Society's attitudes towards gay marriage have changed dramatically throughout history. In medieval Europe, most people saw same-sex relationships as immoral and sinful.
There were some exceptions.
The Romans tolerated homosexuality within certain boundaries. The Christian church also had mixed feelings about same-sex love, sometimes condemning it while at other times accepting it as an expression of God's creation. This duality persisted into modern times until recent decades when more countries began recognizing same-sex marriages legally.
One of the earliest records of homosexual relationships is from ancient Greece, where men could marry each other without social stigma. But this was seen as a private affair rather than something that should be recognized publicly. In Rome, Emperor Nero married a man named Pallas but their relationship ended badly when Nero murdered him. Christianity eventually emerged as the dominant religion in Europe, rejecting both Greek sexual freedom and Roman acceptance. Saint Paul argued that homosexuality was against nature and therefore unacceptable to God. This view prevailed for centuries, leading to widespread persecution of gay people during the Middle Ages.
In the Renaissance, attitudes towards homosexuality softened somewhat due to new scientific discoveries and philosophical ideas. Some scholars believed that sexual pleasure was natural and even healthy if done responsibly. Others believed that all forms of sex outside of marriage were wrong. Queen Elizabeth I famously banished her lover Robert Dudley for his refusal to marry her, which led to rumors that she was secretly married to another woman. Meanwhile, religious leaders continued to denounce same-sex relationships as immoral.
In 1789, France became one of the first European nations to legalize gay marriage under Napoleon Bonaparte. The French Revolution had already overthrown traditional values, including those related to gender roles and family life. Napoleon saw same-sex marriage as an extension of personal liberty and granted licenses to couples who wished to wed.
These marriages were not officially recognized by law until later years. By contrast, other countries remained hostile to gay relationships.
The twentieth century brought major changes to society's views on homosexuality, with the advent of psychology and sociology providing more nuanced perspectives on human behavior. In Germany, Sigmund Freud developed a theory of sexuality based on repression and desire, allowing for greater tolerance of non-heteronormative identities. Socialist movements also promoted equality between men and women, which included accepting diverse sexual orientations. But it wasn't until after World War II that many countries began recognizing same-sex unions legally. The Netherlands was the first country to do so in 20000, followed by Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, Finland, Malta, Colombia, Ecuador, Luxembourg, Mexico, Costa Rica, the United States, and others.