Recognizing same-sex marriages

The Unitarian Church is the first church to design a ceremony for same-sex marriages. It is one of its compendium of flexible and undogmatic ceremonies for Christian believers and others.

In Scandinavia, single-sex couples enjoy certain partnership rights, if not full-scale marriage or the right to adopt children. Homosexual partnerships are legally recognized in Denmark and Sweden, with The Netherlands expect to follow suit in 1998. The Netherlands is also expected to legalize marriage for gays. The Parliaments of Belgium, the Czech Republic, The Netherlands and Finland are all discussing legislation to regulate gay partnerships. Belgium's proposals would not allow gays to marry in church or to adopt children and would make it easier for a single-sex couple to separate than for partners in a traditional marriage.