There have been recent talks about same-sex marriage in the Philippines with a few politicians expressing support. Lawyer Jesus Falcis was among the first to put same-sex marriage in the spotlight, when he petitioned in 2015 the Supreme Court to rule that a law stating that marriage is granted only between a man and a woman. The petition was dismissed in 2019.
Around the world, same-sex marriage is being legalized. In 2000, the Netherlands became the first nation to legalize same-sex marriage, which is a huge milestone in LGBTQ+ rights. It resulted in the passing of similar laws in other countries. In South and Central Asia, and in Africa though, there are still restrictions.
Aside from the Netherlands, other countries that legalized same-sex marriage from 2000 to 2017 are Australia, Malta, Germany, Colombia, the United States, Greenland (semi-autonomous region), Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom (Scotland, England, and Wales), Brazil, France, New Zealand, Uruguay, Denmark, Argentina, Portugal, Iceland, Sweden, Mexico, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Canada and Belgium.
Countries that have most recently legalized same-sex union are:
Slovenia
In July 2022, the Constitutional Court ruled that same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples are now legal. This was after the law proclaiming only heterosexual couples can marry and adopt was found to infringe on the discrimination ban.
Chile
The legalization of same-sex marriage in December 2021 was the conclusion of the four-year work that started in 2017 in the form of a bill.
Switzerland
In September 2021, a referendum concerning same-sex marriage and adoption was passed with 64.1 percent vote.
Costa Rica
In May 2020, the country is the first in Central America to legalize same-sex marriage.
Ecuador
In June 2019, a gay couple triumphed over the country's civil registry that had denied their marriage request. This was because the majority of the judges in the highest court ruled in favor of them.
Taiwan
In May 2019, the country became the first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage two years after its Constitutional Court deemed an old law, which identified marriage only between a man and a woman, unconstitutional.
Austria
In January 2019, the legalization was officially implemented on the first day of the month. This was in line with the high court's ruling that it is discriminatory for same-sex couples to be banned from having a union on the basis of sexual orientation alone.
