What states today dont have gay marriage

Marriage Equality Around the World

The Human Rights Campaign tracks developments in the legal recognition of same-sex marriage around the society. Working through a worldwide network of HRC global alumni and partners, we lift up the voices of people, national and regional advocates and contribute tools, resources, and lessons learned to empower movements for marriage equality.

Current State of Marriage Equality

There are currently 38 countries where same-sex marriage is legal: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the Merged Kingdom, the Combined States of America and Uruguay. 

These countries have legalized marriage equality through both legislation and court decisions. 

Countries that Legalized Marriage Equality in 2025

Liechtenstein: On May 16, 2024, Liechtenstein's government passed a bill in favor of marriage equality. The law went into effect January 1, 2025.

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Criminalisation:

  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual exercise between males
  • Criminalises sexual task between females
  • Imposes the death penalty

Maximum punishment:

Death penalty

More info

Criminalisation:

  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual exercise between males

Maximum punishment:

Life imprisonment

More info

Criminalisation:

  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
  • Criminalises the gender expression of gender non-conforming people
  • Imposes the death penalty

Maximum punishment:

Death by stoning

More info

Criminalisation:

  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual action between males
  • Criminalises sexual outing between females
  • Criminalises the gender expression of trans people
  • Maintains discriminatory age of consent

Maximum punishment:

Eight years imprisonment and 100 lashes

More info

Criminalisation:

  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity

    Same-sex marriage represents a critical milestone in the Gay rights movement, allowing couples of the same sex to legally marry and receive the same marital benefits as heterosexual couples. The journey towards legalization has been varied across the globe, influenced by cultural, religious, and political factors. In some regions, the push for marriage equality has gained significant traction and achieved legal recognition, often after prolonged public and legal battles.

    While full marriage equality is celebrated in many places, an alternative approach through civil unions or local partnerships persists in others. These frameworks typically grant a subset of rights that marriage offers, focusing on aspects like property rights or hospital visitation. However, they often descent short in areas such as inheritance, pension rights, and parental responsibilities, displaying a gap in the legal recognition of relationships.

    The acceptance and implementation of same-sex marriage have brought substantial legal benefits, including inheritance rights, tax reductions, and enhanced health insurance options, which are central for the security and well-being of families. This progr

    What the Same Sex Marriage Bill Does and Doesn't Do

    The U.S. Senate passed landmark legislation this week enshrining protections for identical sex and interracial marriages in federal law in a bipartisan vote that marked a dramatic turnaround on a once highly divisive issue.

    The Senate action marks a major hurdle for the legislation, which President Biden has said he will autograph into law pending a vote in the Residence of Representatives.

    Leonore F. Carpenter, a Rutgers Law School professor who has served as an LGBTQA rights attorney, explains what the Respect for Marriage Act accomplishes, and what is does not.

    What exactly does the Respect for Marriage Behave do to protect homosexual marriage?

    The Act does a few important things.

    First, it repeals the federal Defense of Marriage Act. That law was passed in 1996, and it prohibited the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages that had been validly entered into under a state’s law. It also gave the green light to states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages from other states.

    Next, it prohibits states from refusing to recognize same-sex marriages that are validly entered into in a distinct state. It’s also impo what states today dont have gay marriage

    MAP Report: The National Patchwork of Marriage Laws Underneath Obergefell

    MEDIA CONTACT:   
    Rebecca Farmer, Movement Advancement Project
    rebecca@lgbtmap.org | 303-578-4600 ext 122

    As the Respect for Marriage Act moves through Congress, MAP’s March 2022 report on the landscape of varying state marriage laws around the country is a resource. MAP researchers are available to acknowledge questions and our infographics are ready for use.  

    MAP’s report, Underneath Obergefell, explores the patchwork of marriage laws around the country. The announce highlights the proof that a majority of states still have existing laws on the books that would bar marriage for gay couples – even though those laws are currently unenforceable under the U.S. Supreme Court judgment in Obergefell.  

    If the U.S. Supreme Court were to revisit the Obergefell conclusion, the ability of same-sex couples to marry could again fall to the states, where a majority of states still have in place both bans in the rule and in declare constitutions.   

    The policy landscape for mention marriage laws can be broken into four major categ