Same-sex marriage in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten their respective countries. After an amendment, giving cohabiting couples (including same-sex couples) some limited rights, was proposed to the Estates of Curaçao in 2017, former Prime Minister Gerrit Schotte suggested that a referendum on the legalisation of same-sex marriage be held on the island. Same-sex marriage in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten Same-sex marriages are not performed in Aruba, Curaçao, or Sint Maarten, which are constituent countries () of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The islands were, however, obliged after several court rulings to register any marriage (including same-sex marriages) registered in the Kingdom, but they don't have to give
Same-sex marriage in the United States Windsor" required the federal government to treat lawfully married same-sex couples on an equal basis with lawfully married opposite-sex couples, same-sex married couples faced severe disadvantages. The federal government did not recognize those marriages for any purpose. According to a 1997 General Accounting Office study, at least 1,049 U.S. federal laws and regulations include references to marital status. A 2004 study by the Congressional Budget Office found 1,138 statutory provisions "in which marital status is a factor in determining or receiving 'benefits, rights, and privileges. Many of these laws govern property rights, benefits, and taxation. Same-sex couples whose marriages are