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AMSTERDAM (AP) — The Dutch capital celebrated a significant milestone early Wednesday, commemorating 25 years since the world’s first gay marriages by hosting the weddings of three same-sex couples at City Hall.
Mayor Femke Halsema officiated the ceremonies just after the clock struck midnight, echoing a historic moment from 25 years ago when then-Mayor Job Cohen united four couples in a groundbreaking ceremony that became a catalyst for LGBTQ+ marriage rights globally, influencing nearly 40 nations to follow suit.
In the Netherlands, same-sex weddings have become a normal part of life. Since the legalization in 2001, over 36,000 same-sex couples have exchanged vows, according to data from the national statistics office.
Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who has made history as the nation’s first openly gay leader, is preparing to wed his partner, Nicolás Keenan. Keenan is an accomplished Argentine field hockey player who earned a bronze medal with his team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I vividly recall watching those inaugural marriages on television at the age of 14. It was a moment of inspiration and liberation for me, just as it has been for countless others,” Jetten reflected.
The U.S. Supreme Court recognized same-sex marriage nationwide in 2015, after many states had already done so. One study last year estimated that there are more than 800,000 same-sex married couples in the U.S.
Amy Quinn and her wife, Heather Jensen, were among the first to be married in New Jersey when it became recognized there in 2013.
Quinn said it was important because they were considering having a child and their lawyer told them it would help if they were married because that would mean both women could have their names on the birth certificate, sign school records and have hospital visitation rights.
“It’s shocking to me in terms of really how recently we got it,” said Quinn, the deputy mayor of Asbury Park, New Jersey.
The U.S.-based LGBTQ+ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign has identified legislation in at least nine U.S. states for current or recent sessions seeking to undo legal recognition of same-sex marriages. Most would call on the U.S. Supreme Court to undo its 2015 decision recognizing the unions. The measures have not advanced, and even if they did, they couldn’t force the court to change course.
“I don’t think it’s a time for people to be afraid,” said Kelley Robinson, president of the U.S.-based LGBTQ+ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign. “It’s a time to be aware, to protect our families, to protect our kids and to protect our lives.”
Large parts of the world — particularly in Asia and Africa — have not legalized same-sex marriage and some countries are becoming more repressive.
Senegal’s president signed a law Monday that toughens punishment for homosexuality in the latest African country to impose harsh penalties against the LGBTQ+ community.
Conservatives in the U.S. have also challenged laws banning “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ+ children. The Supreme Court on Tuesday sided with the objectors, saying that a ban in Colorado raises free-speech concerns and should be weighed by a lower court.
Philip Tijsma, spokesperson for the main Dutch LGBTQ+ advocacy group COC, said that while the silver anniversary was a moment to reflect and celebrate, the Netherlands has slipped behind other nations in its support for the LGBTQ+ community.
“We have become a little bit lazy,” he said, adding that other European nations now have stronger transgender legislation. He said that in the Netherlands LGBTQ people are still bullied in schools and harassed on the street for holding hands.
There’s been a strong backlash in the U.S. in recent years against rights of transgender people especially. Most states have banned transgender women and girls from at least some women’s and girls’ sports competitions and barred some gender-affirming health care for children and youth. Restrictions on puberty-blocking drugs, hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgeries have also expanded elsewhere.
U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration have pushed for restrictions on transgender people.
Despite challenges, the mood at Amsterdam’s ceremony was giddy.
Gert Kasteel and Dolf Pasker were among those taking part. They married that landmark day of April 1, 2001.
‘’We’re very happy!″ Kasteel said.
‘’It’s unbelievable, 25 years,” Pasker said. ‘’It’s so beautiful that there’s so much attention for it.”
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Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands, and Mulvihill from Haddonfield, New Jersey.