This year has been a truly landmark year for gay rights, but I think 2013 will be even better! This year has obviously seen in those all-important victories in the polls in the US, but looking internationally: - - Mexico's high court has paved the way for SSM to be legalised nationwide but only has the power to settle the case on a state-by-state basis. Currently only Mexico City and the southern state of Oaxaca perform SSM but these are recognised nationwide. Now every state that a case is brought forward in will be forced to permit SSM, meaning that by the end of 2013 every state in Mexico will likely perform them. The US will be then quite literally sandwiched by same-sex marriage. - Uruguay and Colombia will legalise SSM, joining Argentina and starting the domino effect on the South American continent aswell. Brazil already "partially" legalises SSM - a couple in a civil union can go to a a judge to have those converted into marriages in Sao Paulo, and several states have already legalised it. Expect some Supreme Court action next year. - Britain and France will legalise it, in addition to Finland and Luxembourg, meaning Europe will be home to a total of 12 countries that recognise it. Truly the world's SSM mecca. - Nepal and Taiwan are expected to legalise it, with Taiwan now looking at other countries on how to implement the law. Nepal's court ordered it a few years ago but its parliament haven't yet introduced legislation. It is widely expected to be brought in next year. Taiwan and Nepal will be the first nations in relatively homophobic Asia to perform same-sex marriage (Israel recognises them performed elsewhere) - New Zealand's same-sex marriage law has already passed first reading (80-40) and will likely be passed by Parliament next year. That is a HELLUVA lot of movement on SSM globally in one year, amounting to 9 (10 with Mexico), which will almost DOUBLE the number of nations that have legalised it so far - from 11 to 21.
Interesting. Can you provide us with sources concerning the progress in the countries you mentioned above? (I'm not disputing your opinion, it would just be nice to know how you've come to these conclusions.) Meanwhile closer to home (for me), we're looking forward to the Supreme Court of the United States potentially striking Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined the meaning of the word marriage as applied to federal laws. If that comes to pass, we'll have to figure out where we can go to get married, as our state (Michigan) bans recognition of any agreement other than one man/one woman in marriage, for any purpose. We haven't bothered heretofore because of the lack of recognition at both state & federal levels.
