While it’s true that not all queer populations value the right to marriage equally, it continues to be a sociopolitical scene from which LGBTQ+ freedoms are promoted around the world. Countries constantly shift their stance on the issue, some protecting or pursuing its legalization, others doing everything in their power to make it go away.
After nearly four years of legal challenges, Fabiana Banzer and Scarlett Rocha have become the first same-sex couple to marry civilly in Bolivia. Although Bolivia’s constitution still restricts marriage to heterosexual couples, courts granted the women’s case based in part on international human-rights protections for same-sex couples. Their victory applies only to them for now, but LGBTQ+ advocates say it could create a legal pathway for other couples seeking marriage recognition. This case follows successful litigation years earlier that secured the first civil-union recognition for a same-sex couple in Bolivia and represents another significant step toward marriage equality in the country.
Meanwhile, Amsterdam’s Pride festival marked the 25th anniversary of the Netherlands becoming the first country to legalize same-sex marriage with its “Married For A Day” mass wedding ceremony. Dozens of couples participated, celebrating the significance of marriage equality even as marriage itself has become less popular among Dutch adults, with many opting instead for cohabitation agreements. Since same-sex marriage was legalized in 2001, more than 36,000 same-sex couples have married in the Netherlands. Prime Minister Rob Jetten (the country’s first openly gay leader) intends to marry his partner soon. Will this be a boost to the institution’s popularity for Dutch queers?
