Iceland's Amazing Marriage Equality Message To the World

by Michael Jones · 2010-06-11 09:13:00 UTC
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IcelandIceland may still be reeling from a downward economic spiral like no other, but that hasn't stopped the country from becoming a beacon of global gay rights. Their Prime Minister, Johanna Sigurdardottir, is the only openly LGBT head of state in the entire free world, and not to mention one of Forbes Magazine's most powerful women to boot.

Now comes word that Iceland's parliament just voted on marriage equality legislation. And they not only passed it, but they passed it unanimously.

As in 49-0. Not one single member of parliament stood in opposition to basic equal rights for same-sex couples. Talk about sending a resounding message for equality.

"The attitude in Iceland is fairly pragmatic," said Gunnar Helgi Kristinsson, a political scientist at the University of Iceland, according to Reuters. "It (gay marriage) has not been a big issue in national politics — it's not been controversial."

Somehow I find myself thinking that we should advocate that all Congressional Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats take mandatory field trips to Reykjavik, and drink the water. Or spend enough time in the country so that the political sensibilities of Iceland's parliamentarians rub off on those like Rep. Michele Bachmann who believe that gay marriage is a bigger threat than terrorism, or Rep. Ike Skelton, who worries that seven-year-olds will be traumatized if they're told gay and lesbian people exist.

The bill now goes to Iceland's President as a formality. Meaning that Iceland is just about set to become the next great state in the world to recognize same-sex marriage. That makes two already this year, with Portugal joining the ranks of the global marriage equality club this past Monday.

Can anybody think of a more appropriate word right now than, "Woot"? Here's to weeks that begin with historic marriage equality news, and end with historic marriage equality news. More weeks like this, please.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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