Norway Becomes
Sixth Country to Permit Gay Marriage

Members of Norway's parliament approved a bill Wednesday that will allow same-sex couples to wed in civil marriages, according to Agence France-Presse.

The new law, which passed 84-41, requires that the terminology in marriage documents be gender-neutral.

A 1993 law gave gay and lesbian couples the right to enter into civil unions, similar to marriage, but they could not be wed in church or adopt children. The new law allows adoption and permits lesbians to be artificially inseminated.

Norway becomes the sixth country to allow gay marriage, joining Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, South Africa, and Canada in legislating full marriage equality. (The Advocate)