A historic vote was passed on 15 February 2024 legalising same sex marriage and affording parental rights for same-sex couples in Greece including the right to adopt.

As has been reported by many news outlets over the past week, Greece is the first orthodox Christian country to legalise same sex marriage. It is hoped that this will have a knock-on effect on other countries around the world, particularly in very religious countries like Greece where votes such as this are often controversial and face opposition. The vote feels particularly important considering the increasing hostility towards same-sex families that we have seen lately in other European countries.

Same-sex families have long faced prejudice and discrimination in Greece, with many facing significant obstacles and being intentionally prohibited from the very basic legal protections and security afforded to opposite-sex families, such as recognition as legal parents/guardians. This has left many families in a highly precarious position whereby a child's day to day reality is not secured in law and has undoubtedly meant many gay couples have felt that they cannot have children.

The law will now afford same-sex married couples parental rights and the right to adopt, but it will not result in parity with opposite-sex couples. For example, same-sex couples will still be prohibited from entering into surrogacy arrangements nor does it afford transgender parents parental rights.

Although there is still a long way to go until equality is achieved, not just in Greece but around the world (same-sex marriage is legal in only 36 countries), this recent win in Greece is a step in the right direction and one that should be celebrated.

References

Greece legalises same-sex marriage - BBC News

Greece legalises same-sex marriage in historic move, despite opposition from Church (msn.com)

For rights campaigner in Greece, same-sex marriage recognition follows decades of struggle (msn.com)

Marriage Equality Around the World - Human Rights Campaign (hrc.org)