- 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
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Adoption
- ✔ Legal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✖ Banned (less than 6-month deferral)
- Conversion Therapy
- ✔ Banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
💬 Join Equaldex's LGBTQ+ Discord to discuss LGBT rights and chat!
Public Opinion
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
Victoria is lacking public opinion data.
Help expand our understanding of the public's view on LGBTQ+ issues in Victoria by sharing a link to a survey from a reputable organization.
Suggest Public Opinion DataPerception of LGBTQ+ People
Survey results from 10 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited Victoria.
Overall
Perceived Safety**Survey results represent personal perceptions of safety and may not be indicative of current actual conditions.
Equal Treatment
Visibility & Representation
Culture
Services
History
Homosexual activity in Victoria is legal.
Male illegal, female legal
In 1949, Victoria abolished capital punishment for homosexuality but it remained illegal with a punishment of up to 20 years in prison.
Jan 26, 1788–Jun 6, 1949
Until Jan 25, 1788
Legal under federal Australia law
Before British colonisation in 1788, there was no evidence that any societies in precolonial Australia had any laws or orders criminalising homosexuality.
Same-sex marriage in Victoria is legal.
Current status
Since Dec 9, 2017
Legal under federal Australia law
Same-sex marriage has been legal in Australia since 9 December 2017. The legislation to allow same-sex marriage, the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Act 2017, passed the Australian Parliament on 7 December 2017 and received royal assent from the Governor-General the following day.
Other type of partnership
Marriage Law is subject to Federal Law, Victoria afforded same sex relationships equal status as defacto heterosexual relationships (as domestic partnerships) in 2001
Censorship of LGBT issues in Victoria is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Victoria, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Gender-affirming care in Victoria is legal.
Current status
Since 1991
Legal
Australian youth outside of Queensland can begin accessing puberty blockers at the age of 10, full HRT is not typically prescribed until 16 and GCS is often not done until 18. However, nobody can access irreversible treatment until 15.
For Oestrogen or Testosterone two independent child and adolescent psychiatrists must do a standardised assessment of psychological development as well as a formal assessment of the child’s gender identification and capacity to understand the proposed treatment. A paediatric endocrinologist establishes the child’s pubertal stage, excludes disorders and discusses with the child and parents the effects and risks of puberty suppression.
For Puberty blockers a young person requires a multidisciplinary team consisting of a paediatrician, two mental health professionals (one must be a psychiatrist), and a fertility expert, to agree treatment is in the child’s best interests. It is then necessary to make an application to the Family Court for authorisation of treatment.
For Oestrogen or Testosterone two independent child and adolescent psychiatrists must do a standardised assessment of psychological development as well as a formal assessment of the child’s gender identification and capacity to understand the proposed treatment. A paediatric endocrinologist establishes the child’s pubertal stage, excludes disorders and discusses with the child and parents the effects and risks of puberty suppression.
For Puberty blockers a young person requires a multidisciplinary team consisting of a paediatrician, two mental health professionals (one must be a psychiatrist), and a fertility expert, to agree treatment is in the child’s best interests. It is then necessary to make an application to the Family Court for authorisation of treatment.
Restricted under federal Australia law
In 1979, Australia legalized sterilization, which de facto meant legalizing sex reassignment surgery, however, medical records regarding transsexualism had to be obtained abroad.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Victoria is recognized.
Current status
Since May 1, 2020
Recognized
Same birth laws that allowed gender change without GRS.
LGBT discrimination in Victoria is illegal.
Current status
Since Sep 12, 2000
Illegal
In 2000, Victoria passed an amendment to its Equal Opportunity Act to add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics from discrimination. Previously, only sexual orientation was protected from employment discrimination under federal law. However, some religious exemptions apply.
Illegal in some contexts
In 1997, sexual orientation became a protected characteristic from employment discrimination in Victoria under a federal Australian law. However, gender identity remained unprotected and there were no other protections provided to sexual orientation.
LGBT employment discrimination in Victoria is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since Sep 12, 2000
Sexual orientation and gender identity
In 2000, Victoria passed an amendment to its Equal Opportunity Act to add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics from employment discrimination. Previously, only sexual orientation was protected under federal law. However, some religious exemptions apply.
Sexual orientation only
In 1997, sexual orientation became a protected characteristic from employment discrimination in Victoria under a federal Australian law. However, gender identity remained unprotected.
LGBT housing discrimination in Victoria is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Intersex infant surgery in Victoria is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
No territory or state besides the Australian Capital Territory has banned intersex infant surgery.
Serving openly in military in Victoria is legal.
Current status
Since Sep 13, 2010
Legal under federal Australia law
In 2010, Australia lifted its ban on transgender people serving in the military.
Illegal under federal Australia law
In 1974, the ban on homosexuality in the military became official in Australia when the services of the ADF adopted consistent rules persecuting gay and lesbian soldiers, whether real or suspected, having them subjected to witch-hunts, surveillance, secret searches and intimidating interviews.
Until 1974
Don't Ask, Don't Tell under federal Australia law
Until 1974, Australia's military policy for LGBTIQ+ soldiers mostly operated under a "don't ask, don't tell" policy as there were bans against "unnatural offences" which at times was interpreted to include homosexuality but in practice, LGBTIQ+ soldiers served with commanders turning a blind eye if they were discreet about their identity. In fact, during the Second World War, Americans complained about Australian troops' homosexual behaviour in Papua New Guinea, urging them to adopt a ban on it in the military.
Blood donations by MSMs in Victoria is banned (less than 6-month deferral).
Current status
Since Jun 3, 2023
Banned (less than 6-month deferral) under federal Australia law
In Australia sexually active LGBT people are unable to donate blood unless they abstain from sex for three months. Since 2021, the deferral period within Australia was reduced from 1 year to 3 months without PrEP.
In June 2023, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved a submission from Australian Red Cross Lifeblood calling to remove most sexual activity ineligibility criteria for plasma donors.
In June 2023, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved a submission from Australian Red Cross Lifeblood calling to remove most sexual activity ineligibility criteria for plasma donors.
Banned (less than 6-month deferral) under federal Australia law
In 2021, Australia reduced the deferral period for men who have sex with men donating blood to 3-months.
Banned (1-year deferral) under federal Australia law
In 2000, Australia reduced the deferral period for blood donations from MSMs from 5 years to 1 year.
Banned (5-year deferral) under federal Australia law
In 1984, Australia introduced a 5-year ban on blood donations from MSMs in response to three babies dying in Queensland after a donation from a gay man with HIV.
Equal age of consent in Victoria is equal.
Current status
Since Mar 1, 1981
Equal
In Victoria the law about under-age sex is the same for both men and women and for gay and heterosexual sex.
Jan 26, 1788–Feb 27, 1981
Female equal, male N/A
Until 1981, male homosexuality was illegal in Victoria.
Until Jan 25, 1788
Equal under federal Australia law
Before British colonisation in 1788, there was no evidence that any societies in precolonial Australia had any laws or orders criminalising homosexuality nor of an unequal age of consent.
Australia Equality Rank
#309
Interest Rank based on Equaldex traffic ?
Top Contributors
- DaisyGeekyTrans 28 contributions
- adammferrier 12 contributions
- Pyrasaurus 8 contributions
- Unknownmiles 4 contributions
- jadeywadey 4 contributions
- ruperttrepur 3 contributions
- beeurd 2 contributions
- Notdog1996 2 contributions
- vviet93 1 contribution
- FCBSIX 1 contribution
Share Region
LGBT Victoria Flag