Same-sex marriage is an officially registered relationship between two members of the same sex, that is, a man and a man or a woman and a woman. Despite the fact that the first such marriage was registered in the Netherlands more than ten years ago, today only a few countries allow representatives of sexual minorities to become legal spouses.
The predecessor of same-sex marriage back in 1989 was the so-called "same-sex civil partnership", or an alliance between representatives of sexual minorities, recognized by the state. Similar social institutions arose in Europe, starting with the Scandinavian countries, in the nineties of the twentieth century, but they were not equated with marriage. They were called differently: de facto cohabitation, civil union, registered partnership and even a solidarity agreement, but they were united by de facto legal powerlessness. In a same-sex marriage, as in a traditional marriage, spouses have the right to inherit each other's property, take custody and adopt orphans, demand alimony in case of divorce, and take out family loans.
The first official registration of same-sex marriage took place in the Netherlands (Holland) on April 1, 2001. Since then, Belgium, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, South Africa, Iceland, Canada and Argentina have joined the pioneer country. In the United States of America, gays and lesbians can become legal spouses in eight out of fifty states. Among them - Connecticut, Massachusetts, Iowa, since 2011 - New York. In California, the registration of same-sex marriage lasted only a few months, after which it was closed. From June 2012, Washington is expected to join the ranks of states in which same-sex marriage can be registered, and from January 2013 - Maryland. In addition, representatives of sexual minorities can get married in two Indian tribes.
Central and South America registers same-sex marriage in Mexico City, Mexico and Alagoas, Brazil. This is where the list of LGBT countries ends. Throughout North and Central Africa, same-sex relationships are illegal and can even lead to severe penalties. The Russian Federation is in a stage of conflict between supporters and opponents of the gay movement. Legislatively, same-sex marriages are not legalized in our country, moreover, they have no legal force if they were registered outside Russia.
Lovers of gays and lesbians today can tie themselves by legal marriage in one of the European countries: for example, the Czech Republic or the Netherlands. However, in order for the ceremony to be legally confirmed, at least one of the future spouses is required to be a citizen of this country or have a residence permit in it.
