Welcome
Gay Spouse focuses on the recognition and protection of Spousal Rights and Responsibilities such as sick leave to care for impaired or dying loved one, health insurance coverage, next-of-kin status for death notification, control over remains and funereal matters, bereavement leave, inheritance, right to sue for wrongful death, immigration, prison visitation, hospital room access, pensions, survivor benefits, taxation, relationship dissolution, and so forth conveyed through civil recognition and governmental mechanisms. These are very basic human rights which, when honored, strengthen families by ensuring equality and non-discrimination for all family members, so same-sex couples can take responsibility for each other and their relatives - parents, grandparents, children, nieces, nephews, etc.
Theft by Discrimination Harms Entire Families
Every year governments take billions of dollars in taxes from same-sex couples without providing equity in medical benefits, pensions/superannuation, social security, access to support services, etc. - depriving couples of fundamental resources they have earned and which other family members take for granted as being available to help support their extended families (e.g. care for children, help disabled siblings, safeguard aging parents). Governments that deny equity not only harm the two gay people seeking to exercise their human rights but also harm every member of their family.
Likewise, every year governments take billions of dollars in taxes from parents and grandparents without providing equity to their gay children and grandchildren. Governments take billions of dollars in taxes from siblings without providing equity to their gay brothers and sisters who share inherent obligations to the entire family. This theft by discrimination, which harms countless family members, is indefensible.
Human rights protection is the only moral way to protect families and all family members. Governments that violate human rights violate the sanctity of human life.
Easy to Follow
Reference Guide
PROPER WORDING To all friends, family, and professional planners helping put together the event: be certain to ask in advance the wording that will be used by an officiant so participants are not insulted during the ceremony.
- Spouse: In a civil marriage ceremony, the proper term is spouse, for example, spouses for life.
- Partner: In a civil union, civil partnership, life partnership, or domestic partnership, the term partner is okay, for example, partners for life
UPDATING FORMS To governments needing to update marriage license forms: place two check boxes [ ] Bride [ ] Groom on the form for each applicant, so applicants can mark whichever applies to them. Another way is to simply place the designation Bride/Groom/Spouse above each of the two areas for applicant information.
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STATUS OF THE WORLD
HUMAN RIGHTS RECOGNITION
FOR SAME-SEX COUPLES
REGIONS FULFILLING HUMAN RIGHTS:
MARRIAGE, NONDISCRIMINATION & EQUALITY UNDER LAW
Akrotiri and Dhekelia
Alderney
Argentina
Aruba
Ascension Island
Australia
Austria
Barbados (pending)
Belgium
BES Islands (Bonaire, St. Eustatius, Saba)
Bolivia (pending)
Brazil
British Antarctic Territory
British Indian Ocean Territory
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Curaçao
Denmark
Dominican Republic (pending)
Ecuador
El Salvador (pending)
Estonia
Falkland Islands
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Germany
Greece
Greenland
Guadeloupe
Guatemala (pending)
Guernsey
Haiti (pending)
Iceland
Ireland
Isle of Man
Jersey
Liechtenstein (effective January 1, 2025)
Luxembourg
Malta
Martinique
Mayotte
Mexico
Nepal
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua (pending)
Norway
Panama (pending)(10)
Paraguay (pending)
Philippines (pending)
Pitcairn Islands
Portugal
Reunion
Saint Barthelemy
Saint Helena
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre & Miquelon
Sark
Scotland
Sint Maarten (pending)
Slovenia
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Spain
Surinam (pending)
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand (new law becomes active 120 days after royal assent and publication in official gazette)
Tristan da Cunha
Uruguay
Venezuela (pending)
Wallis & Futuna
District of Columbia, USA
Territory of Guam, USA
Territory of Northern Mariana Islands, USA
Territory of Puerto Rico, USA
Territory of U.S. Virgin Islands, USA
State of Alaska, USA
State of Arizona, USA***
State of Alabama, USA***
State of Arkansas, USA
State of California, USA
State of Colorado, USA
State of Connecticut, USA
State of Delaware, USA
State of Florida, USA
State of Georgia, USA
State of Hawaii, USA
State of Idaho, USA
State of Illinois, USA
State of Indiana, USA
State of Iowa, USA
State of Kansas, USA
State of Kentucky, USA
State of Louisiana, USA***
State of Maine, USA
State of Maryland, USA***
State of Massachusetts, USA
State of Michigan, USA
State of Minnesota, USA
State of Mississippi, USA
State of Missouri, USA
State of Montana, USA
State of Nebraska, USA
State of New Hampshire, USA
State of New Jersey, USA
State of New Mexico, USA
State of New York, USA***
State of Nevada, USA
State of North Carolina, USA
State of North Dakota, USA
State of Ohio, USA
State of Oklahoma, USA
State of Oregon, USA
State of Pennsylvania, USA
State of Rhode Island, USA
State of South Carolina, USA
State of South Dakota, USA
State of Tennessee, USA
State of Texas, USA***
State of Utah, USA
State of Vermont, USA
State of Virginia, USA
State of Washington, USA***
State of West Virginia, USA
State of Wisconsin, USA
State of Wyoming, USA
Coquille Indian Tribe on southwest coast of Oregon, USA
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians in the northern portion of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, USA
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation in southeast Connecticut, USA
Confederated Tribes of the Colvile Reservation in northeast Washington, USA
The Suquamish Tribe in northwest Washington, USA
Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes in Alaska, USA
Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, USA
Osage Nation in Oklahoma, USA
Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota, USA
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa in North Dakota, USA
REGIONS WITH SPECIAL STATUS:
MARRIAGE RECOGNITION WITHOUT EQUAL ACCESS TO REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGE
Faroe Islands
Gibraltar
Israel (7)
South Africa (6)
MARRIAGE WITHOUT ACTUAL MARRIAGE EQUALITY
Andorra
England (9)
Wales (9)
Northern Ireland (9)
REGIONS WITH OTHER STATUS:
DE FACTO - COMMON LAW - CIVIL UNIONS - PACS - DOMESTIC/LIFE PARTNERSHIPS
Andorra
Aruba
Austria (11)
Bermuda (5)
Cayman Islands (5)
Chile (11)
Croatia (5)
Cuba (11)
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark (11)
Ecuador (11)
England
Estonia
Finland (11)
France (11)
French Guiana (11)
French Polynesia (11)
Germany (11)
Gibraltar (11)
Greece (10)
Greenland (11)
Guadeloupe (11)
Hungary (8)
Isle of Man (11)
Italy
Jersey (11)
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg (11)
Malta (11)
Martinique (11)
Mayotte (11)
Montenegro
New Caledonia (11)
New Zealand (11)
Northern Ireland
Reunion (11)
Saint Barthelemy (11)
Saint Martin (11)
Saint Pierre & Miquelon (11)
San Marino
Scotland (11)
Slovenia (11)
Switzerland (11)
Taiwan (12)
Uruguay (11)
Wales
Wallis & Futuna (11)
Australia (Commonwealth/Federal Level of Government) (11)
Australian Capital Territory, Australia (11)
Northern Territory, Australia (11)
State of New South Wales, Australia (11)
State of Queensland, Australia (11)
State of South Australia, Australia (11)
State of Tasmania, Australia (11)
State of Victoria, Australia (11)
State of Western Australia, Australia (11)
***The corrupt top state court in this region makes all laws in this region questionable.
****Civil unions, domestic partnerships, and registered partnerships in these states provide only a fraction of marriage-related rights (the greatest missing one is not being singled out from marriage - even heterosexual mass murderers who kill their children get marriage, so civil union status is profoundly unequal).
(5) Fails to meet basic fundamental requirements of democracy, including Equal Protection under Law, so all of its laws are questionable.
(6) Maintains two separate laws for couples, a Civil Union Act for gay and straight couples, and a Marriage Act for straight couples only; the Civil Union Act - a Civil Union/Marriage hybrid piece of legislation - requires fingerprinting and photographs while the Marriage Act does not. Contrary to widespread reporting by media, South Africa does not provide marriage equality, calling into question the effectiveness of its entire constitution which purports to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation.
(7) Pertains to civil marriages. Israel registers civil marriages (including same-sex marriages) completed outside the nation. Under current marriage-performance laws, heterosexual Jewish fundamentalists can have marriages performed inside Israel. All other residents, gay and straight, must travel outside Israel to get married and then return.
(8) Government including judiciary one of the top most corrupt in the world, rendering democracy non-existent and constitution moot.
(9) There are six areas not equal including civil partnership access for straight couples who do not wish marriage, access to annulment, rules and costs for religious groups who want to offer ceremonies, some religious groups and individuals banned from performing ceremonies even if they want to, nondiscriminatory gender identity rights in marriage, and pension rights.
(10) Top judiciary one of the most corrupt in the world, rendering democracy non-existent and constitution/rule of law moot.
(11) Also has marriage equality in addition to other forms of relationship recognition such as Civil Partnerships.
(12) A quasi-civil union status only open to nationals and that does not meet equality standards by any stretch of the imagination and calls into question whether the Taiwan constitution regarding equality is meaningless.
REGIONS WITH OTHER STATUS:
ONE OR A FEW INDIVIDUAL MARRIAGE-RELATED RIGHTS/RESPONSIBILITIES FOR COUPLES
Liechtenstein
Namibia
FURTHER SUBDIVISIONS (COUNTIES, MUNICIPALITIES, ETC.) PROVIDING ONE OR MORE INDIVIDUAL MARRIAGE-RELATED RIGHTS FOR COUPLES
Numerous and diverse subdivisions around the globe, such as Counties and Municipalities, have legal registries for same-sex couples that provide some or many marriage-related rights. These subdivisions represent both large and small population centers with some of the larger subdivisions greater in population than many countries, states and provinces on Earth (e.g. Autonomous City of Buenos Aires pop. 2.7 million, which provided civil unions before Argentina enacted marriage equality nationwide).
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