Same-sex Marriages

Thai LGBTQ+ couples register marriages as law gives them equal status

Hundreds of LGBTQ+ couples in Thailand made Thursday a life-changing occasion, registering their marriages legally on the first day a law took effect granting them the same rights as heterosexual couples. The enactment of the Marriage Equality Act makes Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia and the third place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage, after Taiwan and Nepal. By the end of Thursday some 1,832 same-sex couples had married nationwide, according to the Department of Provincial Administration. Well over 1,000 registered at district offices, while 185 couples registered their union at a daylong gala celebration at a shopping mall in central Bangkok. The couples included actors Apiwat Porsch Apiwatsayree and Sappanyoo Arm'Panatkool, who tied the knot at the Phra Nakorn district office in Bangkok. We can love, we love equally, legally, said Sappanyoo. And we can build our family in our own way because I believe that every kind of love, every kind of family is beautifu

Love wins in Thailand: Hundreds marry under new same-sex marriage law

Thailand becomes the first Southeast Asian nation to legalize same-sex marriage, granting equal rights to couples nationwide

Here's why SC refused to review pleas against same-sex marriage ruling

The Supreme Court dismissed review petitions challenging its earlier ruling denying legal recognition to same-sex marriages, reiterating its position and adherence to constitutional principles

No error: SC dismisses pleas seeking review of same-sex marriage verdict

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a batch of pleas seeking to review its October 2023 verdict declining legal sanction to same-sex marriage. A five-judge bench of Justices B R Gavai, Surya Kant, B V Nagarathna, P S Narasimha and Dipankar Datta took up about 13 petitions related to the matter in chambers and dismissed them. "We do not find any error apparent on the face of the record. We further find that the view expressed in both the judgements is in accordance with law and as such, no interference is warranted. Accordingly, the review petitions are dismissed," the bench said. It said the judges have carefully gone through the judgements delivered by Justice (since retired) S Ravindra Bhat speaking for himself and for Justice (since retired) Hima Kohli as well as the concurring opinion expressed by Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha, constituting the majority view. The bench also rejected a prayer made in the review petitions for hearing in an open court. According to ...

Same-sex marriage: 5-judge SC bench to consider review pleas on January 9

A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court will on January 9 consider the pleas seeking review of its October 2023 verdict declining legal sanction to same-sex marriage. A bench comprising Justices B R Gavai, Surya Kant, B V Nagarathna, P S Narasimha and Justice Dipankar Datta will take up about 13 petitions related to the matter in chambers. According to practice, the review pleas are considered in chambers by judges. The top court had refused to allow an open-court hearing on the review pleas. The new bench was constituted after Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the present CJI, recused from hearing the review petitions on July 10, 2024. Notably, Justice P S Narasimha is the only member of the original Constitution bench comprising five judges which delivered the verdict, as former CJI D Y Chandrachud and Justices S K Kaul, Ravindra Bhat, and Hima Kohli have retired. According to the Supreme Court's causelist, the review petitions would be considered at around 1.55 pm on January 9. A five-j

Nitin Gadkari calls live-in and same-sex marriages 'against society rules'

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari warns live-ins and same-sex marriages defy societal norms, risking the collapse of social structure

Lesbian couple may live together, parents not to 'interfere': Andhra HC

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has upheld the right of a lesbian couple to live together, affirming their freedom to choose partners. A bench comprising Justices R Raghunandan Rao and K Maheswara Rao was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Kavitha (name changed), one of the women, alleging that her partner Lalitha (name changed) was detained by her father against her will and kept her at his residence in Narsipatnam. The Court on Tuesday further directed the parents of Lalitha not to interfere with the relationship of the couple, asserting that their daughter is a major and can make her own decisions. The couple has been "living together" for the past one year in Vijayawada. Based on a missing complaint by Kavitha earlier, police traced Laitha at her father's home, and rescued her. After that, she was kept at a welfare home for 15 days though she pleaded to the police that she is a major and wants to live with her partner. Lalitha also lodged a complaint against her father in

Thailand set to reap $2 bn Rainbow Tourism boon with same-sex marriage law

The same-sex law that's slated to take effect in January will also create 152,000 full-time equivalent jobs and will help lift the nation's gross domestic product by 0.3 per cent

Thailand legalises same-sex marriage, allows couples to wed from January

Thailand's landmark marriage equality bill was officially written into law on Tuesday, allowing same-sex couples to legally wed. The law was published in the Royal Gazette after endorsement by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, and will come into effect in 120 days. This means LGBTQ+ couples will be able to register their marriage in January next year, making Thailand the third place in Asia, after Taiwan and Nepal, to allow same-sex marriage. The bill, which grants full legal, financial and medical rights for marriage partners of any gender, sailed through both the House of Representatives and the Senate in April and June respectively. Congratulations to everyone's love, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra wrote on X, adding the hashtag #Love Wins. Thailand has a reputation for acceptance and inclusivity but struggled for decades to pass a marriage equality law. Thai society largely holds conservative values, and members of the LGBTQ+ community say they face discrimination in everyday ..

South Korean Supreme Court grants same-sex couples a health insurance break

The country's highest court ruled that denying a same-sex couple dependent coverage solely based on their gender constitutes serious discrimination

In a first in Southeast Asia, Thailand passes marriage equality bill

LGBT advocates called the move a "monumental step forward," as Thailand would be the first nation in Southeast Asia to enact marriage equality legislation

Thailand lawmakers overwhelmingly pass bill to legalise same-sex marriage

Lawmakers in Thailand's lower house of Parliament overwhelmingly approved a marriage equality bill on Wednesday that would make the country the first in Southeast Asia to legalise equal rights for marriage partners of any gender. The bill passed its final reading with the approval of 400 of the 415 members of the House of Representatives who were in attendance, with 10 voting against it, two abstaining and three not voting. The bill amends the Civil and Commercial Code to change the words men and women and husband and wife to individuals and marriage partners. It would open up access to full legal, financial and medical rights for LGBTQ+ couples. The bill now goes to the Senate, which rarely rejects any legislation that passes the lower house, and then to the king for royal endorsement. This would make Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia to pass such a law and the third in Asia, after Taiwan and Nepal. Danuphorn Punnakanta, a spokesperson of the governing Pheu Thai party a

Denying same-sex marriage unconstitutional, change required: Japan Court

A Japanese high court ruled on Thursday that denying same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and called for urgent government action to address the lack of any law allowing for such unions. Plaintiffs and the LGBTQ+ community in Japan cheered it as giving them hope for change toward equality. The court does not have the power to overturn the current marriage law, which has been interpreted to restrict marriage as between a man and a woman. Government offices may continue to deny marriage status to same-sex couples unless the existing law is revised to include LGBTQ+ couples or a new law is enacted that allows for other types of unions. The Sapporo High Court ruling said not allowing same-sex couples to marry and enjoy the same benefits as straight couples violates their fundamental right to equality and freedom of marriage. The case was brought by three same-sex couples who appealed three years ago after a lower court recognised the unconstitutionality of excluding same-sex couples fr

Ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, Japanese High Court rules

The Japanese court said that it expected the Parliament to "institutionalise an appropriate same-sex marriage law" at some point

Greek parliament set to vote on legalising same-sex marriage today

Greece's parliament is set to vote on Thursday to legalise same-sex civil marriage, in a first for an Orthodox Christian country and despite opposition from the influential Greek Church. Opinion polls suggest that most Greeks support the proposed reform, and the issue has failed to trigger deep divisions in a country more worried about the high cost of living. The landmark bill drafted by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis ' centre-right government is backed by four left-wing parties, including the main opposition Syriza. That would secure it 243 votes in the 300-seat parliament. Several majority and left-wing lawmakers are expected to abstain or vote against the reform but not enough to kill the bill. Three small far-right parties and the Stalinist-rooted Communist Party have rejected the draft law. State Minister Akis Skertsos stressed at the opening of the two-day debate Wednesday that most Greeks already accept the idea of same-sex marriages. We are not deciding on change in

Greece to soon present legislation allowing same-sex marriage: Official

Greece's centre-right government will soon submit legislation allowing same-sex civil marriages, despite reservations from its own lawmakers and the country's influential Orthodox Church, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday. But he stressed that the proposed law would not extend the right to parenthood through surrogate mothers to same-sex couples an issue that has divided Greek society. What we are going to legislate is equality in marriage, Mitsotakis said. We will remove any discrimination concerning sexual orientation in the issue of marital relationship. But, he added, "we won't change the law on assisted parenthood. The idea of women who are turned into child-producing machines on demand ... that is not going to happen. Several lawmakers from the right wing of the governing New Democracy party have expressed opposition to any overhaul of Greece's marriage and parenthood laws to include same-sex couples. Mitsotakis said in Wednesday's interview with state-ru

Pope allows blessings for same-sex couples if they don't resemble marriage

Pope Francis has formally approved allowing priests to bless same-sex couples, with a new document explaining a radical change in Vatican policy by insisting that people seeking God's love and mercy shouldn't be subject to an exhaustive moral analysis to receive it. The document from the Vatican's doctrine office, released Monday, elaborates on a letter Francis sent to two conservative cardinals that was published in October. In that preliminary response, Francis suggested such blessings could be offered under some circumstances if they didn't confuse the ritual with the sacrament of marriage. The new document repeats that condition and elaborates on it, reaffirming that marriage is a lifelong sacrament between a man and a woman. And it stresses that blessings in question must be non-liturgical in nature and should not be conferred at the same time as a civil union, using set rituals or even with the clothing and gestures that belong in a wedding. But it says requests for such ...

Nepal 1st South Asian nation to officially register same-sex marriage

Five months after the Supreme Court legalised it, Nepal on Wednesday formally registered the first case of same-sex marriage, making it the first South Asian country to do so. Trans-woman Maya Gurung, 35 and Surendra Pandey, 27, a gay, got legally married and their marriage was registered at Dordi Rural Municipality of Lamjung district in Western Nepal, according to Sanjib Gurung (Pinky), president of Blue Diamond Society, an organization working for the rights and welfare of the sexual minorities in Nepal. Way back in 2007, Nepal's Supreme Court had allowed same-sex marriage. Even the Constitution of Nepal, adopted in 2015, explicitly states that there can be no discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. On June 27, 2023, the Supreme Court issued an interim order to legalise same-sex marriage in Nepal in a writ petition filed by multiple people, including Gurung. But despite the historic order to temporarily register same-sex marriage, Kathmandu District Court four months a

Plea for review of same-sex marriages verdict in SC for open court hearing

A petition seeking review of the October 17 verdict refusing to accord legal recognition to same-sex marriages was on Thursday mentioned before the Supreme Court for an open court hearing. A bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of the submissions of senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for one of the petitioners, that the review plea needed to be heard in open court to redress the grievances of those seeking validation of same-sex marriages. The bench also comprised Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra. I have not examined the (review) petition. Let me circulate it (among judges of that constitution bench), the CJI said. All the judges of the constitution bench were of the view that there was some kind of discrimination against queer persons and hence they needed relief as well, Rohatgi said. According to the apex court registry, the review plea was listed for consideration on November 28, he said. In the first week of November, one of the petitioners had mo

Same-sex marriage: Plea demands open court hearing against SC's order

A plea has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking to review its judgement denying marriage equality rights to queer persons, urging for an open court hearing on the petition