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Regions  ▸  Europe

LGBT Rights in Belgium

    Homosexuality
    ⚢
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ⚭
    ✔ Legal
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✔ Legal, surgery not required
    Non-binary gender recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✔ Illegal
    Employment Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Housing Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Adoption
    ✔ Legal
    Military
    ✔ Legal
    Donating Blood
    ✖ Banned (3-month deferral)
    Conversion Therapy
    ✔ Banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal

Public Opinion

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Public opinion in Belgium appears to be somewhat divided on LGBTQ+ issues, as evidenced by recent studies.

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History

Homosexual activity in Belgium

?

Homosexual activity in Belgium is legal.

Current status
Since Sep 3, 1944
Legal
Belgium was liberated in September of 1944. Belgian civil law reverted back to pre-war laws.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

May 28, 1940–Sep 3, 1944
Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
Belgium was under German occupation during World War II and thus Paragraph 175 was in effect.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
wagner.edu/holocaust-center…
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

1795–May 28, 1940
Legal
Legalized under French rule and the Napoleonic Code.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
media.leidenuniv.nl/legacy/…
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Belgium

?

Same-sex marriage in Belgium is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 1, 2003
Legal
Civil marriages for same sex couples were enabled by Article 143 of the Belgian Civil Code (Book I, Title V, Chapter I).

Statutory Cohabitation remains available for those who do not wish to enter into a civil marriage.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
same-sex.web.ined.fr/pdf/Do…
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jan 1, 2000–Jun 1, 2003
Other type of partnership
Statutory Cohabitation grants specific rights to cohabiting persons. Although not specifically intended for LGBT couples it was open for same sex couples.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
same-sex.web.ined.fr/pdf/Do…
belgium.be/en/family/statut…
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Belgium

?

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Belgium is no censorship.

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

Right to change legal gender in Belgium

?

Right to change legal gender in Belgium is legal, surgery not required.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2018
Legal, surgery not required
Surgery no longer necessary to change legal gender.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
justitie.belgium.be/en/them…
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

2007–Jan 1, 2018
Legal, but requires surgery
Transgender people in Belgium are required to undergo gender reassignment surgery in order to change their gender on state documents.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_l…
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Belgium

?

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

Current status
Not legally recognized
Belgium currently does not legally recognise non binary gender, however in 2019 the Constitutional Court ruled that current laws were unconstitutional. The government planned to introduce an "X" gender marker for ID cards in 2022. However, it was decided instead to remove gender markers from identity cards altogether. Thus, there is still not any legal recognition for non-binary individuals.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
brusselstimes.com/195585/in…
pinknews.co.uk/2021/03/12/b…
binary-legal-recognition-gender-law-petra-de-sutter/
Added by beeurd  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Belgium

?

LGBT discrimination in Belgium is illegal.

Current status
Since 2003
Illegal
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
gaystarnews.com/article/bel…
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Belgium

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Belgium is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since 2003
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
old.ilga.org/Statehomophobi…
Added by murrayhawthorne  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Belgium

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Belgium is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2003
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Belgium

?

Same-sex adoption in Belgium is legal.

Current status
Since Apr 21, 2006
Legal
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/…
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in Belgium

?

Serving openly in military in Belgium is legal.

Current status
Legal
Unsure of date. Gay and lesbian soldiers are not guaranteed promotions through the military for fear of possible blackmail.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
palmcenter.org/files/active…
glbtq.com/social-sciences/m…
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Belgium

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Belgium is banned (3-month deferral).

Current status
Since Jul 1, 2023
Banned (3-month deferral)
Starting July 1 2023, MSM who would like to donate blood face a 4-month deferral period.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
belganewsagency.eu/belgium-…
Added by Samanthos  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Apr 28, 2017–Jul 1, 2023
Banned (1-year deferral)
Blanket ban replaced by a 1 year deferral period.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/l…
rtbf.be/info/societe/detail…
demorgen.be/nieuws/homo-s-m…b24b3e7a/
Added by beeurd  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

1977–Apr 27, 2017
Banned (indefinite deferral)
MSMs were not eligible to donate blood.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
webcitation.org/5y5n2WYcy
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Belgium

?

Conversion therapy in Belgium is banned.

Current status
Since Jul 22, 2023
Banned
Parliament voted to ban conversion therapy
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2023/07/20…
Added by Samuel_NOT_Samuele  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Until Jul 22, 2023
Not banned
Not banned. A conversion therapy ban was announced in 2022, but no law is in effect as of now.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
rtbf.be/article/societe-la-…
thebulletin.be/belgium-work…
euractiv.com/section/politi…
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Belgium

?

Equal age of consent in Belgium is equal.

Current status
Since 1985
Equal
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
media.leidenuniv.nl/legacy/…
Added by bradcoffey106  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT Rights by Province

View the LGBT laws in each individual province of Belgium.

    Equality Index ?
    77 / 100
    Legal Rights
    91 / 100
    Public Opinion
    63 / 100

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    #64
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    Common queries:
    • Is it illegal to be gay in Belgium?
    • Is homosexuality legal in Belgium?
    • Is gay marriage legal in Belgium?
    Alternative names: België/Belgique (local name)

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