Today, the first same-sex marriages were legally performed in Iceland, after its parliament passed legislation legalizing such marriages on June 12th.
What might have passed as a rather unnoticed event (being the 9th country now to have done so) instead was transformed, as the Prime Minister of Iceland, Johanna Sigurdardottir, became the first head of government ever anywhere in the world to enter into a same sex marriage.
Congratulations!
This poses some potentially interesting puzzles. After all, DOMA is the law of the land in the United States. And it states that only marriages between a man and a woman are recognized by federal law.
Are there some laws or protocols on the United States books that specify the proper treatment of foreign head's of government's spouses when said head of government comes to visit? If so, would this force the US diplomatic corp not to treat Jonina Leosdottir as the Icelandic Prime Minister's spouse? Would a diplomatic row ensue?
Well, probably not, but it's amusing enough speculating.
In other equal-marriage rights news, the Argentinian Senate will soon begin consideration of its own bill to legalize same-sex marriage, already passed by the lower house. According to this article, the legislation will be voted on on July 14th. The vote is expected to be close. The President of Argentina has said she will not veto the bill if it is passed.