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DEBATES OVER TERMINOLOGY

in 2005 , celebrating the legalization of Same-sex Marriage In Spain ]]


However, in the case of one state in which same-sex marriages are recognized, Massachusetts, there is a long history of marriage being regarded as purely a civil institution, as illustrated in the Reverend William Bradford 's history Of Plymouth Plantation :

May 12 was the first marriage in this place Plymouth which, according to the laudable custom of the Low Countries, in which they had lived, was thought most requisite to be performed by the magistrate, as being a civil thing, upon which many questions about inheritances do depend, with other things most proper to their cognizance and most consonant to the Scriptures (Ruth iv) and nowhere found in the Gospel to be laid on the ministers as a part of their office.



HISTORY

See Also: History of same-sex unions




CURRENT STATUS

See Also: Status of same-sex marriage




Marriage equality has also been passed in the California state legislature. The bill would redefine marriage as "a civil contract between two persons," but would retain the right of religious institutions to refuse to sanction the unions. A similar bill passed in 2005 and met a veto by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Gov. Schwarzenegger is expected to veto the bill again. Similarly a gay marriage bill has passed in the New York state assembly in 2007, strongly supported by New York Governor Eliot Spitzer; the Republican run state senate has kept the bill from reaching the floor for a vote.

Israel 's High Court of Justice ruled to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other countries, although it is still illegal to perform them within the country. A bill was raised in Knesset to rescind the Israeli High Court's ruling, but the Knesset has not advanced the bill since December 2006 .

Canada and Spain are the only countries where the legal status of same-sex marriage is exactly the same as that of opposite-sex marriage, though South Africa is due to fully harmonize its marriage laws. Other nations all have residency requirements that apply to same-sex marriage that do not apply to opposite-sex marriage.