Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Scotland today, Tuesday, December 16th

Same-sex couples can legally marry in Scotland now, reports Equality Network.

In February, Scotland became the seventeenth country in the world to legalise gay marriage. The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 received Royal Assent in March and government has since been implementing the new law, including passing required secondary legislation.

Scotland is considered to have one of the most progressive marriage equality laws in the world. The legislation differs from same-sex marriage laws in England and Wales in a number of respects including better protections for transgender people. The law also allows any religious or belief body to opt in to conducting same-sex marriages and does not ban religious or belief bodies from opting out.

Religious and belief organisations already authorised to conduct same-sex marriages include the Humanist Society Scotland, the Quakers, the Liberal Jewish Community, the Metropolitan Community Church, One Spirit Interfaith Foundation and the Open Episcopal Church in Scotland.

Scottish couples in civil partnerships also now have the option to convert to marriage through a free administrative process. Same-sex marriages performed abroad will also now be recognized in Scotland.

So proud to be the first same sex couple in the whole world to be married under Scottish law pic.twitter.com/TOkNWCJHtO

— Douglas Pretsell (@adventuresinPR) December 16, 2014

The first couple to make use of the new law were Douglas Pretsell and Peter Gloster, who converted their Scottish civil partnership to a Scottish marriage at the British Consulate in Melbourne, Australia.

Scott and David Barclay will be the first couple to take advantage of the new law by converting their civil partnership to a marriage in Scotland.

With the standard 15 day notice period required, it is expected the first same-sex marriages will take place on Hogmanay (December 31st).

Watch a Huffington Post report on the legalization of same-sex marriage in Scotland, AFTER THE JUMP…