One Year after landmark ruling, 19 same-sex couples married in Aruba

ARUBA--One year after the historic ruling by the Dutch Supreme Court, a total of nineteen same-sex couples have tied the knot in Aruba. Since same-sex marriage became legal on July 12, 2024, nine female couples and ten male couples have formalized their unions under civil law.

The landmark decision, issued on July 12, 2024, upheld a prior ruling by the Court of Appeal in Willemstad, affirming that marriage in both Aruba and Curaçao must be equally accessible to all couples, regardless of gender. The Supreme Court found that excluding same-sex couples from civil marriage violates the constitutional principle of equality. As a result, the restrictive clause in the Civil Code was struck down without requiring formal legislative amendment, as it was deemed incompatible with the islands' constitutional protections against discrimination.

The ruling was the culmination of years of advocacy, led by the Orguyo Foundation, which began its legal campaign for marriage equality in 2019. The foundation first secured a victory at the court of first instance in Aruba, followed by success at the Joint Court of Justice in Curaçao.

“These marriages symbolize much more than legal recognition,” Orguyo said in a statement. “They represent love, dignity, and the affirmation that all people deserve equal treatment under the law.”

The Supreme Court’s judgment stands as a broader statement on equality and justice, reinforcing that the denial of marriage rights based on sexual orientation is unconstitutional and discriminatory. It also marks a significant milestone in the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ rights across the Dutch Caribbean.

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