LGBT Marriage Updates Worldwide

These updates were emailed for us to post. We always work at linking back to the original website, but occasionally the links no longer work. We request that anyone who sends us articles to please include your name, date and time that the article was published, and a link to the original article.

Wondering why LGBT Marriage is so important?

A Legal Lesbian Marriage Nullified--a personal story

Nations that recognize LGBT Marriage and the year approved:
Netherlands	First in the World, 2001.
Belgium	2003
Canada	2005
Spain	2005
South Africa	2005
Norway	2008
States in the US that recognize LGBT Marriage, Civil Unions, Domestic Partnerships etc:
California	May 15, 2008, California's Supreme Court ruled that banning same-sex marriage in the state was discriminatory. Same Sex Marraige began on June 17, 2008
Connecticut	Civil Unions with Same Rights as Married Heterosexuals, 2005.
Massachusetts	Same Sex Marriage Will also issue licenses to LGBT couples from New Mexico and Rhode Island since neither state explicitly prohibits same-sex marriage, 2004.
New Jersey	Civil Unions with Same Rights as Married Heterosexuals, 2007.
New Hampshire	Civil Unions, 2008.
Oregon	Domestic Partnership provides state-wide rights and benefits of marriage.
Vermont	Civil Unions with Same Rights as Married Heterosexuals, 2000.
Washington	Domestic Partnership with some of the rights of married heterosexuals, 2007.
Nations that Allow Same Sex Partnerships/Civil Unions:
Croatia	2003
Denmark	1989
Finland	2001
France	1999
Germany	Offers Life Partnerships--less benefits than heterosexual marriage.
Hungary	Common Law Marriage, 1995.
Iceland	Registered Partnerships, 1996.
Luxembourg	Civil Partnerships, 2004.
Mexico	Civil Unions, 2006.
New Zealand	Civil Unions, 2004.
Norway	Registered Partnerships, 1996.
Portugal	Common Law Marriage.
Sweden	Domestic Partnerships, 1995.
Switzerland	Civil Union with Limited Legal Benefits.
United Kingdom - England, Wales, Scotland Northern Ireland	Civil Partnership, 2005.