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Recognition of same sex unions in North America

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Recognition of same-sex unions in North America

Currently, Canada and the United States are the only countries in North America that allow same-sex couples to marry everywhere within their boundaries. In Mexico, ten Mexican states have legalized same-sex marriage (although such marriages are recognized throughout the 31 states of Mexico) as well as the Mexican federal district of Mexico City. Same-sex marriages are also performed in the Caribbean Netherlands and Greenland. Furthermore Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten, recognize same-sex marriages performed in the Netherlands. In addition, four Mexican states perform some sort of civil union and nineteen Mexican states have won injunctions to have individual couple's marriages performed under court order. After South America, North America is the only other continent where an overwhelming majority of people live in a jurisdiction providing marriage rights to LGBT citizens.

Opposition proposals or proposals without a parliamentary majority

Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten As part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in April 2015 representatives of all four constituent countries agreed that same-sex couples should have equal rights throughout the Kingdom. In Aruba bills on amendments to the civil code, which would establish gender-neutral registered partnerships and allow same-sex couples to get married, were submitted to parliament in April and September, respectively. On 8 September 2016, the Parliament of Aruba approved the new Civil Code, which includes provision creating registered partnerships for both same-sex and opposite-sex couples.

Costa Rica On March 19, 2015, a bill to legalize same-sex marriage was introduced to the Legislative Assembly by deputy Ligia Elena Fallas Rodríguez from the Broad Front. On December 10, 2015, the organization Front for Equal Rights (Frente Por los Derechos Igualitarios) and a group of deputies from the Citizens' Action Party, the National Liberation Party and the Broad Front presented another bill.

Guatemala In December 2016, Congresswoman Sandra Morán of the Convergence Party announced an initiative that aims to amend the country's Civil Code and allow same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples in the country.

Mexico A decision of the Mexico Supreme Court on 12 June 2015 resulted in a ruling that found that state bans on same-sex marriage were unconstitutional. The court's ruling is considered a "jurisprudential thesis" and does not invalidate any state laws, meaning gay couples denied the right to wed would still have to seek individual injunctions. The ruling standardized the procedures for judges and courts throughout Mexico, to approve all applications for same-sex marriage, and made the approval mandatory. The ruling was published in the country's Judicial Gazette on 19 June 2015 and became binding on 22 June 2015. Some have suggested the ruling "effectively legalises" same-sex marriage in Mexico, though without legislative change, civil registrars are still bound to follow the state constitutions.

References

Recognition of same-sex unions in North America Wikipedia