13 countries where gay marriage is legal [Updated]

Queen Elizabeth II gives the royal thumbs up to a bill passed by Parliament, clearing the way for gay marriage to become legal in England and Wales

London Gay Men's Chorus
(Image credit: Kristian Buus/ /In Pictures/Corbis)

Culture wars! They are not, contrary to what U.S. media coverage might suggest, a wholly American phenomena.

On Wednesday, Queen Elizabeth II cleared the way for same-sex marriage in Britain after approving a bill passed by Parliament. It didn't, however, pass without controversy. While the bill was backed by Prime Minister David Cameron, many in his Conservative Party opposed it, leading to a two-hour debate in the House in Commons.

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Keith Wagstaff is a staff writer at TheWeek.com covering politics and current events. He has previously written for such publications as TIME, Details, VICE, and the Village Voice.