Same-sex marriage

Lawmakers, who had cast aside a conservative push to allow religious objectors to refuse service to same-sex couples, waved rainbow flags and embraced on the floor of the chamber, after the overwhelming vote in favour of the bill.

Two German men made history Sunday by becoming the first same-sex couple to marry in Germany after decades of struggle.

Instead of a binding referendum or a vote in Parliament, Australia is holding a nonbinding, voluntary, postal plebiscite to determine whether Australians support same-sex marriage legalization. For many young Australians, who support marriage equality by large margins, a vote that seems designed to limit their participation is having the opposite effect.

Her shift comes as polls show that large majorities of German voters, and all other mainstream parties, are in favor of allowing same-sex marriage.

There’s some opposition, including from a Massachusetts anti-gay organization. But supporters in Taiwan say they have the endorsement of a bipartisan group of almost half of parliament. And marriage equality has the backing of President Tsai Ing-wen, who campaigned on the issue.