Japanese higher court rules in favor of marriage equality
The ruling adds pressure on the Japanese parliament to legalize same-sex marriages. Japan remains the only country in the G7 that has not legalized marriage equality.
Same-sex marriage
This archive tracks legal victories, policy shifts, and cultural milestones that have expanded marriage equality around the world. From landmark court rulings to legislative breakthroughs, these stories document real progress for LGBTQ+ couples and families.
Namibia’s highest court recognizes same-sex marriages performed in other countries
In a historic ruling, the Supreme Court of Namibia has ruled that the government is required to recognize same-sex marriages performed legally in other nations between citizens and foreign nationals.
South Korea court recognizes same-sex couple rights for first time
Same-sex health insurance benefits just won recognition in a South Korean court for the first time, in a case brought by So Seong-wook after the national insurer reversed his approved coverage as his partner’s dependent. The Seoul High Court ruled that denying spousal benefits to a same-sex couple was unlawful discrimination, with judges writing that being in the minority “cannot be wrong itself.” The decision doesn’t legalize same-sex marriage, but it reads existing law broadly enough to include same-sex partners in one of the most practical recognitions a state offers. In a country still without a legal framework for same-sex partnerships, that’s a meaningful crack in the wall — and a reminder that equality often arrives one plaintiff, one ruling at a time.
Respect for Marriage Act on White House becomes law in the U.S., formally recognizing same-sex marriages
The bill requires that the federal and state governments to recognize same-sex and interracial marriages performed by other states.
Mormon church endorses U.S. federal marriage equality bill
The 17-million-member Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints now supports a bill that codifies the recognition of same-sex marriages performed in any state by other states and the federal government.
Tokyo begins issuing same-sex couples partnership certificates
Some hope this may be a step towards the whole of Japan embracing equality. It is currently the only country in the G7 group of developed nations which doesn’t recognize same-sex unions.
Marriage equality is now legal in all of Mexico after the final states approve it
In a 23 to 12 vote (with two abstentions), Tamaulipas became the 32nd state to legalize same-sex marriage, after the state of Guerrero did so just the day before.
The State of Mexico legalizes marriage equality
In a 50 to 16 vote, the largest state in Mexico has legalized same-sex marriage, becoming the 29th of 32 Mexican states to do so.
Slovenia legalizes LGBTQ marriage and adoptions
The move makes Slovenia the first country in Eastern Europe to ensure equal rights for same-sex couples.
Cuba approves same-sex marriage in historic turnabout
Same-sex marriage in Cuba is now legal, after roughly two-thirds of voters approved a sweeping new family code that also opens adoption to gay couples. Before the referendum, the draft was workshopped at more than 79,000 neighborhood meetings, drawing over 300,000 citizen suggestions that shaped the final text. The 100-page code goes well beyond marriage equality, condemning family violence, urging equal sharing of housework, and giving children a formal voice in family decisions. It’s a remarkable turn for a country that once sent gay men to labor camps, and it places Cuba alongside Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia in Latin America’s steady movement toward fuller recognition of who counts as a family.