Paola is governed by federal Malta law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✔ Legal, no restrictions
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✔ Legal
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✔ Recognized
- Discrimination
- ✔ Illegal
- Employment Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination
- Unknown
- Adoption
- ✔ Legal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✔ Full ban
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✔ Banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Paola is lacking public opinion data.
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Suggest Public Opinion DataHistory
Same-sex marriage in Paola is legal.
Current status
Since Sep 1, 2017
Legal
Same-sex marriage became legal in Malta under the Marriage Act and other Laws (Amendment) Act, 2017; replacing the heterosexual definition of marriage with gender-neutral language.
Civil unions (marriage rights)
Malta President Marie-Louise Colerio Preca signed a civil unions bill into law on April 15, 2014. The Labor Party ruled in favor of the bill at 37 to 0, while 30 abstained. According to a Eurostat poll, 80% of Maltese were said to oppose the law's provisions.
Until Apr 15, 2014
Unrecognized
Censorship of LGBT issues in Paola is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Malta, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Right to change legal gender in Paola is legal, no restrictions.
Current status
Since Mar 2015
Legal, no restrictions
The Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act removed the need for trans people in Malta to undergo surgery, sterilization and obtain a diagnosis of mental illness in order to legally change their gender.
Until Mar 2015
Legal, but requires surgery
Surgery, sterilization and a diagnosis of mental illness is required before legally change gender can be changed.
Gender-affirming care in Paola is legal.
Current status
Legal
As late as 2010, transgender people in Malta who have undergone gender-affirming surgery can change their gender on legal documents.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Paola is recognized.
Current status
Since Sep 6, 2017
Recognized
The Gender Identity Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act provided a method for individuals to apply to have identification documents, including passport, updated with an "X" gender marker.
LGBT housing discrimination in Paola is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Intersex infant surgery in Paola is full ban.
Current status
Since Apr 14, 2015
Full ban
The Gender Identity Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act prohibits medically unnecessary surgeries on intersex minors.
Serving openly in military in Paola is legal.
Current status
Legal
The Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) operates a "live and let live" policy in regards to it's potential and current members. In 2010 the BBC reported that Malta had not lifted a ban on gay people serving openly in the AFM, but a spokesperson at the time denied this, stating that there was never a ban in place to lift.
Conversion therapy in Paola is banned.
Current status
Since Dec 6, 2016
Banned
Anyone who tries to "change, repress or eliminate a person's sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression" will be fined up to 10,000 euros or even jailed for up to a year.
Until Dec 2019
Ambiguous
The only person to offer a form of conversion therapy is Gordon Manche, a pastor. This is not illegal, but nor is it legal. Since it mainly involves just counselling then it is fine in the eyes of the current law.
Legal Rights
100 / 100
This region's Equality Index is based on legal rights alone. Please submit survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in Paola to help improve its accuracy.
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Paola LGBT Organizations
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