Subject: Scandinavian "Marriages
From: Sam_Damon <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 20 Sep 1994 02:03:44 -0400 (edt)

> Subject: Scandinavian "Marriages"
> Date: Sun, 18 Sep 94 22:41:56 CDT
> From: Al Geiersbach <[email-masked]>
> 
> that Scandinavia has laws giving gays status similar to marriage. I know
> some information has been posted before, but I wonder if anyone would have
> the actual text of the laws in the various countries that could be posted
> here. If you don't want to translate into English, I'll throw the original

I don't have the original text, but here are some summaries from The Alyson
Almanac, 1994-1995 edition, "Laws and Attitudes, by Country," pp 240-256.

1) Norway - "... In 1993, Norway legalized gay marriages, although same sex
couples cannot yet adopt children ..."  (age of consent = 16)

2) Sweden - "... in 1988, Sweden became the first country to grant certain
partnership rights to same-sex couples, though it fell short of providing
full equality with heterosexual marriages ..." (age of consent = 15)

3) Denmark - "... in 1989, the country went a step further and legalized
same-sex marriages ..." (age of consent = 15)

Some geographers also include Finland and Iceland (and the Faroe Islands)
so:

4) Iceland - "Iceland is slowly catching up with its Scandanavian neighbors
on this issue ... Much social animosity remains toward lesbians and gay men,
but this is slowly changing ... the government is increasingly supportive of
gay rights efforts."  (age of consent = 18 for gay males; 16 for hetero and
lesbians)

5) Finland - "Finland has lagged behind the rest of Scandanavia in accepting
gay people.  For many years it had some of Europe's most repressive anti-ga
laws.  Homosexual activity was legalized in 1971, but the age of consent was
set at 18 for same0sex couples but only 16 for heterosexuals, and
age-of-of-consent violations are punished more harshly for same-sex
offenders.  Anti-gay discrimination is illegal, yet the law itself
discriminates by forbidding"encouragement of homosexuality" -- which has
been interpreted to keep gay programs off television.  Homosexuals are
allowed in the armed forces."