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Reuters reported that on Friday, Iceland's parliament voted 49-0 approving gay marriage. Iceland now joins Canada, Belgium, Sweden, South Africa, the Netherlands, Spain and most recently, Portugal (the Marriage-8, or M-8). This includes only states which have enacted national same-sex marriage laws.

Iceland has always been a very progressive nation. It decriminalized homosexuality in the 1940's, widened it's registered partnership law to include same-sex partners in 1996, and gave same-sex couples the same parenting rights/responsibilities and adoption rights as straight couples in 2006. Oh, and did I mention they were the first state to elect an openly queer head of state (of the modern era) when hugely popular and long-time politician Johanna "My Time will Come" Sigurdardottir was elected prime minister by her newly formed party in 2009. Also in evidence is the ease with which the bill passed --- no major opposition, even from religious groups? no votes cast against?

The decision by Parliament also stops the government from registering civil relationships all together. The only recognized institution will be marriage --- for both opposite and same sex couples. It also states: "ministers will always be free to perform (gay) marriage ceremonies, but never obliged to." That probably partly explains the lack of religious objections ---- though similar clauses in other state's proposed legislation haven't stopped mainstream religious groups from creating fake panic over this particular issue. Iceland's Protestant church is in the process of deliberating on the new legislation. 91 of the 125 attendees of the national synod supported the bill, but the minority against forced it through more 'regulatory' hoops (another committee). Deliberations are still in progress, but it is now a bit of a moot point as the bill passed without their endorsment. But 91 is an impressive number!

So, the M-8 has become the M-9. Any guesses on when it becomes the M-195?