A new analysis undertaken by Melbourne, Australia based LGBTI rights activist Tony Pitman has revealed that over ten per cent of the world’s population now lives in jurisdictions where same-sex couples can marry.

Pitman calculates that the legalization of same-sex marriage in the US state of Pennsylvania was the tipping point.

The world’s population is 7,176,000,000 and as of May 725,000,000 people live in countries or jurisdictions within countries where same-sex couples may marry.

‘Although probably nobody realized it at the time, the key moment came on 20 May this year when the US state of Pennsylvania achieved marriage equality,’ Pitman said.

‘Pennsylvania with its 13 million people pushed the world figure up over 10% for the first time in history.’

Pitman is disappointed that he cannot count his fellow Australians in that calculation as the Australian Government continues to oppose the reform.

‘When will the 23.5 million people who live in Australia join this list as well?’ asked Pitman.

‘Let’s hope it’s soon!’

Same-sex marriage is legal in the US states of California, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, Connecticut, Iowa, New Mexico, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Delaware, Vermont and the District of Columbia.

Bans on same-sex marriage have been struck down in courts in several other US states but those decisions have been stayed as appeals are heard.

Same-sex couples may also marry in the Mexican Federal District and the Mexican state of Quintana Roo.

Same-sex couples may marry country-wide in England, Scotland, Wales, Brazil, France, South Africa, Spain, Argentina, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Mexico, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, New Zealand, Uruguay, Luxembourg and Iceland.