The Netherlands was the first country in the world to officially recognize and allow same-sex marriages. Queen Beatrix signed the marriage bill into law on December 21, 2000, after it went into effect on April 1, 2001.
The national and international response to the bill was mixed and it remains a highly controversial issue in 2011. But same-sex marriages have come a long way, with same-sex marriages now being performed in 10 countries. Several other countries, such as the United States and Mexico, only perform them in some jurisdictions.
On April 1, 2001, then-Mayor Job Cohen of Amsterdam married four same-sex couples in the town hall of the Dutch capital. It was a historic moment for the LGBT community, giving hope for same-sex couples in other countries around the world.
But even though the Netherlands took a political lead on recognizing same-sex couples, even there struggles remain for the LGBT community. For instance, some marriage officiants still refuse to perform same-sex marriages and gay couples do not always have the same rights when it comes to immigration and adoption.
But also violence directed against the LGBT community remains a serious issue. "Equal rights do unfortunately not automatically lead to emancipation, as is evident from the growing number of registered violence against gays and the serious problems surrounding homosexuality in schools," COC Netherlands, the oldest LGBT organization in the world, said in an open letter.
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