sex sexual activity legal   Marriage performed   Marriage recognized   Other type of partnership   Unregistered cohabitation   No recognition of same-sex couples Restricted or ambiguous   Restriction on freedom of expression, not enforced   Severe restriction of association with arrests or detention Same-sex sexual activity illegal   Prison, not enforced   Prison   Death penalty on books, not enforced   Enforced death penalty vte

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Legal status of same-sex marriage

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Legal status of same-sex marriage claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Legal status of same-sex marriage before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Legal status of same-sex marriage ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Legal status of same-sex marriage

In research
Legal status of same-sex marriage appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Legal status of same-sex marriage in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Legal status of same-sex marriage is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Marriage law, Same-sex marriage, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Legal status of same-sex marriage outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Legal status of same-sex marriage” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Legal status of same-sex marriage in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Legal status of same-sex marriage means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Legal status of same-sex marriage out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Legal status of same-sex marriage in simple terms?

The legal status of same-sex marriage has changed in recent years in numerous jurisdictions around the world. The current trends and consensus of political authorities and religions throughout the world are summarized in this article.

Why does Legal status of same-sex marriage matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Legal status of same-sex marriage?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Legal status of same-sex marriage.

Tags

  • Marriage law
  • Same-sex marriage

Keep exploring