7 facts about same-sex marriage around the world

7 facts about same-sex marriage around the world

* Same-sex marriage is legal in 26 U.N. member states: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Uruguay, United States

*In some of these countries, such as Mexico and Britain, marriage is only open to same-sex couples in some regions. Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom in which same-sex marriage is not allowed.

* The first country to legalise same-sex marriage was the Netherlands in 2001. The latest was Austria, where the law allowing gay unions took effect on January 1 this year.

* Same-sex second parents can legally adopt in 30 countries, while 28 allow joint adoption.

* A push for same-sex marriage is slow elsewhere in Asia. Thailand has drafted a civil partnership bill that would legally recognise same-sex couples as civil partners, but LGBT+ activists protest that the bill does not grant marriage equality.

In Africa, where homosexuality is a crime in many countries and can lead to imprisonment or the death penalty, South Africa alone has granted the same access to gay couples. Same-sex marriage legislation came into force there in 2006.

* In a rare move, Bermuda’s governor last year appproved a bill to reverse the right of gay couples to marry in the British overseas territory. The top court struck down the ban in November but the ruling can still be appealed.