Legal Milestones
The Journey to Marriage Equality
From one nation's courage in 2001 to 38 countries and counting — the arc of love bends toward recognition.
0
Countries
0
Continents
0
Years of Progress
2001
2001
🇳🇱
Netherlands
Apr 1, 2001
Parliament
First country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage
2003
2003
🇧🇪
Belgium
Jun 1, 2003
Parliament
2005
2005
🇪🇸
Spain
Jul 3, 2005
Parliament
2005
🇨🇦
Canada
Jul 20, 2005
Parliament
2006
2006
🇿🇦
South Africa
Nov 30, 2006
Parliament + Court
First in Africa
2009
2009
🇳🇴
Norway
Jan 1, 2009
Parliament
2009
🇸🇪
Sweden
May 1, 2009
Parliament
2010
2010
🇵🇹
Portugal
Jun 5, 2010
Parliament
2010
🇮🇸
Iceland
Jun 27, 2010
Parliament
2010
🇦🇷
Argentina
Jul 22, 2010
Parliament
First in South America
2012
2012
🇩🇰
Denmark
Jun 15, 2012
Parliament
2013
2013
🇧🇷
Brazil
May 16, 2013
Court ruling
2013
🇫🇷
France
May 18, 2013
Parliament
2013
🇺🇾
Uruguay
Aug 5, 2013
Parliament
2013
🇳🇿
New Zealand
Aug 19, 2013
Parliament
2015
2015
🇱🇺
Luxembourg
Jan 1, 2015
Parliament
2015
🇺🇸
United States
Jun 26, 2015
Supreme Court
Obergefell v. Hodges — landmark ruling
2015
🇮🇪
Ireland
Nov 16, 2015
Referendum
First by popular vote
2016
2016
🇨🇴
Colombia
Apr 28, 2016
Court ruling
2017
2017
🇫🇮
Finland
Mar 1, 2017
Parliament
2017
🇲🇹
Malta
Sep 1, 2017
Parliament
2017
🇩🇪
Germany
Oct 1, 2017
Parliament
2017
🇦🇺
Australia
Dec 9, 2017
Parliament + Survey
2019
2019
🇦🇹
Austria
Jan 1, 2019
Court ruling
2019
🇹🇼
Taiwan
May 24, 2019
Parliament + Court
First in Asia
2019
🇪🇨
Ecuador
Jul 8, 2019
Court ruling
2020
2020
🇬🇧
United Kingdom
Jan 13, 2020
Parliament
2020
🇨🇷
Costa Rica
May 26, 2020
Court ruling
2022
2022
🇨🇱
Chile
Mar 10, 2022
Parliament
2022
🇨🇭
Switzerland
Jul 1, 2022
Parliament + Referendum
2022
🇸🇮
Slovenia
Jul 9, 2022
Court ruling
2022
🇨🇺
Cuba
Sep 27, 2022
Parliament + Referendum
2022
🇲🇽
Mexico
Dec 31, 2022
Court rulings + State laws
2023
2023
🇦🇩
Andorra
Feb 17, 2023
Parliament
2024
2024
🇪🇪
Estonia
Jan 1, 2024
Parliament
2024
🇬🇷
Greece
Feb 16, 2024
Parliament
2025
2025
🇱🇮
Liechtenstein
Jan 1, 2025
Parliament
2025
🇹🇭
Thailand
Jan 23, 2025
Parliament
First in Southeast Asia — CHAKARUNA's home
And the journey continues...
Data sourced from Wikipedia, Equaldex, and Pew Research Center.
Last updated: January 2025
Last updated: January 2025