Before US, gay marriage accepted in parts of world

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014, Natalie Banner, left, and Elysia Rose Jenson, right, pose for a photograph after getting married in Islington in London. It took until March, 2014 for same-sex couples to be able to marry in Britain, after a lengthy period in which civil partnerships were allowed. But even in its first year the practice of men marrying men and women marrying women has become widely accepted. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014, Natalie Banner, left, and Elysia Rose Jenson, right, pose for a photograph after getting married in Islington in London. It took until March, 2014 for same-sex couples to be able to marry in Britain, after a lengthy period in which civil partnerships were allowed. But even in its first year the practice of men marrying men and women marrying women has become widely accepted. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

By Associated Press October 27, 2014 7 min read

LONDON (AP) – The U.S. Supreme Court’s refusal this month to review rulings that overturned bans on same-sex marriage marked a milestone in gay rights in the United States. Around the world, many countries have come to accept such unions as part of the tapestry of everyday life. But there are still pockets of resistance. Here is a look at some countries that have made same-sex marriage common practice:

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BRITAIN WAITS, ACCEPTS:

In 1992, five same-sex couples in London applied for marriage licenses in one of the opening salvos of the battle for what campaigners call “marriage equality.”

The license bid was denied – to no one’s surprise – and one of the organizers, rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, said that most gay people at the time believed same-sex marriage to be an “impossible, unattainable” goal.