Same-Sex Marriages

8226;Denmark became the first country in 1989 to institute legislation granting registered same-sex partners the same rights as married couples 8212;church weddings were not allowed. Similar legislation was introduced in Norway, Sweden and Iceland in 1996, and Finland in 2002.

8226;Netherlands allowed full civil marriage rights in 2001, Belgium 2003 and Spain 2005 followed. Since 2005, Britain has allowed gays the same rights as married couples. Canada, too, allowed it in 2005.

8226;Germany allows 8216;life partnerships8217;, while France gives some rights but falls short of the full rights of marriage.

8226;European countries, especially those with strong Roman Catholic connections, like Poland, Ireland and Italy have denied such rights to gays. So has India and Japan.

8226;Homosexuality is punishable by death in Saudi Arabia, Mauritania and Yemen.

8226;Same-sex unions are also banned in most of Latin America, barring Uruguay and Colombia.