Countries Where Gay Marriage Is Legal: Netherlands, Argentina & More

Obama threw his personal support behind same-sex marriage on Wednesday, but 30 U.S. states still ban it. From Canada to Portugal, The Daily Beast finds 10 nations that allow gay couples to legally tie the knot.

Obama’s comments in support of legalizing gay marriage may have created a small firestorm of political and cultural reactions in the United States on Wednesday, but same-sex unions have been legal for more than a decade in some nations.

There are 10 countries in which gay marriage is legal. The Parliament of The Netherlands, which passed a bill legalizing same sex marriage by a 3-to-1 margin in 2001, was the first national government body to pass national legislation. Since then, another nine countries have followed suit. As well, legislation is pending in some eight nations, including Finland and Australia, and civil unions or some form of gay parnerships are legal in more than 20 countries. See which countries are more proactive than the U.S.

The Netherlands
Year Legalized: 2001

Belgium
Year Legalized: 2003

Spain
Year Legalized: 2005

Canada
Year Legalized: 2005

South Africa
Year Legalized: 2006

Norway
Year Legalized: 2009

Sweden
Year Legalized: 2009

Portugal
Year Legalized: 2010

Iceland
Year Legalized: 2010

Argentina
Year Legalized: 2010