In 2005, there were 76 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 70 changes made and 59 in the following year. A total of 658 legal changes were made in the 2000s.
- December 30Same-sex adoption becomes legal.Adoption discrimination is illegal in England, this extends to Manchester.
- Same-sex adoption becomes legal.Adoption discrimination is illegal in England. IVF treatment is available for lesbian couples too.
- December 28Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.Article 6 of the FBH Family Law states: "Marriage is a union of life between a woman and a man regulated by law." The FBH constitution does not mention marriage.
- Same-sex adoption becomes illegal.Family Law of FBH entity adopted on March 3, 2005 recognizes two categories of adoption: "incomplete adoption" and "full adoption". Only married partners and non-marital partners who have lived in the community for at least 5 years can fully adopt (Article 102). Incomplete adoption is allowed only to married partners without restrictions, and with the existence of particularly justified reasons, this type of adoption can also be enabled for non-marital partners who have lived in the community for at least 5 years and for single people (Article 104).
- December 27
- December 18
- December 15
- December 5Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (marriage rights).Activists are trying to get this legalized. Legalized required under EU Ruling. Gay marriage legalization pending. Foreign Same Sex Marriage recognized from other countries.
- Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (marriage rights).The law still allows both same sex couples and straight couples to form civil unions as of December 2, 2019.
- Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (marriage rights).Civil partnership
- September 28Equal age of consent becomes n/a.16 for heterosexual males/females. No established age of consent for homosexual males/females, but they can be charged with engaging in consensual activity starting at age 12.
- August 5LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
- August
- July 21
- July 20
- Same-sex marriage becomes legal.Same-sex marriage in Canada became legally recognised nationwide with the Civil Marriage Act, making Canada the fourth country in the world to legalise gay marriage.
- July 14LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.The Community/Union legislation (directive 2000/78) prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workspace. Later on it was transferred to the Greek legal order, with law 3304/2005, almost verbatim. The greek translation of the directive and the greek law referred to sexual orientation as “genetic orientation”.
- July 12Same-sex marriage becomes banned.Marriage in Uganda is defined as a union between a man and a woman constitutionally.
- July 4
- July 3
- Same-sex marriage becomes legal.In July of 2005, Spain became the third country in the world to legalize gay marriage, following the Netherlands and Belgium. The law, which was passed by the Spanish parliament and signed into law by Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, also allows same-sex couples to adopt children.
- July 1Same-sex adoption becomes illegal.According to article 101 of the current Family law in Serbia, adoptive parents can be: (1) spouses or common-law partners together (2) the spouse or common-law partner of the child's parent (3) exceptionally, with the permission of the cabinet minister responsible for families, a person who lives alone if particulary justified reasons exist for doing so This practically means that single persons (regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity) cannot adopt a child.
- May 25Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.If medical opinion states that the individual is their desired gender, courts should comply and legally recognise the desired gender. (High Court in Re JG)
- May 4
- April 13Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (marriage rights).
- April 8Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.Kansas voters adopted a constitutional amendment in April 2005 that said "Marriage shall be constituted by one man and one woman only" and banned granting the "rights or incidents" of marriage to other relationships.
- April 4Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.Requires diagnosis of gender dysphoria
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, no restrictions.Changing gender is legal.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.Changing gender is legal.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.Changing your gender is legal within Manchester.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.As in the United Kingdom, the law is the same Surgery is not required
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, no restrictions.UK changes of gender are recognised. The Criminal Procedure and Evidence Ordinance 2014 states "the gender of an individual is his or her gender as registered at birth, unless the person possesses a gender recognition certificate issued under section 9 of the UK Gender Recognition Act 2004, in which case the person's gender is the acquired gender."
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, no restrictions.Not required.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, no restrictions.Missing non binary options on documents.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.As in United Kingdom
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.The Act gives transsexual people legal recognition as members of the sex appropriate to their gender (male or female) allowing them to acquire a new birth certificate, affording them full recognition of their acquired sex in law for all purposes, including marriage.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.Gender Recognition Act 2004
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.As in United Kingdom
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.Legal gender recognition is possible in all four constituent countries of the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) as per the Gender Recognition Act (2004, in effect 2005). Section 1 of the law states that "any person of either gender" who is aged at least 18 can make an application for "a gender recognition certificate" on the basis of— (a) living in the other gender, or (b) having changed gender under the law of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom. These certificates are issued by a Gender Recognition Panel. The law includes the following requirements for obtaining such certificate: (1) a "gender dysphoria" diagnosis, proved through two reports (one by a registered medical practitioner or psychologist specialised in gender dysphoria, and another one made by a registered medical practitioner); (2) having lived in the “acquired gender” for two years before filing the application, proved through different means (such as a statutory declaration or documents where their gender identity is stated -i.e. pay slips, benefit documentation, bank statements, utility bills); (3) a statutory declaration showing intention "to continue to live in the acquired gender until death"; (4) spousal consent, if the applicant is married or in a civil partnership (partner must consent to the marriage or partnership continuing after the issue of the full gender recognition certificate).
- March 23
- March 18Same-sex marriage becomes banned.Burundian constitution explicitly prohibits same-sex marriage. In article 29 it states “Marriage between two people of the same sex is forbidden.”
- January 11Same-sex adoption becomes single only.it is the more open-minded places besides Nepal and tiwan. No laws in place for same sex couples.
- (date unknown)
- Censorship of LGBT Issues becomes state-enforced.Morocco has several censorship measures in place including LGBT media censorship. Article 3 of the Decree Regulating the Right of Association prohibits associations from engaging in activities that, inter alia, “breach the laws or public morals” or “offend Islam”. Further amendments were made by Decree No. 2?04?969 (2005), which include prohibitive provisions, such as capacities at start-up. LGBT organisations are refused to register by the authorities.
- January 1Same-sex adoption becomes single only.No laws in place in for same sex couples. Legalization pending.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.Requires surgery to change documents. Changes pending. Missing non binary options on documents.
- (date unknown)Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.Under Article 37 of the Law on the Register of Deaths, Births and Marriages (2005), "medical certification" is required to attain legal gender recognition. However, there are no apparent criteria for what this "certification" must include or what level of medical intervention (if any) is required. Thus, in practice, the discretion lies with each individual registrar to accept or reject applicants. Before the change of gender marker is registered, the applicant must request a new EMSO (identification number). According to ILGA-Europe, in January 2017, the Ministry of Internal Affairs published a circular establishing that applicants seeking legal gender recognition had to present a certified statement that they have undergone gender affirming surgery. However, after substantial advocacy efforts by local NGOs, including Legebitra, TransAkcija, and Amnesty Slovenia, the Ministry backtracked and published a new circular establishing that applicants had to submit a "certified statement" issued by a psychiatrist merely stating that they had "changed their gender" and indicating that the medical procedures leading to “gender change” are irrelevant for the legal gender recognition procedure, thus reinstating the interpretation that was in place before January 2017.
- January 1LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.included in hate crimes as well.
- Equal age of consent becomes equal.
- Homosexual activity becomes legal.
- Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.5- 10 years in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending. Since 2013 police officers have to take lgbt sensitivity training.
- Serving openly in military becomes legal.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.As being a French territory.
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.as being a territory of France. French laws apply.
- Equal age of consent becomes equal.Age of Consent for sex is equal in the Falkland Islands.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.Anti-discrimination laws in hate speech and violence
- (date unknown)LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.State law provides for protections against employment discrimination in regards to both sexual orientation and gender identification.
- Equal age of consent becomes equal.
- Homosexual activity becomes legal.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
- January 1
- (date unknown)Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.Sex-reassignment surgery is required to change legal documents in Kentucky.
- January 1Same-sex adoption becomes illegal.The couple applying for adoption must be a married, different sex couple. Custody has been granted to a same-sex parent on the basis of the "child's best interest," but this is very rare.
- (date unknown)Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (1-year deferral).Gay men in Japan are banned from donating blood following one (1) year after male-male sexual contact. Japanese Red Cross opposses this practice.
- Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (limited rights).Same-sex couples can register their partnership under the name "Stable Union of a Couple" with limited rights.
LGBT Organizations Founded in 2005
Kentucky Equality Federation
Kentucky Equality Federation is a public advocate for victims of discrimination, hate crimes, and school bullying. Member organizations include: Kentucky Equal Ballot Access…Bisdak Pride, Inc.
Established since 2005, Bisdak Pride, Inc. (BPI) is a product of the First Visayas-Mindanao LGBTQ Leadership Conference entitled,Human Rights First Rwanda Association
The Human Rights First Rwanda Association (HRFRA) is an organization aimed at promoting social justice and human rights education, provide legal assistance to poor and vulnerable…Equality Kansas
Equality Kansas is a US organization whose mission is to end discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Equality Kansas is working towards their mission…TENI; Transgender Equality Network Ireland
Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) seeks to improve conditions and advance the rights and equality of trans* people and their families. Despite significant progress in…Maritime Life Precious Organization
Support and aid to LGBTI in the western Region of Ghana.Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy
Who We Are In 2005, the Taiwan LGBTQ Family Rights Advocacy began as a MSN Community of Lesbian Mothers. The group was primarily focused on the children of lesbian mothers…Mitini Nepal
Mitini Nepal is a Registered LBTI Non-Government Organization that works for LGBTQI Civil and Human Rights in Nepal. It is women-led, and offers Crisis Support, Tolerance and…Federaci
Youth Association for Development (YAD) Pakistan
Youth Association for Development (YAD) Pakistan is working for the LGBTIQ right, protecting their rights through legislative development and enforcement of legislation, as well…Athens Pride
Athens Pride is a completely voluntary, non-profit company, operating under the Greek Civil Code since 2006. Its primary goal is the organization of the annual Athens Pride…Out In The City
Out In The City is a self-organised project to support members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities who are over 50 years of age.The Proud Trust LTD
The Proud Trust is an LGBT+ youth charity empowering young people to be proud of who they are. The Proud Trust delivers youth work and one-to-one support across Greater…Sparkle
Sparkle - the national transgender charity based in the United Kingdom that is best known for organising the annual Sparkle Weekend in Manchester, which aims to celebrate the…SOMOSGAY
SOMOSGAY is an organization born in Paraguay, one of the most homophobic and unequal countries in Latin America. Their purpose is to contribute to HIV care, innovate with…Gej strejt alijansa
Promotion and protection of human rights in Serbia, especially LGBT rights