2016: Equal Marriage in Review





It’s been a hell of a year, hasn’t it?


Bowie’s gone. 

Prince, Alan Rickman, Victoria Wood, Terry Wogan and a long list of other familiar and famous faces have gone, too. 

Brexit – what a mess.

Donald Trump is President-elect.

Donald Trump is President-elect...

Yeah, that last one hasn’t quite sunken in yet.

But 2016 wasn’t all bad. We went to the UK Blog Awards in London as a finalist, and in October we were shortlisted for a Wedding Blog Award. 




There was good news on the #EqualMarriage front from all around the world, too...

In February, a YouGov poll of 1,500 Anglicans revealed that more are in favour of same-sex marriage than against. 


They found that Anglican men over the age of 55 were least likely to support equal marriage.

(Would you be in the least bit surprised if we told that the current Anglican leadership is made up almost entirely of men over the age of 55?)

Back in March, the Italian Parliament voted to approve same-sex unions 173-71. It was the last country in Western Europe to introduce civil partnerships. 



Columbia and the Faroe Islands both legalised same-marriage in May. Columbia is now the fourth Latin American country to do so. The Faroe Islands was the last of the Nordics.

The Seychelles decriminalised homosexuality in May.

Taiwan looks set to legalise same-sex marriage in 2017. CNN described the small country as “One of the most progressive places in Asia in terms of LGBT rights.”




The United Reform Church now allows same-sex couples to marry in its churches. The United Reform Church has 1600 local congregations. 

In September, Guernsey passed its equal marriage law. The first same-sex weddings are likely to take place mid-2017.

The Isle of Man didn’t just legalise equal marriage in 2016, it opened up civil partnerships to mixed-gender couples, too. 

Australia’s equal marriage plebiscite was defeated in November. Critics (including 85% of LGBTs polled in July) argued primarily against the AU $160 million cost. There’s hope that an equal marriage law will make it through the Australian Parliament in 2017.



South Australia will recognise next-of-kin rights for same-sex married couples. It will recognise overseas gay marriages, too.

This follows the heart breaking experience of Marco Bulmer-Rizzi after the death of husband, David, during their honeymoon in South Australia.


What was your stand-out equal marriage moment of 2016? 

What are your hopes for a more inclusive 2017?


Feeling nostalgic for 2015? You can read our review of last year, too.




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