When two Austrian men, Mr Schalk and Mr Kopf, took their pursuit
of the right to marry to the European Court of Human Rights,
there were some hopes that this could mark a turning point for
marriage equality across Europe. When the court turned down
their application, the obvious response was one of
disappointment. However, that would be too simplistic. The
verdict was narrow, and not even necessarily final. Although the
court left decisions on marriage equality to national
governments, they did emphasize the importance of recognizing al
families, including queer families, on an equal basis. As the
Guardian explains, this may not have been the final decision on
marriage equality for Europe, but it is an important landmark
along the way: Last week, the European court of human rights
ruled unanimously that there was no obligation on states to
recognise same-sex marriage. At least, not yet. Because hidden
within the ruling are two significant findings that make it
almost certain that one day the court will rule i