Two states in Northern Brazil see rise in same-sex marriage registrations in 2024

By Lucas Thiago – From Cenarium

MANAUS (AM) – Same-sex marriages reached record numbers in Pará and Amazonas in recent years. Data from the Civil Registry Transparency Portal show that, in 2024, the states recorded 381 and 287 same-sex unions, respectively. This is the highest number ever registered since the act was nationally regulated in 2013.

In Pará, the growth trend has continued in 2025. Figures indicate that between January and May, 173 same-sex marriages were registered in the state. Comparing last year’s data with 2023, there was a 108% increase. In 2023, 183 unions were formalized, according to the transparency portal.

In Amazonas, the growth compared to 2020 is 328%. That year, 67 marriages were officially registered. Last year, Brazil also hit a national record, with over 14,000 same-sex marriages registered at civil registry offices across the country. This marks a 26% increase compared to 2023, when just over 11,000 unions were formalized.

For comparison, in 2020, there were nearly 6,500 civil unions between people of the same sex — less than half the total recorded four years later.

How to get married

To formalize a civil marriage, the couple, accompanied by two witnesses over 18 years old, must appear at the Civil Registry Office in the residential region of one of the spouses. The required documents include:

• birth certificate;
• identification document;
• proof of residence; and, when applicable, marriage certificates with divorce annotations or death certificates of a spouse.

Pride Month and gender changes

June 28 marks the International LGBTQIA+ Pride Day, and amid the celebrations for diversity and the rights achieved, registry offices across the country also have reason to celebrate. Recent surveys show a historic increase in citizenship acts carried out by the LGBTQIA+ population in Brazil, reflecting important progress in the recognition of rights and the fight for equality.

The study by Arpen-Brasil also shows that in 2024, more than 5,000 people requested gender changes at registry offices — an increase of nearly 23% compared to 2023 and nearly four times more than in 2020. Since 2018, there have been over 20,000 changes, nearly 1,000 of which involved only the name. Regarding gender changes, the majority were from male to female, with over 11,000 records. Changes from female to male totaled more than 8,000 requests.

Edited by Jadson Lima
Translated from Portuguese by Gustô Alves