First Gay Marriage

The first recorded same-sex marriage occurred in ancient Rome between two men, according to the Roman historian Livy. However, same-sex marriage as it is understood today did not become legally recognized until much later.

The first country to legalize same-sex marriage was the Netherlands, which did so in 2001. The first legal same-sex marriage in the Netherlands took place on April 1, 2001, between Willem van Konijnenburg and his partner, Michael Kooiman.

Since the legalization of same-sex marriage in the Netherlands, many other countries around the world have also legalized it. Some of the first countries to follow the Netherlands in legalizing same-sex marriage include Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, and Norway.

The United States has a more complicated history with regards to same-sex marriage. In 1996, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was passed, which defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman for the purposes of federal law. However, in 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges that the Constitution guarantees the right to same-sex marriage, effectively striking down DOMA and making same-sex marriage legal throughout the United States.

Today, same-sex marriage is legal in over 20 countries around the world, and it continues to be a topic of debate and controversy in many others. Despite the progress that has been made in the recognition of same-sex marriage, there is still a long way to go in terms of ensuring full equality and acceptance for LGBTI+ individuals around the world.