Recognition of gay unions in Denmark
| Legal recognition of same-sex relationships |
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| Same-sex marriage | ||
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| Recognized in some regions | ||
| United States(MA) |
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| International recognition | ||
| Israel United States(NY) |
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| Civil unions and domestic partnerships |
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| Recognized in some regions | ||
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Argentina ( |
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| Unregistered co-habitation | ||
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| Recognition debated | ||
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| Civil unions legal, same-sex marriage debated |
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Same-sex marriage |
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Civil unions were introduced in Denmark by law on June 7 1989, the world's first such law. It came into force on October 1, 1989. It was extended to Greenland in 1996. It has the form of a registered partnership (Danish: "registreret partnerskab"), but has almost all the same qualities as marriage. All legal and fiscal rights and obligations are like those of opposite-sex marriage, with four exceptions:
- registered partners cannot adopt, with the exception that one party can adopt the biological children of the other
- registered partners cannot have joint custody of a child, except by adoption
- laws making explicit reference to the sexes of a married couple do not apply to registered partnerships
- regulations by international treaties do not apply unless all signatories agree.
Divorce for registered partners follow the same rules as opposite-sex divorces.
Only citizens of countries that recognise same-sex marriages can enter a registered partnership in Denmark. This rule excludes foreigners from entering registered partnerships that will not be legally valid in their home country.
By January 1 2002, there were more than 2000 registered partnerships in Denmark, of which 220 had children.
Role of state church
Registered partnership is by civil ceremony only. The Church of Denmark, the Lutheran state church, which is generally more conservative about same-sex issues than the Danish people, has yet to decide how to handle the issue, but the general attitude of the church seems approving but hesitant. Some priests perform blessings of gay couples, and this is accepted by the church, which states that the church blesses people, not institutions.
See also
External links
- The Registered Partnership Act
- The Formation and Dissolution of Marriage Act (common marriage act)
- The Evangelical Lutheran Church In Denmark & Homosexuality
| Civil unions in Europe | |
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| Sovereign states | Albania · Andorra · Armenia1 · Austria · Azerbaijan2 · Belarus · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus1 · Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Georgia2 · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy · Kazakhstan2 · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Republic of Macedonia · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia3 · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey3 · Ukraine · United Kingdom (England · Scotland · Northern Ireland · Wales) |
| Dependencies, autonomies, and other territories |
Abkhazia2 · Adjara1 · Akrotiri and Dhekelia · Åland · Azores · Crimea · Faroe Islands · Gagauzia · Gibraltar · Guernsey · Jan Mayen · Jersey · Kosovo · Man, Isle of · Madeira4 · Nagorno-Karabakh1 · Nakhchivan1 · South Ossetia2 · Svalbard · Transnistria · Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus1, 5 |
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1 Entirely in Southwest Asia; included here because of cultural, political and historical association with Europe. 2 Partially or entirely in Asia, depending on the definition of the border between Europe and Asia. 3 Mostly in Asia. 4 Entirely in the African Plate, included here because of cultural, political and historical association with Europe. 5 Only recognised by Turkey. |
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