With Northern Ireland saying yes to same-sex marriages, here’s a look at gay rights across the globe
- Marriage equality is an ongoing fight for the LGBTQ community, but the extension of rights in the UK is one positive step
Marriage is a dream for many couples, but in most of the world, same-sex couples are excluded from realising that. But gay and lesbian couples in Northern Ireland this week can start planning the wedding of their dreams (or, frankly, any wedding) after the liberalisation of same-sex marriage came into force on Monday.
Thirty years after the first-ever gay civil unions in Denmark, same-sex marriages are today allowed in 28 countries, but homosexuality remains illegal in some parts of the world.
Here is an overview of the global situation when it comes to marriage equality.
Europe, gay marriage pioneers
On October 1, 1989, for the first time in the world, several gay couples in Denmark tied the knot in legal civil unions.
Danish homosexual couples would, however, have to wait until 2012 to be allowed to marry in church.
The right to a religious marriage ceremony was first allowed in The Netherlands in 2001.
Thirteen European countries followed: Belgium, Britain (although originally not Northern Ireland), Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
Austria allowed gay marriage from 2019.