Where Same-Sex Marriage Is Legal

The Greek parliament on Thursday legalized same-sex marriage - the first Orthodox Christian country and the first in Southeastern Europe to do so. After two days of debate, people rallied in Athens during the late-night vote. Streets filled with supporters of marriage equality but also with opponents, as the Greek Orthodox church continues to be vehemently against the right of same-sex couples to marry.

Same-sex marriage has advanced in countries and regions where acceptance of homosexuality is high and globally, half of countries that allow it are in Western Europe. More recently, countries in Latin America have also seen advances, with Cuba and Mexico legalizing same sex marriage in 2022, Chile in 2021, Ecuador in 2019 and Costa Rica in 2018 (in effect since 2020). It has been legal in Colombia since 2016, in Brazil since 2013 and Argentina since 2010.

Taiwan and South Africa for now remain the only places on their respective continents where same-sex or queer couples can get married. Still, several European governments do not allow same-sex unions, notably Italy and much of Eastern Europe.