Switzerland Became The 29th Country To Legalize Marriage Equality

It appeared that the law to legalize marriage equality in Switzerland was unstoppable prior to the holidays, and this has been confirmed.

While Switzerland protects people from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and prohibited “conversion therapies,” the country had not legalized marriage equality yet, and we were waiting to see if lawmakers would approve the bill for same-sex couples.

Well, it’s now done!

Swiss Parliament Approves Marriage Equality

The Swiss Parliament has approved the bill that allows LGBTQ couples to marry, making Switzerland the 29th country in the world to legalize marriage equality.

“Today is a historic day for the LGBT community and their friends,” Salome Zimmerman, president of the national Marriage for All Committee, said in a statement. “The Swiss Parliament today confirmed that rainbow families and same-sex couples deserve the same rights as heterosexual families.”

LGBTQ+ Women Access Insemination

Switzerland already approved many pro-LGBTQ laws, but there are still adoption issues.

There is indeed no law allowing adoption by LGBTQ people, but a bill that would allow equal adoption is in preparation.

However, a first step has been taken to improve LGBTQ+ women’s access to child conception since, beyond legalizing marriage equality, the new law also allows female couples to access sperm donation, which was previously impossible for them.

“The equal access of female couples to sperm donation in Switzerland relieves those affected from a great deal of suffering,” Maria Von Känel of Marriage for All Committee said.

The Threat Of A Referendum To Stop Marriage Equality?

There is still an appeal to the opposition to prevent the law from coming into force.

This consists of collecting 50,000 signatures within 100 days after Parliament passes the bill to send the issue to a referendum.

The opposition has already indicated that it would use this means to try to prevent the bill from being signed into law, but as I explained earlier, public support for equal marriage is such - 82% according to a recent poll commissioned by the LGBTQ+ group Pink Cross - that there is very little chance that the law will not be ratified in the end.

“Today’s decision also means that the young generation will grow up in a Switzerland where it is a matter of course that same-sex lovers can marry and start a family,” said Jan Múller from the Marriage for All Committee. “This strengthens each and every one of us and contributes to the acceptance of LGBT people. It is clearly the beginning of a new era.”

“Although this is already a matter of course for many in Switzerland, today’s victory is an incredible step forward for our country and everyone who is directly or indirectly affected by it,” Múller added. “We would like to thank everyone who has put their heart and soul into this cause in recent years: progressive parliamentarians, LGBT organizations, family organizations, and all other people who have contributed to this day.”