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74 Articles are available from this page, in addition to the paragraphs which are interspersed. More articles can be found from other links on the website.
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July 21, 2005 - In the United States, Massachusetts is the only state that allows gay marriages; Vermont and Connecticut have approved same-sex civil unions.
Though hundreds of foreigners have come to Canada to seek civil ceremonies since gay marriages were first allowed in Ontario and British Columbia in 2003, not all countries or states recognize the unions.
The U.S. government does not recognize same-sex marriage, and most states refuse to acknowledge marriage certificates from gay and lesbian couples, regardless of where they wed.
GAY MARRIAGE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD - from (Canadian) BACK magazine issue 004 (May 2005)
Here is the legal status of gay marriage in Europe and other parts of the world.
BELGIUM: Legalized gay marriage in 2002
BRITAIN: Plans to introduce legislation soon, authorizing civil unions, giving gay couples legal recognition, with most of the rights enjoyed by married partners.
CANADA: Considering legislation to legalize gay marriage. For those of you who are not Canadian, you may think that we already have legalized marriage. Well we do in British Columbia, (not Alberta), Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, (not New Brunswick or PEI), Newfoundland and the Yukon Territory (not Nunavut, or Northwest Territories). But it will soon (probably in July) become law for all of Canada, and will be enshrined in our Charter of Rights, so that all provinces and territories will have legalized marriage.
DENMARK: The first country to legalize same-sex unions in 1989, later giving couples adoption rights. Other Nordic countries followed in the 1990's.
FRANCE: Allows civil unions since 2000
GERMANY: Introduced civil unions in 2001.
ITALY: Does not recognize same-sex unions.
THE NETHERLANDS: Became the first country to legalize gay marriages outright in 2001.
PORTUGAL: Lesbian and gay couples who live together acquire the same rights as heterosexuals in common-law marriages.
SPAIN: Like most Roman Catholic countries, Spain does not recognize gay unions. But some northern regions, such as Navarra and the Basque country, recognize gay common-law couples and accord them rights of spouses.
SOUTH AFRICA: Recognized gay rights in its constitution after apartheid ended in 1994. Activists are prepaing litigation to have the common law definition of marriage extended to include same-sex couples.
SWITZERLAND: Its largest city, Zurich, started recognizing registered gay couples last July. Geneva also recognizes same-sex couples, although grants them fewer rights. Swiss authorities are considering whether to introduce a national law to harmonize treatment throughout the country.
Statement on Same-Sex Marriage - positive reasoning to support gay marriage
- by Jim Prentice, M.P. Calgary Centre-North, Feb 2, 2005
"Concerning love, gay marriage satisfies the ideal prerequisites for marriage. Gays fall in love, have the intention of exclusivity, care deeply for each other, share burdens and blessings, enjoy being together, express as a couple their physical, emotional, intellectual, religious and/or philosophical yearnings and aspirations.
Hardline opponents speak of their disgust over homosexual sexual acts. But, anything homosexuals may do in the privacy of their bedrooms is already being done by some married couple according to the sex manuals available. Besides, heterosexual marriages are often a disaster rather than a worthy model. I believe gay marriages will provide a superior model that will enhance straight marriages that are currecntly anything but exemplary."
- Rev. Gerald Walton Paul - Ordained United Church Minister and
regular contributor to the Religion Section of the Kingston Whig-Standard
- excerpt from article published in the Kingston Whig-Standard Feb 26, 2005
Sixteen countries now allow citizens to sponsor their same-sex partners for immigration: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Same-sex, same-gender unions have been celebrated in the church throughout history, dating back as early as 514 B.C., long before heterosexual marriages became a sacrament in 1215! The subsequent rise of homophobia put an unfortunate end to such unions in Western Europe. Eastern Europeans, however, continued to celebrate same-sex, same-gender offices as late as the 1600's and possibly later.
It is also ironic that the radical religious right can resurrect from the Bible NO EXAMPLE of the archetypal "traditional marriage" they so fervently propagandize. The first child of Abraham - cultural progenitor of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - was borne by his wife's handmaiden, Hagar (Genesis 16). And didn't King Solomon reportedly have a thousand wives and concubines (1 Kings 11:1-3)? There is no consistent, comprehensive Biblical model of heterosexual marriage - it simply doesn't exist.
"If any white person intermarry with a colored person, or any colored person intermarry with a white person, he shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by confinement in the penitentiary for not less than one, nor more than five years."
Remember that law? It wasn't all that long ago (1958, to be exact) that this very line, this nasty little bit of legalized hate, was on the books in Virginia. Yes, interracial marriages were illegal in many states as recently as 50 years ago.
- Mark Morford
Virginia on the Move - aggressively anti-gay, VA does it again
- by Wayne Besen, Jan 17, 2005
Sept 24, 2004 - Nova Scotia legalizes same-sex marriage.
Sept 16, 2004 - Manitoba becomes the fourth province in Canada to allow same-sex marriages.
July 14, 2004 - Same-sex marriage becomes legal in the Yukon.
May 17, 2004 - Massachusetts joins Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec, along with the Netherlands and Belgium, as the only places worldwide where homosexuals can marry.
Dec 21, 2004 - Newfoundland becomes Canada's seventh province to let gay couples wed.
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