Iraq. Denmark. USA. Russia. Vatican. Turkey. Uganda. Same-sex marriage around the world - World. Map: Where same-sex couples can marry Before the Criminal Law Amendment Act was passed in 1969, homosexuality was a criminal offence in Canada, as it remains to this day in many other countries.
Four decades later, Canada and nine other countries — Argentina, Belgium, Iceland, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa and Sweden — have granted marriage rights to same-sex couples on an equal footing with heterosexuals. Yet many other countries, as well as most American states, have laws restricting access to same-sex marriage. Here are some key dates in the story: May 8, 2012: North Carolina, U.S.