Gay marriage around the globe
Northern European countries were the first to recognise same-sex unions – a trend that picked up in the 1990s and eventually crossed the Atlantic.
It became a polarising issue in the 2004 US elections, with voters in many states banning the practice.
We look at where same-sex unions have been given the go-ahead, and the often intense debates over them.
BBC NEWS | Americas | Gay marriage around the globe