[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/swiss-citizens-vote-overwhelmingly-to-legalize-marriage-equality\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/swiss-citizens-vote-overwhelmingly-to-legalize-marriage-equality\/","headline":"Switzerland votes overwhelmingly to legalize marriage equality","name":"Switzerland votes overwhelmingly to legalize marriage equality","description":"Amnesty International called the moment a \"milestone for equality.\"","datePublished":"2021-09-27","dateModified":"2021-09-27","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/molly\/#Person","name":"Molly Sprayregen","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/molly\/","identifier":10507,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a4b52e7bcebea6609440323eb32980a14e8a6ccf671ae2146179b833cd80eed4?s=96&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a4b52e7bcebea6609440323eb32980a14e8a6ccf671ae2146179b833cd80eed4?s=96&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Equally Wed","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","url":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","width":218,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/relaxed-and-cozy-tennessee-wedding-with-floral-arch-and-pride-flags-jeremy-gouge-equally-wed-10.jpg","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/relaxed-and-cozy-tennessee-wedding-with-floral-arch-and-pride-flags-jeremy-gouge-equally-wed-10.jpg","height":1335,"width":2000},"url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/swiss-citizens-vote-overwhelmingly-to-legalize-marriage-equality\/","about":["News"],"wordCount":428,"keywords":[" marriage equality","Jan Muller","Karin Keller-Sutter","Marriage Equality Referendum","Olga Baranova","Swiss Federal Council","Swiss Referendum","Switzerland"],"articleBody":"Switzerland will officially legalize marriage equality and LGBTQ+ adoption after almost two thirds of Swiss voters chose love in a Sunday referendum.This will make Switzerland the 30th country to legalize marriage equality. Amnesty International called the moment a “milestone for equality.”Jan Muller, who was part of the national committee to vote “yes” for equality, told the AFP News Agency that Sunday was “a historic day for Switzerland, a historic day when it comes to equality for same-sex couples, and [was] also an important day for the whole LGBT community.”LOVE WINS! \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\u2764\ufe0f\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udded62% of Switzerland said YES for MARRIAGE EQUALITY in Today\u2019s referendum!\ud83d\udc8d\ud83d\udc69\u200d\u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udc69\ud83d\udc68\u200d\u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udc68\ud83d\udc69\u200d\u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udc68 https:\/\/t.co\/ZgfN0SSscL— R\u00e9my Bonny (@RemyBonny) September 26, 2021Olga Baranova, a spokesperson for the vote “yes” committee, added that the vote reflected the massive acceptance LGBTQ+ people have gained in the country over the past twenty years.The journey to this moment was a challenging one, though. In December 2020, both houses of the Swiss legislature approved a bill legalizing marriage equality, but anti-LGBTQ+ opponents gained the 50,000 signatures required to force a public referendum on the matter.Despite widespread support for marriage equality, there was a great deal of hostility leading up to the referendum. Baranova told euronews that their campaign’s posters were “torn up, tagged, burned in a way I have never seen in Switzerland.”She also said that LGBTQ+ use of hotlines that help victims of homophobia skyrocketed, growing from 1 or 2 calls per week to 1 or 2 calls per day.Nevertheless, equality prevailed.In a media conference, Federal Councilor Karin Keller-Sutter celebrated the vote and said that marriage equality has the support of the Federal Council, the nation’s 7-member executive branch. She said the new laws will likely take effect on July 1, 2022. They will not only allow LGBTQ+ people to marry and adopt children, but they will also allow married LGBTQ+ couples to get pregnant through sperm donation, though she emphasized that egg donation and surrogacy remain against the law for all couples. Additionally, she said LGBTQ+ spouses will now have an easier time gaining Swiss citizenship.“The Federal Council welcomes this decision,” Keller-Sutter said , “because the state should not dictate how people should organize their\u00a0 private life.” She also noted the legalization of marriage equality has “great symbolic value for many same-sex couples: it is a form of recognition by society.”#Switzerland says YES to marriage equality! A thumping 64% of the vote and a yes vote in every single Canton. Europe just got more equal! #lgbt #equality pic.twitter.com\/kIgw5rJ2Rz— Tiernan Brady (@Tiernanbrady) September 26, 2021"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Switzerland votes overwhelmingly to legalize marriage equality","item":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/swiss-citizens-vote-overwhelmingly-to-legalize-marriage-equality\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]