2008 in LGBT Rights

In 2008, there were 26 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 49 changes made and 71 in the following year. A total of 637 legal changes were made in the 2000s.

  • December 19
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Amended Act No.111 of 2003 requires for transgender people to change their legal gender, (1) be at least 20 years of age, (2) not currently married, (3) no child less than 20 years, (4) infertile (no gonads or persistent lack of gonadal function), (5) and has a body which appears to have genital parts of those of the opposite sex. And also requires medical certificate by two or more psychiatrist.
  • November 26
    Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized, same-sex marriage and civil unions banned.
    Cohabitation agreement, corresponding to civil union, was instituted in Greece, in November 26, 2008, only available to opposite-sex couples. In April 2006, former President of the PA.SO.K. party, George Papandreou proposed to Parliament the recognition of unmarried same-sex or heterosexual couples. However, the project was not accepted by the LGBT organizations as it was considered that it would not have any benefit in their rights, since it prohibited the adoption of children.
  • November 4
    Same-sex marriage becomes not legal.
    Palau's Constitution defines marriage as between a man and a woman. The same-sex marriage ban was added to the Constitution in 2008. The ban was among the 22 amendments passed during the November 4, 2008 referendum.
  • October 28
    Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
    In 2008, Connecticut became the first US state to legalize same-sex marriage, following Massachusetts in 2004.
  • October 20
    Same-sex adoption becomes single only.
    Under article 68 of the 2008 constitution, adoption is explicitly only grated to different-sex unions. Singles can still apply for adoption.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions.
    Although marriage is still defined as a union between a man and a woman, article 68 of the 2008 constitution also state: The stable and monogamous union between two persons without any other marriage ties who have a common-law home, for the lapse of time and under the conditions and circumstances provided for by law, shall enjoy the same rights and obligations of those families bound by formal marriage ties.
  • September 12
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    Under federal law since 2015. Single adoption, joint adoption for married couples and second parent adoption for married couples are all allowed for LGBT people. In Kentucky, businesses can discriminate against LGBT people on the basis of religion. While it is unclear if this also applies to adoption agencies, such a case has been brought up in court and ended up with the judge resigning.
  • August 23
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    Aricle 5 of the 2008 Labour Law prohibits employment discrimination. Sexual orientation is one of explicitly mentioned grounds.
  • August 5
    Right to change legal gender becomes illegal.
    Legally, one can only change the gender when he/she is very young and has condition that "confuses" the actual gender of the child. Once the sexual organ is "fully developed", a citizen can't change his/her gender.
  • July 31
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    The age of consent is equal at 18.
  • July 15
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    Included in incitement to hatred.
  • July 1
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    5- 30 years in prison and fine. 5-25 years in Zanzibar. Rarely enforced.
  • June 14
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    .
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    ..
  • June 1
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Legal
  • May 29
    Same-sex marriage becomes foreign same-sex marriages recognized only.
    In this context, "foreign" is defined as same-sex marriages legally performed in other jurisdictions but heretofore unrecognized by New York State.
  • May 1
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    Legal measures against LGBT discrimination exist in the workplace (2008) and in health (2014).
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent in for anal sex in Canada is 18, whereas the age of consent for acts of sex is 16.
  • April 16
    Blood donations by MSMs becomes legal.
    Legal In 2008, Russia repealed its ban against gay people donating blood. The law was signed in effect on April 16, 2008 by Tatyana Golikova, the minister of Russia's Health and Social Development department
  • April 7
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Male homosexuality was legalized in 1994 in certain areas, homosexuality was fully legalized in 2008.
  • March 10
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    .
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    .
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    .
  • February 17
    Blood donations by MSMs becomes legal.
    after removing restrictions.
  • February 3
    Same-sex marriage becomes other type of partnership.
    The terminology for same sex union used is domestic partnership. Same-sex marriage from other states are also recognized in oregon.
  • January 15
    Blood donations by MSMs becomes legal.
    The first version of the questionnaire stated that male homosexuals, African citizens from countries infected with malaria, uneducated people, as well as other categories of people cannot donate blood in Romania. After the hearings of the Council for Combating Discrimination, the Ministry of Health removed the questions considered discriminatory from the questionnaire.