Norway's parliament last Wednesday voted 84 to 41 in favour of a new law which will allow same-sex couples to marry and adopt children.
Since 1993, Norwegian same-sex couples have had the right to civil unions which accords rights similar to marriage, but refuses them the right to church weddings or to be considered as adoptive parents.
Under the new legislation, gay male and lesbian couples will be accorded the same rights to religious services in connection with their marriage, the right to use assisted reproductive technology and to adopt children with the same requirements being applied as to heterosexuals. The Church of Norway will also be allowed - but not compelled - to bless same-sex marriages.
The left-leaning coalition government - comprising the Labour Party, Socialist Left Party, and Centre Party - voted largely in favour of the law, while the Christian Democrats and the far-right Progress Party voted against it.
Homosexuality was illegal until 1972 in the Scandinavian country.
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Reader's Comments
Cheers!
How bout Denmark?
When will my australian friends have the same rights I have as an spanish citizen? When will more countries join us? This is a long way to go, and each country has a different way to follow it and different needs; in many places is still illegal to have sex between consenting adults so, wake up! and fight for your rights!
P.S. most european countries have what they call "civil union" "PACS" etc that recognises couples that are living together but dont give them the SAME rights as any other couple. This only happen in the countries listed in the information, which is accurate, sorry terrificturk, but you are wrong.
It took about 4 decades for this European State!
Leftwingers pray hard for Asia..
Best wishes for the norway gay marriages!
cheers
I am proud of my country today! But we should have been first. Not 6th to implement the new laws.
C
* registered partners cannot adopt, with the exception that one party can adopt the biological children of the other
* registered partners cannot have joint custody of a child, except by adoption
* laws making explicit reference to the sexes of a married couple do not apply to registered partnerships
* regulations by international treaties do not apply unless all signatories agree.
Divorce for registered partners follow the same rules as opposite-sex divorces.
Registered partners must meet one of the following residency requirements to form a union: (1) one partner must be a Danish citizen and be resident in Denmark, or (2) both parties must have been resident in Denmark for two years. Citizens of Finland, Iceland, and Norway are treated as Danish citizens for purposes of the residency requirements.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_unions_in_Denmark
I really, really hope (and am actively working!)
for Asia to move fwd with the rest of the world.
I'm proud to be Asian, bt some civil laws in (most) Asian countries sre just depressing :(
Scandinavia is generally so sexually advanced that even against the nasty efforts by religious bigots to maintain an unfounded sense of superiority for their members (by defining gay people as morally lesser human beings), I believe gay marriage will soon be available there - and likely used as infrequently by Scandinavian gay people as by the rest of the population. lol
I'm wondering when will Asia move forward. Geez.
Lets try harder, when is our pride parade in singapore?
The Netherlands/Holland, 2001.
Belgium, 2003.
Massachusetts, USA, 2004.
Canada, 2005.
Spain, 2005.
South Africa, 2006.
California, 2008.
Norway, 2009.
Plan to go some of these countries to get married!
No restriction to residency for some countries, check it out.
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