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LGBT Rights in Switzerland

    Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✔ Legal
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✔ Legal, no restrictions
    Non-binary gender recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ Illegal in some contexts
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✔ Legal
    Military
    ✖ Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    Varies by Region
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal

Public opinion surveys in Switzerland have pointed to a varied attitude towards LGBTQ+ individuals.

History

Homosexual activity in Switzerland

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Homosexual activity in Switzerland is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 21, 1991
Legal
Homosexual acts were not mentioned anymore in the revision of the Penal Code of 1991. Therefore the age of consent was lowered to 16 years old for all consenting sexual intercourse.
Added by lookino  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jan 1, 1942–Jun 20, 1991
Legal
The Swiss Penal Code introduced in 1942 allowed same sex acts between adults (above 20 years old), but punished homosexual intercourse with people between 16 and 20 years old (while allowing heterosexual acts)
Added by sofoust  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Switzerland

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Same-sex marriage in Switzerland is legal.

Current status
Since Sep 26, 2022
Legal
Switzerland approved same-sex marriage with a national referendum.
Added by DuffdeNecker  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jan 1, 2007–Sep 26, 2021
Civil unions
Swiss Registered Partnership is a Civil Union that grants equal rights to Marriage but differs on three points: access to Fertility treatment, Adoption and facilitated Swiss naturalisation, this last one being discussed actually in Swiss parliament. ILGA states that Registered Partnership in Switzerland is «Equal/almost equal substitute nationally recognized» to Marriage.
Added by vviet93  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jan 1, 2007–Jun 22, 2018
Civil unions
Gay Marriage comes into effect in the next couple years.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Switzerland

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Censorship of LGBT Issues in Switzerland is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
In Switzerland, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Added by equaldex  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Switzerland

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Right to change legal gender in Switzerland is legal, no restrictions.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2022
Legal, no restrictions
Change of sex is legal though there are now specific laws concerning the matter. In 1993, the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland stated that a change of sex should be "irreversible"; many judges interpreted it as the person had to go under surgery. In 2012, the Federal Department of Justice and Police via its Federal Office for Civil Registration released a statement about how transsexualism should be handled by cantonal Register offices. The FOCR stated that the Judges and Authorities should cease to oblige a person to go through forced sterilisation in order to have their sex change recognised. Furthermore, a person is granted to choose his or her gender according to his or her social gender and not anymore according to his or her biological gender.
Sources:
FOCR Statement (in German, French, Italian): ejpd.admin.ch/content/dam/d…

Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland Statement (in German):
transgender-network.ch/wp-c…
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_…
Added by nashtags  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Switzerland

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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Switzerland is not legally recognized.

Current status
Not legally recognized
Switzerland does not currently legally recognize non-binary identities.
Added by Notdog1996  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Switzerland

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LGBT discrimination in Switzerland is illegal in some contexts.

Current status
Since Jul 1, 2020
Illegal in some contexts
Since 2020, an amendment to Article 261 bis of the Criminal Code (1937) penalises discrimination based on "sexual orientation" in the provision of goods and services. Article 261 bis of the Criminal Code was amended to include “sexual orientation” in the provision that criminalises public denigration, discrimination, or incitement to those actions, as well as the public dissemination of ideologies that aim to systematically denigrate or defame members of a protected group.
Added by vviet93  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Switzerland

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LGBT employment discrimination in Switzerland is no protections.

Current status
No protections
Laws in force in Switzerland do not offer protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment.
Added by nashtags  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Switzerland

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LGBT housing discrimination in Switzerland is no protections.

Current status
No protections
Laws in force in Switzerland do not offer protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and “gender identity in housing.
Sources:
database.ilga.org/switzerla…
Article 8 of the Federal Constitution
admin.ch/opc/en/classified-…
Added by nashtags  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Switzerland

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Same-sex adoption in Switzerland is legal.

Current status
Since Sep 26, 2021
Legal
The new law of same sex marriage for Switzerland also guarantees adoption rights for same sex couples.
Sources:
www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58696604.amp
swissinfo.ch/eng/society/ad…
Added by nashtags  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jan 1, 2018–Jun 22, 2018
Step-child adoption only
Step child and single options since 2018. Full legalization pending. It will become legal when gay marriage becomes legal.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in Switzerland

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Serving openly in military in Switzerland is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.

Current status
Since May 17, 1992
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
Code pénal suisse. Code pénal militaire (Infraction contre l'intégrité sexuelle): Modification du 21 juin 1991 pp 63-78. Switzerland has yet to allow Trans people to serve in the military
Added by nashtags  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Switzerland

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Blood donations by MSMs in Switzerland is legal.

Current status
Since Nov 1, 2023
Legal
New blood donation rules are now based on an updated risk assessment of various sexual behaviours and are equally applied to all people regardless of sexual orientation.
Added by Markissik  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Nov 29, 2017–Nov 1, 2023
Banned (1-year deferral)
In early May 2017, the National Council approved a motion calling on all restrictions on gay and bisexual men donating blood to be lifted. According to the National Council, only risky behaviour should be a factor for blood donation, not one's sexual orientation. The motion, introduced by the Conservative Democrats, was approved 97–89.[66] However, this was rejected by the Council of States on 29 November 2017.[67] The 1 year deferral period for gay and bisexual men donating blood therefore remains in place.
Added by nashtags  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Switzerland

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Conversion therapy in Switzerland is varies by region.

Current status
Since May 2, 2023
Varies by Region
On this date, Neuchâtel banned conversion therapy. Neuchâtel is a canton of Switzerland, of which there are 26. In the other 25 member states of the Swiss Confederation, conversion therapy remains legal.

Equal age of consent in Switzerland

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Equal age of consent in Switzerland is equal.

Current status
Since 1992
Equal
Consensual age is Switzerland is 16 years old, unless the difference in age between the persons involved is not more than 3 years.
Sources:
Article 188 of the Swiss Criminal Code admin.ch/ch/e/rs/3/311.0.en.pdf
Added by sofoust  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log