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As Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott grapples with a personal opposition to same-sex marriage in the face of growing favourable public opinion and political pressure, we take a look at how other leaders have dealt with the issue and some of the countries where the ultimate demonstration of commitment to gay love is legal.
Europe
It may all have started back in 1967, when a Catholic priest in Rotterdam, Netherlands, delivered a service during which two males exchanged wedding rings. The Bishop of Rotterdam promptly denounced the "marriage" and claimed the priest – who didn't see the men do the deed – had been hoodwinked. The men had requested a mass to celebrate a birthday, a new business venture and their friendship, according a report in the Sydney Morning Herald at the time.
Fast forward to the noughties and The Netherlands was the first country to legalise same-sex marriage in 2001.
Helene Faasen and Anne-Marie Thus walked down the aisle in Amsterdam and into the history books as the world's first legally wed lesbian couple, alongside three pairs of grooms.
Belgium wasn't far off, breaking the traditional man-and-woman mould two years later. Spain followed in 2005, then Norway and Sweden in 2009. Portugal took another year, passing the law in 2010.
In France, where millions of people are philosophically opposed to gay marriage, President Francois Hollande made good on his "marriage for all" election promise and signed a gay marriage bill (that took nearly 137 hours of parliament debate) into law in 2013, despite a constitutional challenge by France's main right-wing opposition party UMP and thousands of protesters taking to the streets. It applies to French overseas departments.
That same year, across the Channel in Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron's bill to allow same-sex marriage in England and Wales formally became law after Queen Elizabeth II gave her assent to the legislation.
This year, in May, Ireland became the first country to allow its people to vote on the issue in a referendum. The 'yes' vote won by a landslide.
On the other hand, Germany has not yet legalised same-sex marriage, although same-sex unions have been recognised since 2001, with adoption rights since 2004.
North America
The United States Supreme Court made history when it intervened in the banning of same-sex marriage in some states, effectively legalising marriage equality throughout the country this year, after several states had already enacted similar legislation. Massachusetts was the first American state to recognise gay marriage 11 years ago. Before the Supreme Court's majority decision in June, an estimated 70 per cent of same-sex married couples lived in states that recognised gay marriage.
Long before that, in 2005, Canada passed the Civil Marriage Act in response to legislation being enacted in different provinces, and defining marriage as "the lawful union of two persons to the exclusion of all others". A challenge to the law failed 175 votes to 123 the following year.
South America
Catholic-majority Argentina became the first Latin American country to legalise gay marriage in 2010, after overcoming fierce lobbying by the Roman Catholic Church. Its upper house voted to approve the bill, supported by President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, 33 to 27.
Brazil effectively recognised same-sex marriage in 2011 when its Supreme Court said "stable relationships" between same-sex couples (enacted by law in the same year) had the same legal rights as those between a man and a woman. In 2013, the country's Justice Council moved a resolution forcing notary publics to remove all obstacles to registering same-sex marriages, removing the last barrier to legalisation.
Uruguay also passed legislation in 2013.
Africa, Asia and the Middle East
Following a Constitutional Court ruling that extended the common-law definition of marriage to include same-sex spouses, the National Assembly of South Africa passed a law allowing same-sex couples to legally marry in 2006. It remains the only country in the African continent to allow gay marriage.
In Asia no country has taken that formal step, although Nepal has indicated it will change its approach to gay marriage when it enacts a new constitution, South Korea has challenged laws prohibiting gay marriage on the grounds of discrimination, and Taiwan is proposing some changes to marriage laws. Many Asian nations expressly prohibit gay unions, with some outlawing, and punishing, gay relationships altogether.
No country in the Middle East has legalised gay marriage with many still punishing gay relations with lashes, prison sentences or even death. Only Israel recognises same-sex marriages registered overseas, and grants gay couples similar rights to straight couples under co-habitation laws.
Across the ditch
We claim their stars as our own, and proudly stand shoulder to shoulder in army fatigues, but on same-sex marriage New Zealand and Australia are worlds apart, despite our many close ties. New Zealand passed its Marriage Equality Bill in April 2013, just before France, in a 77 to 44 vote after only a two-hour debate.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key declared he was "not personally opposed" to same-sex marriage.
What world leaders said:
Barack Obama: "We're all created equal [...] It is gratifying to see this principle enshrined into law."
Francois Hollande: "There are moments in the life of a nation, and this is the role of the president of the republic, when we need to make a choice, translate the evolutions of society …"
David Cameron: "The introduction of same-sex civil marriage says something about the sort of country we are. It says we are a country that will continue to honour its proud traditions of respect, tolerance and equal worth."
NZ PM John Key: "not personally opposed".
German Chancellor Angela Merkel: "For me, personally, marriage is a man and a woman living together. That is my concept, but I support civil partnerships."
