Aruba, Curaçao must allow same-sex couples to marry

The Dutch Supreme Court ruled on Friday that Aruba and Curaçao must provide marriage rights to same-sex couples.

In 2022, the Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten, and of Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba ruled in favor of marriage equality in two cases filed by Fundacion Orguyo Aruba and Human Rights Caribbean in Curaçao.

The governments of Aruba and Curaçao appealed the ruling.

The Joint Court of Justice has jurisdiction over Aruba, Curaçao, and St. Maarten — which are constituent countries within the Netherlands — as well as Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba, which are special municipalities within the kingdom.

Since 2012, same-sex couples have been able to legally marry and adopt children in Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba.

Aruba, Curaçao, and St. Maarten must recognise same-sex marriages from the Netherlands, Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba. Additionally, Aruba’s registered partnership law came into effect in 2021.

“Today, we celebrate a historic victory for the dignity and rights of LGBT individuals in Curaçao and Aruba,” stated Human Rights Caribbean President Janice Tjon Sien Kie on Friday.

Aruban Sen. Miguel Mansur, who is gay, described the ruling to the ‘Washington Blade’ as “an amazing victory which applies to Aruba, Curaçao, and by implication St. Maarten.”

Image Credit: Canva

“Aruba advances towards a society with less discrimination, more tolerance, and acceptance,” he added.

Melissa Gumbs, a lesbian Member of Parliament from St. Maarten, told the Blade that the ruling “could very well have some bearing on our situation here.”

“I’m definitely looking into it,” she said. “We’re researching it to see what the possibilities are, and we are also in touch with our friends in Aruba who are, of course, overjoyed with this ruling.”

Same-sex couples can legally marry in Cuba, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Martin, St. Barts, Martinique, and Guadeloupe, among other Caribbean jurisdictions.

Mansur mentioned that the first same-sex marriages in Aruba will take place “very soon.”

“There are two couples ready to wed,” he told the Washington Blade.

Read related myGwork articles here:

Gay Marriage In Aruba And Curaçao Legalized

Dutch Photo Exposition on Twenty Years Marriage Equality Besmirched

South African Court Forces Dutch Reformed Church to Recognise Same-Sex Unions

Keep up to date with the latest myGnews

LGBTQ+ professionals, LGBTQ+ Graduates, LGBTQ+ professional network, LGBTQ+ professional events, LGBTQ+ networking events, LGBTQ+ Recruitment, LGBTQ+ Friendly organizations, LGBTQ+ Friendly companies, LGBTQ+ jobs