Same-sex couples in Estonia are now able to legally get married. The former Soviet nation's new law went into effect this week. The country's parliament voted for the change in June, making Estonia the first Soviet-era Baltic country to allow same-sex couples to legally marry and adopt children. Keio Soomelt, project manager for the Baltic Pride festival feels that this decision will help the world to see that Estonia is a part of northern Europe. For the LGBTQ+ community, it is a very important message from the government that says, finally, queer couples are as equal as other couples; that they are valuable and entitled to the same services and have the same options. Same-sex couples are now able to register their marriage applications. That means the first marriages will likely take place in early February. A survey published in May 2023 by the Estonian Human Rights Center showed the country's perception of LGBTQ+ people had shifted in recent years, with 53% supporting marriage equality. MeanwhileRussia, another ex-Soviet country, banned what they called the "international LGBTQ+ movement". This was the latest step in its years-long crackdown on gay and transgender people. Human Rights Watch says 34 countries have marriage equality currently, including all of North America and much of Western Europe. In June, the Czech Republic moved a step closer to joining the list, while India and Japan have both seen controversial court rulings denying the change in the past year. #Queer Up The World View