Same-sex marriage in Greenland explained

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Greenland since 1 April 2016. Same-sex marriage legislation passed the Inatsisartut unanimously on 26 May 2015. Approval by the Folketing followed on 19 January 2016, and the law received royal assent on 3 February. The first same-sex marriage was performed in Nuuk on 1 April.

From 1996 to 2016, Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, recognised registered partnerships for same-sex couples, providing most, but not all, of the rights and benefits of marriage. The ability to enter into a partnership was closed off following the legalization of same-sex marriage.

Registered partnerships

Denmark's registered partnership law had been in operation since 1 October 1989.[1] [2] A bill to expand its application to Greenland was approved by the Inatsisartut on 14 May 1993 by a vote of 15–0 with 12 abstentions, and by the Folketing on 28 March 1996 by a vote of 104–1. The bill was given royal assent on 26 April 1996,[3] [4] and took effect on 1 July 1996.[5] [6] The law gave registered partners nearly identical rights to married couples, with these notable exceptions:

The first same-sex couple registered in 2002.[7] Registered partnerships are called Kalaallisut; Greenlandic: nalunaarsukkamik inooqatigiinneq (in Kalaallisut; Greenlandic pronounced as /nalʉnaːsːukːamik inɔːqatsiɣiːnːɜq/) in Greenlandic,[8] and Danish: registreret partnerskab (in Danish pronounced as /ʁekiˈstʁeˀð̩ ˈpʰɑːtnɐˌskɛˀp/) in Danish.[9] The law was repealed on 1 April 2016, and the ability to enter into a registered partnership was closed off on that date. Registered partners may retain their status or convert their union into a recognized marriage.

Same-sex marriage

A resolution,[10] expressing Greenland's wish to opt in the current version of Denmark's marriage law, had its first reading in the Inatsisartut on 25 March 2015,[11] and was approved unanimously on second and final reading on 26 May 2015.[12] [13] [14]

Approval by the Folketing was required before the law could go into effect, however. A bill was submitted to the Folketing on 28 January 2015 and had its first reading on 26 May 2015.[15] It was planned to come into effect on 1 October 2015; however, it lapsed due to the 2015 parliamentary elections.[16] A nearly identical bill with only minor formal changes was submitted on 29 October and had its first reading on 5 November.[17] [18] The second reading occurred on 14 January 2016, and the bill was approved in its final reading on 19 January.[18] [19] The bill was given royal assent by Queen Margrethe II on 3 February, and took effect on 1 April 2016.[18] The first same-sex marriage in Greenland was performed on 1 April at the Hans Egede Church in Nuuk between Laila Mølgaard and Henriette Simonsen.[20] [21] [22]

Article 1 of the Marriage Act (Danish: Ægteskabsloven; Kalaallisut; Greenlandic: Aappariinneq pillugu inatsit) now reads as follows:

(The law applies to marriages between two persons of different sex and between two persons of the same sex.)

26 May 2015 vote in the Inatsisartut[23]
Political affiliation Voted for Voted against Absent (Did not vote)*
Siumutª-
Inuit Ataqatigiit-
Demokraatitª--
Partii Naleraq--
Atassutª--
Total04*
ªThese three parties formed the Naalakkersuisut during the entire legislative process of this bill.

Marriages in the Church of Greenland

The Church of Greenland campaigned in favor of same-sex marriage legislation and worked closely with the government to ensure that same-sex couples would be able to have religious wedding ceremonies in the church. The Bishop of Greenland, Sofie Petersen, welcomed the legalization of same-sex marriage.[24]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Registered Partnership Act. Queer Resources Directory. https://web.archive.org/web/20140930123537/http://users.cybercity.dk/~dko12530/s2.htm. 30 September 2014.
  2. Web site: Rights for Gay Couples in Denmark. The New York Times. Sheila. Rule. 2 October 1989. 4 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080523/http://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/02/world/rights-for-gay-couples-in-denmark.html. 4 March 2016.
  3. Web site: Anordning om ikrafttræden for Grønland af dele af lov om ændring af lov om ægteskabs indgåelse og opløsning, lov om ægteskabets retsvirkninger og retsplejeloven og om ophævelse af lov om registreret partnerskab . Social-, Børne- og Integrationsministeriet . 11 November 2013 . Danish.
  4. News: 1995-96 - L 162 (oversigt): Forslag til lov om ændring af kriminalloven og arveloven for Grønland. (Ændringer som følge af indførelse af registreret partnerskab). . da. 4 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160404005153/http://webarkiv.ft.dk/?/samling/19951/lovforslag_oversigtsformat/l162.htm. 4 April 2016.
  5. Web site: Lov om ændring af kriminalloven og arveloven for Grønland (Ændringer som følge af indførelse af registreret partnerskab). 5 January 1996 . Government of Denmark. 4 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160404003630/https://www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=112468. live. 4 April 2016.
  6. Book: Merin, Yuval. Equality for Same-Sex Couples: The Legal Recognition of Gay Partnerships in Europe and the United States. University of Chicago Press. 2002. 9780226520339. 4 April 2016.
  7. https://www.globalgayz.com/gay-greenland-past-and-present/ Gay Greenland--Past and Present
  8. Web site: Nalunaarsukkamik inooqatigiinneq il.il. pillugit inatsisip allanngortinneqarneranik inatsisip Kalaallit Nunaannut atortuulersinneqarneranik peqqussut. kl. https://web.archive.org/web/20140910195956/http://www.stm.dk/multimedia/A_375_om_registreret_partnerskab.pdf. 10 September 2014. 22 April 2024.
  9. Web site: LGBT-forening: Lykkelig over ny lov i Grønland - trods religiøs modstand. da. DR.dk. 28 May 2015. Jacqueline. Rodriques.
  10. Web site: Forslag til: Inatsisartutbeslutning om at Grønlands Selvstyre tiltræder Anordning om ikrafttræden for Grønland af dele af lov om ændring af lov om ægteskabs indgåelse og opløsning, lov om ægteskabets retsvirkninger og retsplejeloven og om ophævelse af lov om registreret partnerskab. Parliament of Greenland. da. 3 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160312075806/http://inatsisartut.gl/dvd/fm2015/pdf/media/2549924/pkt100_fm2015_aegteskabets_retsvirkninger_og_retsplejeloven_bf_1beh_dk.pdf. 12 March 2016.
  11. Web site: Ullut ataatsimiiffiusut qulingiluaat, pingasunngorneq 25. marts 2015. Parliament of Greenland. da. 3 April 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160312235021/http://inatsisartut.gl/samlingerhome/oversigt-over-samlinger/samling/dagsordener/dagsorden.aspx?dagsorden=29637&day=25-03-2015. 12 March 2016.
  12. Web site: Ullut ataatsimiiffiusut 28-iat, marlunngorneq 26. maj 2015. Parliament of Greenland. da. 3 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160313091931/http://inatsisartut.gl/samlingerhome/oversigt-over-samlinger/samling/dagsordener/dagsorden.aspx?dagsorden=29656&day=26-05-2015. 13 March 2016.
  13. Web site: Greenland approves gay marriage. The Copenhagen Post. Christian. W. 28 May 2015. 3 April 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160402163053/http://cphpost.dk/news/greenland-approves-gay-marriage.html. 2 April 2016.
  14. Web site: Parliament in Greenland unanimously approves same-sex marriage. PinkNews. Joseph Patrick. McCormick. 27 May 2015. 3 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160201123342/https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/05/27/parliament-in-greenland-unanimously-approves-same-sex-marriage/. 1 February 2016.
  15. Web site: Lovforslag nr. L 122 Folketinget 2014-15. Folketing. da. 3 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304075805/http://www.folketingstidende.dk/RIpdf/samling/20141/lovforslag/L122/20141_L122_som_fremsat.pdf. 4 March 2016.
  16. Web site: L 122 Forslag til lov om ændring af myndighedsloven for Grønland, lov om ikrafttræden for Grønland af lov om ægteskabets retsvirkninger, retsplejelov for Grønland og kriminallov for Grønland. Folketing . da. 3 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160128151440/http://www.ft.dk/samling/20141/lovforslag/l122/index.htm. 28 January 2016.
  17. Web site: Lovforslag nr. L 35 Folketinget 2015-16. Folketing. da. 3 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070007/http://www.folketingstidende.dk/RIpdf/samling/20151/lovforslag/L35/20151_L35_som_fremsat.pdf. 4 March 2016.
  18. Web site: L 35 Forslag til lov om ændring af myndighedsloven for Grønland, lov om ikrafttræden for Grønland af lov om ægteskabets retsvirkninger, retsplejelov for Grønland og kriminallov for Grønland. Folketing. da. 3 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160403035541/http://www.ft.dk/samling/20151/lovforslag/L35/index.htm. 3 April 2016.
  19. Web site: Ja til homovielser og nej til at slå børn. Greenlandic Broadcasting Corporation. da. Helle. Nørrelund Sørensen. 19 January 2016. 3 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160127090713/http://knr.gl/da/nyheder/ja-til-homovielser-og-nej-til-sl%C3%A5-b%C3%B8rn. 27 January 2016.
  20. Web site: Første homoseksuelle par viet i kirken. Greenlandic Broadcasting Corporation. da. Camilla. Dam. 1 April 2016. 3 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160402023341/http://knr.gl/da/nyheder/første-homoseksuelle-par-viet-i-kirken. 2 April 2016.
  21. Web site: Same sex couples can now officially marry in Greenland. PinkNews. Joe. Williams. 1 April 2016. 2 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160402055709/http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/04/01/same-sex-couples-can-now-officially-marry-in-greenland/. 2 April 2016.
  22. Web site: Same-sex couples can now get married in Greenland. Gay Star News. Joe. Morgan. 1 April 2016. 2 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160402001940/http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/sex-couples-can-now-get-married-greenland/. 2 April 2016.
  23. Web site: Point 100 - Inatsisartutbeslutning om at Grønlands Selvstyre tiltræder Anordning om ikrafttræden for Grønland af dele af lov om ændring af lov om ægteskabs indgåelse og opløsning, lov om ægteskabets retsvirkninger og retsplejeloven og om ophævelse af lov om registreret partnerskab. (Ophævelse af anordning om lov om registreret partnerskab som følge af ægteskab mellem to personer af samme køn). https://web.archive.org/web/20160315161919/http://www.inatsisartut.gl/samlingerhome/oversigt-over-samlinger/samling/dagsordener/dagsorden.aspx?lang=da&realtime=&dagsorden=29656. Danish. 26 May 2015. 15 March 2016. 15 December 2016.
  24. Web site: Same-Sex Marriages Begin in Greenland. Out.com. 1 April 2016. Sauvalle. Julien.

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