Love Wins: Countries with Legal Same-Sex Marriage 2026
June 9, 2026 · Updated June 10, 2026 · 4 min read
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has come under scrutiny for comments about revoking rights from gay Americans, including same-sex marriage. Thankfully, even if the worst were to happen, other countries still offer those rights for LGBTQIA+ folks. Since the Netherlands first legalized gay marriage back in 2001, the fight for equality continues to bear fruit, with a former Soviet state being the latest nation to sign gay marriage into law.
Andorra
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The tiny European nation of Andorra legalized same-sex marriage in February 2023.
Costa Rica
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Costa Rica made same-sex marriage the law of the land in May 2020.
Denmark
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Same-sex marriage has been legal throughout Denmark since June 2012.
Estonia
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The most recent country on this list, Estonia signed gay marriage into law in mid-2023, taking effect on January 1, 2024. It’s the first of the former Soviet states to do so.
The Netherlands
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The Netherlands was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage in April 2001.
New Zealand
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New Zealand/Aotearoa established same-sex marriage as a legal right in August 2013.
Norway
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Gay marriage went into effective nationwide for Norway on January 1, 2009.
Slovenia
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Slovenia established same-sex couples’ right to marry in July 2022.
South Africa
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South Africa legalized same-sex marriage in November 2006. As of 2023, it is the only country in Africa to do so.
Spain
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Spain established same-sex marriage as the law of the land in July 2005.
Switzerland
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Later than some of its EU counterparts, Switzerland legalized gay marriage in July 2022.
Taiwan
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Taiwan established the right for same-sex couples to get married as of May 2019. It’s currently the only Asian country to legalize gay marriage nationwide.
Thailand
Thailand has long been considered an LGBTQ destination, though the National Assembly only passed same-sex marriage into law as of January 2025. Thailand is the first Southeast Asian country to do so.
United Kingdom
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The United Kingdom legalized equal marriage rights for same-sex couples in January 2020.
United States
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The US established same-sex marriage as a nationwide right with the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision in June 2015.
Uruguay
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Uruguay signed gay marriage into law as of August 2013. Same-sex relationships have been legal since 1934.
Source: Wikipedia.
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