The Dutch triggered a political and social shift that has spread across large swaths of the globe.
Since the Netherlands became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2001, more than 30 countries around the world have followed suit.
On Feb. 15, 2024, Greece moved to become one of the first Orthodox Christian countries to allow such unions. The news came after Estonia became the first ex-Soviet bloc country to legalize the practice in January 2024.
Today, marriage equality is largely limited to countries in North and South America, Europe and Oceania. South Africa is the only country in Africa and Taiwan is the only country in Asia to have legalized same-sex marriage.
Before Greece and Estonia, the most recent countries to legalize marriage equality were Cuba, Andorra and Slovenia, with all three doing so in 2022.
