The Netherlands became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage 20 years ago today

Two men marry, surrounded by wedding party, in New Orleans, LA on November 11, 2017
Photo: Jami430 – Wikimedia Commons

On April 1, 2001, three gay male couples and one lesbian couple got married in the Netherlands, the day that the country’s law recognizing same-sex marriage went into effect. This makes today the 20th anniversary of marriage equality, since the Netherlands was the first country to legalize it.

“There are two reasons to rejoice,″ then Amsterdam Mayor Jacob Cohen told couples when he presided over their marriages just after midnight that day. ″You are celebrating your marriage, and you are also celebrating your right to be married.″

Related: Marriage equality plaintiff Jim Obergefell is still fighting for LGBTQ rights

No country recognized marriage between two people of the same sex prior to the 21st century, but a law to legalize marriage equality passed the Dutch legislature in 2000 and went into effect several months later.

“People told me that the Netherlands would be the first and the last country [to legalize marriage equality], the rest of the world won’t follow you,” said Henk Krol, a member of the Dutch parliament who supported the bill.

Now 29 countries allow same-sex couples to get married…

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