Despite the fact that same-sex unions in various forms have almost always existed, official marriages began to take place only in the second half of the 20th century. At the moment, this is a rather controversial topic that has become the reason for heated discussions. More and more people are openly expressing their feelings when a girl loves a girl and a guy loves a guy.

What is same-sex marriage: from origins to today

Unions of varying degrees of involvement between people of the same sex were concluded in ancient Hellas, in the Roman and Great Chinese empires. In some cases, it was an almost full-fledged marriage, with a wedding ceremony and the emergence of new legal relations between the spouses, but such a family had, rather, an intermediate temporary function before the traditional heterosexual union of any of the partners. Information has been preserved that Saint Valentine, contrary to the orders of Emperor Claudius II, entered into marriages between men, for which he was subsequently sentenced to severe punishment.

From the point of view of modern legislation, officially recognized same-sex unions arose in 1979, but the most complete legal relationship, which can already be called marriage, appeared only in 2001. The pioneer country that legalized the new type of family was the Netherlands.

World's first official same-sex marriage

The first officially registered same-sex union, which in principle can be called marriage, was concluded in Denmark. In 1989, the Akgilov couple registered their relationship. At that time, the couple celebrated their fortieth anniversary of marriage.

The first woman to officially marry her lifelong friend was Mary Ann Thus, the wedding took place in the Netherlands in 2001.

Which countries allow same-sex marriage?

At the moment, same-sex couples have the right to officially marry in all major countries of North and South America, and in Australia. Europe is divided into three clear camps. Scandinavian countries and Western Europe have fully legalized and allow marriages; the middle part provides the right to other same-sex unions. In Eastern European countries, LGBT people wishing to enter into an official marriage are prohibited by the Constitution.

More than 20 countries around the world recognize official homosexual marriages and other forms of same-sex unions. Some aspects of the law are still controversial even in the progressive part of the world, such as the issue of adoption, but overall progress is being made. In general, consideration of the pros and cons of full recognition of the rights of same-sex couples continues in almost all developed countries of the world.

Today, many members of the LGBT community, when exploring the issue of where same-sex marriage is legal, consider this in the context of their future immigration.

Same-sex marriages around the world

The topic of same-sex marriage in Russia is timidly but periodically raised by members of the LGBT community. The idea of ​​legalization Such relations cause a strong reaction in a country where Orthodoxy and Islam predominate, which categorically do not recognize such marriages. The main current regulatory act in the country regulating relations between spouses is the RF IC. It determines the conditions for concluding an official marriage. According to this article, a man and a woman who have reached the age of majority (as a general rule) can enter into a marriage relationship by mutual consent.

It is necessary to understand that the article describes the most basic situations and does not take into account a number of technical issues. To solve your particular problem, get legal advice on housing issues by calling the hotlines:

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The reasons why a marriage cannot be registered are indicated in. It is this article that is the clue in the current legislation that Russian citizens who want to officially register their same-sex marriage. The text of Article 14 does not contain a direct legal ban on concluding such a union, but it also does not provide permission for the official recognition of such a family.

In a situation where registry offices refuse to register same-sex marriages, one high-profile case was noted by the press. In St. Petersburg, a marriage between a woman and a man who was in a state of gender reassignment was officially registered. Both spouses came to registration in white wedding dresses.

To solve their problems, Russian LGBT representatives register their relationships in those countries where Same-sex marriage is allowed. Such marriages are not recognized in Russia. denies citizens in same-sex marriages the opportunity to adopt children within the country. LGBT representatives consider this to be discrimination against their rights. From time to time they file lawsuits in various courts to protect their rights to create a same-sex family, and receive refusals to satisfy them. Existing statistics indicate that negative rel O sewing

towards such marriages in society only intensifies over the years.

The good news for foreign citizens - representatives of the LGBT community - is the fact that they can legalize relationships in the embassies of their countries if such marriages are allowed there.

1994 UN Cairo International Conference Unconventional relationships between men and women are not a product of the 21st or 20th century. They have existed in people's lives at all times. But only after UN Cairo conference

, which had international status and was dedicated to the population of the planet, an active process began to legalize same-sex marriage. This conference took place in Cairo in 1994. The Catholic Church strongly condemned same-sex weddings, although many of its priests later found themselves at the center of homosexual scandals.

The Russian delegation was on the list of countries taking part in the conference. One of the principles adopted at the conference was the equality and equivalence of same-sex marriage in relation to traditional unions. This principle has received support from many European countries and the USA.

The first same-sex marriage was officially registered in 2001. This happened in the Netherlands, which took into account the opinion of the participants in the Cairo conference and recognized the principles established at it. Other countries followed the Netherlands. In 2003, a similar decision was made by Belgium, in 2005 by Canada and Spain, and in 2006 by South Africa. Norway and Sweden later joined in 2009. 2010 added three new countries to them - Argentina, Portugal and Iceland. The list of 20 countries also includes Denmark, Finland, Uruguay, Brazil, France, New Zealand, the USA, Luxembourg and even Ireland and Colombia. Same-sex marriage has a controversial status in Costa Rica. In Germany, same-sex marriage is recognized as a civil partnership. A similar practice of registering same-sex unions has existed in this country since 2001. During this time it contained more than 35 thousand similar relationships between LGBT members. Many other countries in the world have followed the same path as Germany. Among them are Austria, Andorra, Hungary, Greece, Switzerland and even Venezuela. The difference between same-sex marriage and civil partnership lies in the clear legal limitation of rights in the second case of formalizing the relationship. For each country, such restrictions have their own form.

In the modern world, an increasing number of countries grant same-sex couples the right to official marriage. However, in Russia and a number of other states such marriages are not recognized. And in some states, homosexual relations are punishable by death. If the partners are determined to register their relationship, you can go to one of those countries where same-sex marriage is allowed.

Traditional and same-sex marriage

Such a concept as “marriage” arose in the times of ancient states. But several thousand years ago, and today it means the voluntary unification of a man and a woman into one family. Marriage in the traditional sense is a union between persons of the opposite sex. It is concluded by their mutual desire to create a family.

However, over the past few decades this concept has undergone changes. This primarily affected European tolerant states. Not only heterosexual but also homosexual couples can now marry. In some countries they are also allowed to have children. This trend is also supported at the international level. However, not all states, due to their religious and cultural traditions, are ready for such changes.

An interesting fact is that not so long ago homosexuality was considered a disease by the World Health Organization. But since 1990, it has been removed from the list of globally recognized diseases. This was done in favor of the emerging policy of total protection of equality, including for adherents of same-sex love.

The main role in the legalization of relations of sexual minorities was played by the Cairo International Conference of the United Nations on Population and Development in 1994 (hereinafter referred to as the Cairo Conference). Its program formulated principles in the field of human rights and freedoms. One of them proclaimed the right to choose any sexual partner and enter into any union. Human freedom began to be interpreted even more broadly. The equality of all is proclaimed regardless of race, skin color, gender, religion and sexual orientation. The development of these principles has led to many countries officially recognizing and/or allowing such unions.

At the international level, since 2003, even a day against homophobia has been celebrated (May 17). And 2011 was marked by the adoption of a UN resolution prohibiting any discrimination against homosexuals.

Video: Gay rights around the world

Where can you get into a same-sex marriage?

The principles approved at the Cairo Conference were gradually developed in many countries. Since 2000, the process of legalizing homosexual unions began in a number of European countries. However, questions about the rights of sexual minorities, even in the most tolerant of them, cause controversy in society.

Some countries recognize such connections, but do not officially register them. Others both recognize and register same-sex unions. Still others register them in other forms, recognizing marriages concluded in other countries. There are those who prohibit them and even punish them with death.

List of countries where same-sex marriage is legal

Among the most loyal states that have confirmed the legalization (that is, legality) of same-sex marriages are:

• Netherlands (2001);
• Belgium (2003);
• Spain, Canada (2005);
• South Africa (2006);
• Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland (2009);
• Argentina (2010);
• Denmark (2012);
• Brazil, Uruguay, France, New Zealand (2013);
• Luxembourg, USA, Ireland (2015);
• Columbia (2016);
• Finland (2017).

The possibility of registering non-traditional marriage unions is currently available in twenty countries. In Mexico and Great Britain, such marriages are not legalized in all parts (states). In some states, unions of non-traditional couples have a status other than marriage, namely a registered civil partnership. Such rules apply in Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Estonia, Austria, Switzerland, Greece, Slovenia, and Italy.

Does Russian family law allow registration of homosexual couples?

Russia is not one of the countries that advocates the legalization of same-sex love. The legislation does not contain a direct ban on such unions. As well as regulations that infringe on the rights of sexual minorities. But current legislation does not provide the right to non-traditional couples to legalize their relationship.

The country's Family Code (RF FC) contains the traditional definition of marriage as the union of a man and a woman (Article 12). At the same time, homosexuality is not listed among the circumstances that make marriage impossible (Article 14 of the RF IC). However, same-sex couples in Russia will not be able to be adoptive parents of children. The law provides for a direct ban on this (clause 13 of article 127 of the RF IC).

Homosexual unions (marriages) concluded in other countries are not recognized in our country. In addition, Russia is not a party to international agreements on the legalization of non-traditional marriages. Based on this, we can conclude that the attitude towards marriage of homosexual couples in Russia will not change in the near future.

Video: why Russia won’t legalize gay marriage

Position of Russian society

The state has been concerned about the demographic situation for several years now and is taking measures to increase the birth rate. And people brought up under the influence of cultural and religious traditions are far from being as tolerant in this matter as Europeans. Especially the generation that grew up during the Soviet Union. Young people now view homosexuality more simply. Some support gay rights, others are neutral. However, the majority still have a negative attitude towards same-sex unions. International principles established in relation to same-sex marriage are alien to Russian society. According to the results of surveys conducted over the years, only 4 to 30% of citizens expressed their agreement with homosexual marriage.

At the state level, society instills ideas of the value of family, motherhood, childhood and traditional relationships.

Video: Should same-sex marriage be legalized? (survey of residents of Russia and Ukraine)

In contrast to those countries where the full legalization of homosexual marriages has been introduced, there are states that insist on banning them. Some of them provide for severe punishment, including the death penalty, for any homosexual relations. For the most part, these include countries with strong religious traditions. These are eastern and African states, countries of Asia and Latin America, Oceania.

Homosexuals are subject to serious criminal prosecution in the following countries:

• Saudi Arabia;
• Sudan;
• Iran;
• Pakistan;
• Malaysia;
• Tanzania;
• Barbados.

There is no consensus in the world community regarding homosexual marriages. Most European countries allow their detention, citing equality regardless of orientation. There are more than two hundred countries in the world, and only twenty of them have so far officially recognized the legality of same-sex unions. The rest are either loyal, neutral, or openly opposed. Some countries that share European values ​​will apparently also legalize such unions in the near future. However, in states with strong religious traditions, this issue will not be resolved positively soon.

Often in the park I notice couples consisting of two men pushing a stroller with a baby. Perhaps they are just friends or brothers. But the picture immediately appears in my head that they are “husband and wife.” They have a special look...

Which countries allow same-sex marriage?

Same-sex marriage is a family union consisting of persons of the same sex (boy - boy, girl - girl).

This topic is quite sensitive, but it cannot be ignored. Moreover, recently people with non-traditional orientation are increasingly making themselves known through rallies and parades.

I have a twofold attitude towards such people. On the one hand, I don’t care who sleeps with whom, because everyone has their own vision of happiness. But on the other hand, no matter how hard I try to convince myself that everyone can live as they want, I still feel that this is wrong. Not Christian.

However, a number of countries have already officially adopted a law allowing same-sex marriages to be registered and not be embarrassed. These countries include:

• Canada;
• Argentina;
• Uruguay;
• Brazil;
• Mexico;
• Iceland;
• Sweden.

And this is not the entire list.

I noticed an interesting feature - all permissions to create same-sex families began to be given after 2001. That is, starting from the 21st century. In this I see a connection with the fact that people used to be less depraved than they are now.

Although there have been “blue” and “pink” people at all times, they have never declared themselves so loudly, and certainly did not get married and have children. In the last century, this was considered a shame.

In the modern world, society has become so self-confident and free that even homosexuality becomes almost a matter of pride.

The Church's attitude to same-sex marriage

It is strange to me that some Catholic churches in England perform wedding ceremonies for non-traditional couples.

Despite the fact that in general, Christian, Catholic and other faiths are categorically against such marriages. There are even lines in the Bible where God tells men not to lie with men as they do with women, for this is an abomination.

Attitudes towards same-sex marriage in society are ambiguous, and each country approaches this topic differently. Two men or two women can be endlessly happy in their relationship with each other, but whether they will be accepted by heterosexual society, whether their choices will be respected and whether they will receive social acceptance depends on the country in which the two are destined to meet. Let's find out in which countries such marriages are supported and for what reasons.

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Netherlands

The country that was the first to legalize alternative sexual preferences is the Netherlands. Thanks to a decision by the Dutch parliament in April 2001, the Netherlands recognized same-sex marriage. With this decision, many other countries followed the Netherlands. Same-sex couples have the right to marry, divorce and adopt children. Moreover, initially children were allowed to be adopted only within the country; later it became possible to adopt children from other countries.

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Canada

Canada is the first country outside of Europe to legalize same-sex marriage. This happened in 2005. In addition, Canada is known as one of the most gay-friendly countries in the world. According to public opinion polls, the majority of Canadians support gay marriage. There are many gay villages in Canada where people live together and take part in many activities together.

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South Africa

It hasn't been easy to legalize same-sex marriage in South Africa. Apart from elephants and safaris, Africa is also known for its social prejudices and various sexually transmitted diseases. Homosexuality was initially considered a crime in this country. Same-sex marriage later became legal in South Africa in 2006.

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Spain

In 2015, Spain celebrated 10 years of legal same-sex marriage. Spain made this decision in 2005. After the recognition of same-sex marriage, a large protest march was held, whose participants opposed legalization, however, over these 10 years, more than 100 thousand homosexual marriages were registered in Spain.

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Belgium

In 2003, Belgium became the second country to legalize same-sex marriage. Before this, limited civil liberties were granted to same-sex couples in 1998, and later, through a referendum, the rights of homosexual and heterosexual couples were equalized.

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USA

This superpower has not been spared by the trend to implement changes in marriage legislation. This is only possible with a liberal and understanding government, which was the case in the United States when this process began. According to Justice Anthony Kennedy, gay people should not be “consigned to a life of solitude.” In 2015, same-sex marriage was legalized throughout the United States. Before this, they were not allowed in all states.

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Portugal

The law legalizing gay marriage was signed into law in 2010. It was adopted amid great protests and disagreement from the opposition. However, this law does not give the right to homosexual couples who have registered their marriage to adopt children. In due course, this provision may be reviewed in accordance with the provisions of this law.

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Norway

The Norwegian government passed legislation legalizing same-sex marriage in June 2008. Thus, Norway became the first Scandinavian country to legalize such marriages. Celebrations took place across the country, with many gay wedding ceremonies held on the first day.

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Iceland

Iceland legalized same-sex marriage in 2010. In addition, it became the only country led by a gay man. Obtaining such legalization in Iceland was not a big problem, like in South Africa or other countries. Accordingly, since the head of state supported this and was himself a homosexual, this decision was consciously supported by the majority of the population.

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Argentina

Argentina also legalized same-sex marriage in 2010. It became the first Latin American country to make this possible. The Catholic Church opposed this decision. However, the law provides same-sex couples with all the rights currently afforded to heterosexuals in matters of marriage. For any marriage to be successful, commitment to the partner is required, whether it is between a same-sex couple or an opposite-sex couple.

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New Zealand

On April 17, 2013, a bill legalizing same-sex marriage was passed. In August of the same year, this law came into force. New Zealand became the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to allow gay couples to marry.

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Uruguay

Uruguay became the second Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriage in August 2013. Many believe that this should have been done much earlier, since the constitution guarantees freedom and equality to every citizen of the country, including homosexuals.

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Denmark

This bill was submitted to the government of Helle Thorning-Schmidt. After this, same-sex marriage became officially legal in Denmark in 2012. It also made it possible for same-sex couples to adopt children.

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England

Even the Queen did not remain aloof from the process of legalizing gay marriage. July 2013 was remembered for the legalization of same-sex marriage in the UK. This was first adopted for England and Wales, but later the law extended to other regions. Many couples insisted on this, saying, “We need to marry our loved ones for legal, social, and emotional safety.”

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Colombia

The most recent country to legalize same-sex marriage is Colombia. The fourth country in South America to legalize same-sex marriage. Various de facto rights have been granted to same-sex couples before, where a couple was considered a union if they had lived together for two years.

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Conclusion

The world is constantly changing. To some, these changes seem like a disaster, while others consider them a great blessing. The topic of same-sex marriage is one of those controversial topics that can split society into two halves. And yet, we see that many countries have made their choice. Whether this is a good choice or a bad one, time will tell. These were . Thank you for your attention.