Twenty years ago, just after the stroke of midnight on April 1, the mayor of Amsterdam married four couples in city hall as the Netherlands became the first country with legalized same-sex marriages.
“There are two reasons to rejoice,” Amsterdam Mayor Job Cohen told the newlyweds before pink champagne and pink cake were served. “You are celebrating your marriage, and you are also celebrating your right to be married.”
Same-sex marriage is legal in 29 countries. That includes most of Western Europe. Yet its spread has been uneven Taiwan is the only country in Asia to take the step; South Africa
David Crary And Mike Corder
Peter Wittebrood-Lemke, from left, Frank Wittebrood, Ton Jansen, Louis Rogmans, Helene Faasen and Anne-Marie Thus cut the wedding cake after exchanging vows at Amsterdam s City Hall early Sunday, April 1, 2001. The pairs were among four couples to get married under a new law which took effect April 1, 2001, the world s first such law allowing same-sex marriages with equal rights.
Image Credit: (AP Photo/Peter Dejong) April 01, 2021 - 9:00 PM AMSTERDAM - Twenty years ago, just after the stroke of midnight on April 1, the mayor of Amsterdam married four couples in City Hall as the Netherlands became the first country in the world with legalized same-sex marriages.
The Dutch legalized same-sex marriage in 2001. Who followed?
Updated 8:08 AM;
AMSTERDAM (AP) Twenty years ago, just after the stroke of midnight on April 1, the mayor of Amsterdam married four couples in City Hall as the Netherlands became the first country in the world with legalized same-sex marriages.
“There are two reasons to rejoice,″ Mayor Job Cohen told the newlyweds before pink champagne and pink cake were served. ″You are celebrating your marriage, and you are also celebrating your right to be married.″
Same-sex marriage is now legal in 28 countries worldwide, as well as the self-governing island of Taiwan. That includes most of Western Europe. Yet its spread has been uneven Taiwan is the only place in Asia to take the step; South Africa is the only African country to do so.
Twenty years ago, just after the stroke of midnight on April 1, the mayor of Amsterdam married four couples in City Hall as the Netherlands became the first country in the world with legalized same-sex marriages. "There are two reasons to rejoice,″ Mayor Job Cohen told the newlyweds before pink champagne and pink cake were…