Same-sex union legislation marriages performed in the Netherlands are recognized in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten. Whether same-sex couples should be allowed to marry has been and remains the topic of debate worldwide. Thirty-four countries and four jurisdictions worldwide have passed constitutional amendments that explicitly prohibit the legal recognition of same-sex marriage and sometimes other forms of legal unions as well. Seventeen countries and twenty-nine jurisdictions worldwide have authorized civil unions or unregistered cohabitation for same-sex couples as an alternative to marriage. The legal name of those unions as well as the number of rights that they provide can vary greatly. The first
Same-sex marriage in Puerto Rico Same-sex marriage in Puerto Rico Following the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in "Obergefell v. Hodges" on June 26, 2015, which held bans on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, same-sex marriage in Puerto Rico was legalized. Same-sex couples began applying for marriage licenses on July 13, 2015. On July 17, 2015, same-sex couples began marrying in the territory. Governor Alejandro García Padilla announced that the commonwealth would comply with the Supreme Court's ruling within 15 days. The parties to the principal lawsuit challenging Puerto Rico's denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples jointly asked the First Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn