Same‐sex marriage/civil unions

• Main Author: Heaphy, Brian
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2012
• Subjects: Canada; Norway; Argentina; Iceland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9781405165518.wbeoss011.pub2; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2F9781405165518.wbeoss011.pub2; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/9781405165518.wbeoss011.pub2

Same‐sex marriage refers to a union by two people of the same sex that is legally sanctioned by the state, where identical rights and responsibilities are afforded same‐sex and heterosexual married couples. The term “gay marriage” is popularly used to refer to same‐sex partnerships or cohabiting relationships that are formally registered in some way as a “civil union” (variously known as civil partnerships, registered partnerships, and registered cohabitation), although the latter are in fact legally distinct from marriage. The term is also sometimes employed to talk about unregistered same‐sex couple cohabitation or partnerships acknowledged through commitment ceremonies. Ten countries currently (as of December 2011) afford same‐sex couples the opportunity to participate in marriage including Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and Sweden (see the following websites for detailed information on changing status in different countries: www.marriageequality.org www.samesexmarriage.ca www.stonewall.org.uk ). Civil unions, civil partnerships, and registered cohabitation, which include some exemptions from the automatic rights and responsibilities afforded heterosexual married couples, are the most common forms of legal recognition. They offer some of the symbolic and material advantages associated with marriage, but with more limited legal status. At a global level, most same‐sex partners must currently rely on “do‐it‐yourself” affirmation and commitment ceremonies, or seek religious blessings where available.