Ha is governed by federal Bhutan law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Unrecognized
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✖ Restricted
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Hate Crime Protections
- ✖ Protected in some contexts
- Discrimination
- ✖ Illegal in some contexts
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✖ Single only
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Ha is lacking public opinion data.
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Homosexual activity in Ha is legal.
Current status
Since Feb 17, 2021
Legal
Same-sex sexual activity was decriminalized in Bhutan on February 17, 2021, after Section 213 was amended to clarify that “homosexuality between adults shall not be considered unnatural sex.”
Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
Article 213 of Bhutan’s 2004 Penal Code criminalized “unnatural sex” which was defined as “sodomy or any other sexual conduct that is against the order of nature.”
Article 214 stated that the offence of unnatural sex was a petty misdemeanor, which provided a maximum prison sentence of less than one year and a minimum term of one month.
Article 214 stated that the offence of unnatural sex was a petty misdemeanor, which provided a maximum prison sentence of less than one year and a minimum term of one month.
Same-sex marriage in Ha is unrecognized.
Current status
Unrecognized
Proposed on Legalizing Gay marriage by the King of Bhutan.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Ha is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Bhutan, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Right to change legal gender in Ha is legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
Current status
Since 2019
Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
Trans people can change their legal gender if they have a psychiatrist's certificate confirming gender dysphoria and a support letter from a civil society organization.
Gender-affirming care in Ha is restricted.
Current status
Restricted
There is no gender-affirming care provided in Bhutan, although it is not banned either.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Ha is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
No legal recognition.
Hate crime protections in Ha is protected in some contexts.
Current status
Since Jul 20, 2015
Protected in some contexts
Section 40(7) of The Office of the Attorney General Act of Bhutan (2015) states that the public interest considerations for prosecution shall include cases where the offence is motivated by hostility against a person because of his or her sexual orientation.
LGBT discrimination in Ha is illegal in some contexts.
Current status
Since 2018
Illegal in some contexts
The Information, Communications and Media Act of Bhutan (2018) protects sexual orientation as “Sensitive Personal Data or Information”.
Section 8.2(i) of the Bhutan Filming Regulation 2025, reads: "The tone and content of programming shall not in any way incite discrimination, hatred or violence against any individual or identifiable group based on race, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital or family status, or political affiliation."
Section 8.2(i) of the Bhutan Filming Regulation 2025, reads: "The tone and content of programming shall not in any way incite discrimination, hatred or violence against any individual or identifiable group based on race, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital or family status, or political affiliation."
LGBT employment discrimination in Ha is no protections.
Current status
No protections
In Bhutan, neither sexual orientation nor gender identity is a protected class from employment discrimination.
LGBT housing discrimination in Ha is no protections.
Current status
No protections
In Bhutan, neither sexual orientation nor gender identity is a protected class from housing discrimination.
Same-sex adoption in Ha is single only.
Current status
Single only
If you are part of the LGBTQ+ in bhutan, you can only adopt if you are single.
Intersex infant surgery in Ha is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
In Bhutan, intersex infant surgeries to "normalize" ambiguous genitalia remain not banned.
Serving openly in military in Ha is legal.
Current status
Legal
Open LGBT military service is not illegal in Bhutan, however members face the possibility of discrimination while serving.
Blood donations by MSMs in Ha is legal.
Current status
Legal
There are no blood donation restrictions for MSMs in Bhutan.
Conversion therapy in Ha is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Bhutan does not ban conversion therapy with no explict law banning it.
Legal Rights
51 / 100
This region's Equality Index is based on legal rights alone. Please submit survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in Ha to help improve its accuracy.
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Alternative names: Ha, Haa