How LGBT Marriages Are Viewed From the Perspectives of Different Nations
Different regulations of individualized nations can greatly alter the overall effects and/or consequences of LGBT marriages. In fact, it wasn’t before June 2015 that the United States legalized same sex marriages nationwide, overturning the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and determining the verdict for the complications regarding things such as adoption rights, divorce rights, and overall freedom of gender expression, which LGBT couples were all previously denied access to in 34 states prior to the date (Hurtig 2013). All of this came sufficiently after the legalization of same-sex marriage in Canada, with Ontario being the first province to legalize on June 10th 2003, and nearly two-dozen homosexual couples applying for marriage licenses in Ontario that day (Elliot et. al 2013).
For obvious reasons, it is ideal that in the near future, the message can convey itself to the majority of nations that expression of emotion should not be considered an entitlement, a privilege, or a luxury, but more so as a simple little part of everyday life. Unfortunately, for so many innocent civilians, the ability to express themselves thoroughly with whomever they wish could easily leave them subject to punishment, to the extreme of life imprisonment and even death. In many Middle Eastern countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Yemen, people have been left with broken bones and serious burns, even murdered after the mere assumption that they had likings for the same sex.
As of August 2006, 92 out of 193 recognized countries had laws criminalizing homosexuality, a resounding 47%. With the numbers slowly improving and acts gradually being overturned for the betterment of their civilians, there was found to be 72 countries with laws that strongly oppose and chastise same-sex marriages as of August 2016, which was a definite improvement over the decade (Saner 2013).
Many countries, including developed ones, continue to attempt to enhance their regulations to benefit the entirety of their population. It is hoped that there will be a bigger improvement over the next decade.
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