Same-sex Couple Sue over Slovakia’s Refusal to Register Marriage

THE GUARDIAN: Case of couple who wed legally in Austria exposes clash between EU court ruling and national restrictions

Ivan Novotný (left) and Metod Špaček married in Austria in 2020 but their marital status at home in Slovakia remains unrecognised. Photograph: Rob Cameron
A same-sex couple are suing authorities in Slovakia for refusing to register their Austrian marriage, testing whether a landmark EU court ruling can turn recognition abroad into legal security at home.

Their fight exposes a clash between European obligations and national restrictions – and what that means for LGBTQ+ people living under Robert Fico’s populist-nationalist government.

Ivan Novotný, 31, and Metod Špaček, 51, married in Austria in 2020, but six years on, their marital status at home remains unrecognised.

There is no same-sex marriage in Slovakia, a socially conservative, predominantly Catholic country; neither is there any form of civil partnership.

But Novotný and Špaček, who are both lawyers and former diplomats, are not asking for that. They want the Slovakian authorities to recognise a marriage that was concluded legally in another EU country – something the bloc’s top court has said is mandatory for all EU members. » | Rob Cameron in Bratislava | Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Drama Queen Justice Alito Wants Peasants to Stop Being Big Meanies to SCOTUS

Oct 9, 2026 | Justice Samuel Alito is reminding everyone how much of a whiny, narcissistic simpleton he is while hawking his book. He went out of his way to portray himself as a victim due to criticism the Supreme Court has received for their disregard of the Constitution and also claimed the 2015 Obergefell decision that struck down same-sex marriage bans harmed religious liberty. In this video we’ll dissect his absurd comments and explain why he’s nothing more than a partisan hack in a robe.

Very strong language alert!

Dr John Inge, Lord Bishop of Worcester | Christianity Should Allow Gay Marriage | Oxford Union

Feb 15, 2023 | Currently, Church of England members of the clergy are not permitted to carry out same-sex marriages, whilst homosexual Anglicans are required to remain celibate.

In recent years, however, the Church of Wales, the Scottish Episcopal Church, and, most recently, the Methodist Church, have all embraced marriage equality.

In February 2023, the General Synod met to discuss the issue, raising the question across the Anglican Communion and Christendom: should Christianity extend the sacraments to same same-sex marriages?

Fact Check: Has Ukraine Just Legalised Same-sex Marriage?

Mar 11, 2026 | A Supreme Court ruling in Ukraine recognising a same-sex couple as a "de facto" family unit has sparked confusion online.

Supreme Court Denies Request to Revisit Same-Sex Marriage Decision

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Kim Davis, a Kentucky county clerk who refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses, had asked the court to reconsider its landmark 2015 opinion.
The Supreme Court on Monday turned down a request that it consider overturning its landmark decision to legalize same-sex marriage a decade ago.

The court, without comment, declined the petition, filed by Kim Davis, a former Kentucky county clerk who gained national attention in 2015 when she defied a court order and refused to issue same-sex licenses because of her religious beliefs.

She had asked the Supreme Court to reverse an order that required her to pay more than $300,000 to a couple denied a marriage license — and to overturn the same-sex marriage ruling from 2015.

At least four of the nine justices would have needed to vote to hear Ms. Davis’s case and revisit the marriage precedent, a major step that many legal experts had said they were not expecting the court to take. » | Ann E. Marimow, Reporting from Washington| | Monday, November 10, 2025

Supreme Court Reviewing Challenge to Overturn Same-sex Marriage

Nov 7, 2025 | Today, the Supreme Court will meet behind closed doors to review a potential challenge that would overturn the landmark 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges which legalized same-sex marriage. The decision is under scrutiny following an appeal by Kim Davis. Senior Writer at Slate Mark Joseph Stern and Assistant Professor of Law at University of Michigan Leah Litman join Ana Cabrera to analyze the legal implications.

Supreme Court to Consider Hearing Challenge to Overturn Same-sex Marriage

Oct 29, 2025 | Former Kentucky County Clerk Kim Davis is pressing the Supreme Court to overturn its 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges that recognized same-sex marriage rights. The justices will consider her petition to the decision on November 7th. Slate Senior Writer Mark Joseph Stern, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Wehle and Senior Director of Civil Rights and Legal Strategies at GLAD Law Mary Bonauto, one of the attorneys who argued before the Supreme Court in the Obergefell case, join Katy Tur to discuss the likelihood of the high court taking up the case.

Trump’s America has turned into such a SHITHOUSE! — © Mark Alexander

Japan’s Parliament Elects First Female Prime Minister. She’s Against LGBTQ+ Rights.

LGBTQ NATION: She's a staunch opponent of same-sex marriage and gender equality.

Japan’s parliament on Tuesday elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country’s first female prime minister, ending a three-month power struggle after disastrous election losses in July for the governing Liberal Democratic Party.

Takaichi, 64, replaces Shigeru Ishiba, who lasted just a year as prime minister.

The struggling LDP joined the country’s right-wing Japan Innovation Party to form the fragile alliance enabling Takaichi’s election.

Takaichi still lacks a majority in both houses of parliament, throwing prospects for a successful premiership into doubt from the outset.

Japan has had four prime ministers in the last five years.

While Takaichi breaks a glass ceiling for women in Japan as the country’s first female head of government, she is well known for her hostility to women’s rights, gender equality, and diversity.

Takaichi opposes same-sex marriage, separate surnames for married couples, and female succession for Japan’s imperial family. » | Greg Owen | Sunday, October 26, 2025

MAGA's Not So Secret Plan to ERADICATE Religious Freedom, Same-sex Marriage and Voting Rights

Aug 22, 2025

Isn’t there someone on the Supreme Court in an interracial marriage? — © Mark Alexander

US Supreme Court Asked to Overturn Same-sex Marriage Ruling | The World | ABC NEWS

Aug 14, 2025 | The US Supreme Court has officially been asked to overturn the landmark 2015 decision that granted equal marriage rights to LGBTQ+ couples. It comes amid criticism of the State Department's reports on international human rights abuses this week, which eliminated entire sections on discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, women and racial and ethnic minorities in countries with long track records of human rights abuses. Lambda Legal CEO Kevin Jennings joined The World from New York.

The re-election of Donald Trump is a DISASTER. He and his cronies are FOSSILS. It would be the irony of ironies indeed if this convicted felon and sex offender ends up taking gays' hard-won rights away.— © Mark Alexander

Even MAGA SCOTUS Won't Touch Gay Marriage

Aug 16, 2025 | Even if they could, would the Supreme Court overturn its 10 year old same sex marriage ruling in response to a new MAGA petition? Star trial lawyer Roberta Kaplan joins Popok to brief the audience on the new MAGA attempt to imperil gay marriage and families, and to update them on her client E Jean Carroll’s $100 million in judgments she holds aging Trump for sec abuse, defamation and punitive damages.

Supreme Court Asked to Overturn Landmark Same-sex Marriage Decision

Aug 12, 2025 | The vast majority of Americans now believe same-sex couples should have the right to get married. But there are some new signs of a brewing backlash this year, and a very different Supreme Court could, at least in theory, take away what it gave same-sex partners 10 years ago in its landmark Obergefell v. Hodges decision.

The conservative court will have an opportunity to do that if it takes up an appeal filed last month by Kim Davis, a former county clerk from Kentucky who drew nationwide attention when she defied court orders and refused to issue marriage licenses in 2015. Davis is directly asking the court to overturn Obergefell.

CNN's Pamela Brown speaks with Tom Dupree, former deputy assistant Attorney General in the George W. Bush administration.

Gay Marriages Might Be Banned by This Time Next Year: Here’s What We Know

Aug 13, 2025 | Notorious homophobe Kim Davis has petitioned the Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari and is formally asking them to strike down the precedent set in the landmark 2015 Obergell decision that legalized same-sex marriages in all 50 states. This is the first time the Court has been asked to strike down marriage equality since it was established as a constitutional right, but if they agree to take up this case, they’ll almost certainly reverse their 2015 decision in a 5-4 or 6-3 ruling. In this video we’ll talk about the case before them and discuss what this would mean for same-sex couples and how the Respect For Marriage Act would grant them some protections.

Strong language alert!

Southern Baptists Endorse Repealing the Legalization of Same-sex Marriage in the US

June 13, 2025 | The nation's largest protestant denomination in the United States has endorsed an end to same-sex marriage. The Southern Baptist Convention has around twelve point seven million members in nearly 47,000 churches. This week, a national meeting in Dallas overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling for new laws that define marriage as between one man and one woman. The Southern Baptists also called for the overturning of the US Supreme Court decision known as Obergefell versus Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in 2015.

Same-sex Marriages Will Soon Become Legal in Thailand | DW News

Jan 22, 2025 | Thailand is set to become the biggest country in Asia to legalize gay marriage on Thursday. The new legislation replaces references to "man" and "woman" with "partner", allowing anyone to get married, as long as one is a Thai citizen. However the law will not apply to the children of same-sex partners, meaning many of them will remain at a disadvantage.

Colorado Religious Leaders Back Same-sex Marriage Ballot Measure

Sep 18, 2024 | In November, Coloradans will be asked to remove a same-sex marriage ban from the state constitution, and dozens of faith leaders in Colorado have announced they support the repeal. …

Thailand Passes Historic Bill Recognising Marriage Equality

THE GUARDIAN: Country on track to become third in Asia – after Taiwan and Nepal – to legalise same-sex marriage

Thailand’s senate has passed the final reading of a historic marriage equality bill, paving the way for the country to become the first in south-east Asia to recognise same-sex marriage.

The bill gained the support of nearly all upper-house lawmakers and will be sent to the palace for the pro-forma endorsement by King Maha Vajiralongkorn. The law will come into force 120 days after it is published in the royal gazette.

“We’re all just really excited,” said Plaifah Kyoka Shodladd, an 18-year-old activist, before the law was approved. “I can feel the whole world is cheering us on.”

The bill passed its final reading on Tuesday with the approval of 130 of the 152 members of the Senate in attendance, with four voting against it and 18 abstaining. » | Rebecca Ratcliffe in Bangkok | Tuesday, June 18, 2024

DW VIDEO:

Thailand is set to legalize same-sex marriage after senators approve bill: Thailand set to legalize same-sex marriage. Senators voted overwhelmingly in favor of a marriage equality bill. The law still needs approval from Thailand's king before it can come into force. »

Greece Legalizes Same-sex Marriage | DW News

Feb 16, 2024 | Greece has voted to legalise same-sex marriage, making it the first Orthodox Christian country to do so. The law change was opposed by the Orthodox church, which claimed it would threaten what it called 'traditional families'. But supporters say the change is long overdue and a significant advance for Greek society. DW spoke to journalist Giorgos Christides.

Related links here.

Griechenland beschließt Ehe für alle: Griechenlands Parlament hat für die Einführung der Ehe für alle gestimmt. Die orthodoxe Kirche und einige Konservative rebellieren. »

Greece Becomes First Orthodox Christian Country to Legalise Same-sex Marriage

GUARDIAN EUROPE: Lawmakers in the 300-seat parliament voted for the bill drafted by centre-right government despite church officials’ objections

Greece has become the world’s first Christian Orthodox nation to legalise same-sex marriage after the Athens parliament passed the landmark reform amid scenes of both jubilation and fury in the country.

In a rare display of parliamentary consensus, 176 MPs from across the political spectrum voted in favour of the bill. 76 rejected the reform while two abstained from the vote and 46 were not present.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community, many unable to contain their emotion, watched from the galleries above. “We have waited years for this,” said the prominent gay activist Stella Belia of legislation that will not only allow same-sex couples to exchange vows in civil ceremonies but adopt children. “It’s a historic moment. A lot of us weren’t sure it would ever come.”

The vote followed two days of heated debate – and weeks of public rancour – with the reform described by supporters as “bold” and “long overdue” and decried as “antisocial’ and “unchristian” by opponents including the powerful Orthodox church. » | Helena Smith in Athens | Friday, February 16, 2024

La Grèce légalise le mariage et l’adoption pour les couples de même sexe : Porté par le parti de droite au pouvoir, Nouvelle Démocratie, du premier ministre, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, le texte a été approuvé par 176 des 254 députés présents au Parlement à l’issue de deux jours de débat. »

Article connexe ici.

Thailand to Legalize Same-sex Marriage

LGBTQ NATION: The Asian country will be the next to give citizens marriage equality.

Only two Asian countries recognize same-sex marriages, but Thailand will be the next to give citizens marriage equality.

Thailand’s cabinet recently approved a bill that would legalize same-sex weddings. The amendment to the country’s laws will be submitted to the parliament this month. » | Bill Browning | Wednesday, December 13, 2023