BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – President Obama’s announcement last week that his “evolving” views on same sex marriage had led him to support full marriage rights for all Americans has placed the topic squarely in the forefront of political topics in this presidential election year. However, his personal endorsement aside, it has no weight of law behind it (unlike, for instance, an Executive Order signed by the Commander-in-Chief). At present, ten countries have expanded their laws over the past dozen years to include same sex marriage:

The Netherlands (2000): The Low Countries made history at the dawn of the new millennium by becoming the first nation to pass marriage equality. At the time, 62 percent of the Dutch population supported it, and over 2,400 gay couples took advantage of the new law within 9 months of its passage.

Belgium (2003): LGBT rights had support in both Belgium’s Frenchspeaking south and Flemish-speaking north, and the Belgian parliament extended tax and inheritance benefits to gay couples three full years before they permitted same-sex partners to adopt children.

Spain (2005): Although the Roman Catholic Church mounted strong opposition to its passage, Spanish lawmakers legalized same sex marriage by adding a single line to existing matrimonial statutes: “Marriage will have the same requirements and results when the two people entering into the contract are of the same sex or of different sexes.

Canada (2005): Court rulings had made gay marriage legal in nine of Canada’s 13 provinces and territories by the time Members of Parliament passed the national law. Although Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper had promised to upend the apple cart when he became prime minister in 2006, the law remains in effect.

South Africa (2006): The first and so far sole African nation to codify marriage equality. The measure was passed by lawmakers after a 2005 decision by the nation’s Constitutional Court, which ruled that the nation’s constitution— which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation—guarantees marriage rights to same sex couples. The law, however, allows civil officials and members of the clergy to refuse to perform gay marriage ceremonies for reasons of conscience.

Norway (2008): The country with the world’s highest human development index ranking (which measures a nation’s comparative quality of life, including life expectancy, literacy, education, and standard of living) gives same sex couples the right to marry and adopt children, among other things. Clergy have the right—but are not required—to perform same-sex marriages.

Sweden (2009): In the 1990s, Sweden became one of the world’s first countries to permit “partnership” rights to same sex couples. Three years ago, lawmakers passed—in a landslide 226 to 22 vote, full marriage equality, with 70 percent of Swedes supporting passage. After its approval, the Lutheran Church of Sweden decided to allow its priests to officiate at gay marriages unless they abstain for reasons of conscience (in which case another priest will perform the ceremony).

Portugal (2010): Portugal’s Socialist parliament passed legislation permitting gay marriages, over the stiff objections of President Aníbal Cavaco Silva, a member of the Iberian nation’s conservative Social Democratic Party. “I feel I should not contribute to a pointless extension of this debate,” the Portuguese head of state offered resignedly when he signed the law.

Iceland (2010): Iceland passed marriage equality (unanimously, in a 40 to 0 vote) a year after electing the world’s first openly gay head of government, Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir, who became one of the first citizens to wed under the measure, marrying her civil partner of nearly a quarter century, Jónína Leósdóttir.

Argentina (2010): The first Latin American country to pass gay marriage (see previous article), in spite of strong Roman Catholic opposition. At the time, Mexico City, which became the first Latin American metropolitan area to legalize same sex marriage the previous year, offered an allexpenses- paid trip for the first same sex Argentine couple who wed.