Ireland Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage in Groundbreaking Referendum by Voters

 

Same-sex marriage is now legal in the Republic of Ireland, after legislation passed by referendum in May came into effect on Monday.

 

More than 62% voted in favour of same-sex marriage during the May 23 referendum.

 

Ireland which is the first country in the world to recognize the practice via a popular vote, has now joined the growing list of nations where same-sex couples are getting married as the country's first same-sex wedding took place today, Tuesday, November 17 in Clonmel, County Tipperary.

 

 

Same-sex couples who have been wed abroad will now be legally recognized by the state, while gay and lesbian couples who want to marry will be able to do so. People already in civil partnerships can now choose to wed as well. 

 

More than 20 countries now allow, or have voted to allow, same-sex marriage, including the United States, where the Supreme Court ruled in June that individual states cannot ban the practice.

 

 

The Netherlands was first to legalize same-sex marriage in 2000.