- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Banned
- Censorship
- ✖ State-enforced
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Illegal
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✔ Legal
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Hate Crime Protections
- ✖ Sexual orientation only
- Discrimination
- ✔ Illegal
- Employment Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Adoption
- ✖ Single only
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✖ Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal with restrictions
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Recent studies in Bulgaria indicate societal resistance to LGBTQ+ rights.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
Perception of LGBTQ+ People
Survey results from 13 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited Bulgaria.
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 Bulgaria is legal.
Same-sex marriage in Bulgaria is banned.
Current status
Since Jul 12, 1991
Banned
Article 46 of The Constitution of Bulgaria (1991) defines marriage as a “free union between a man and a woman.” Bulgaria has recognized one gay marriage because of a court ruling, and only one being recognized does not mean they recognize foreign gay marriages.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Bulgaria is state-enforced.
Current status
Since Aug 15, 2024
State-enforced
On August 7th, the Bulgarian parliament passed a law prohibiting so-called 'LGBT propaganda' in schools. The parliament vote 135 for, 57 against. The bill took effect on August 15th after the president signed the bill into law the previous day.
No censorship
After the fall of communism in Bulgaria but before the adoption of a homophobia censorship law in 2024 there was no censorship of LGBT issues by the Bulgarian government.
Until Nov 15, 1990
State-enforced
During the communist era in Bulgaria, which lasted from 1946 to 1990, the government promoted a highly controlled and regulated society, which extended to matters related to LGBT rights. Homosexuality was criminalized under Article 157 of the Bulgarian Penal Code, which remained in place until 1968.
During this time, discussions or expressions of LGBT-related topics were generally suppressed, and any attempt to advocate for LGBT rights could face censorship and persecution by the government. This was part of the broader censorship and control exerted by the communist regime over various aspects of society, including the media, literature, and public discourse.
During this time, discussions or expressions of LGBT-related topics were generally suppressed, and any attempt to advocate for LGBT rights could face censorship and persecution by the government. This was part of the broader censorship and control exerted by the communist regime over various aspects of society, including the media, literature, and public discourse.
Right to change legal gender in Bulgaria is illegal.
Current status
Since Feb 21, 2023
Illegal
In February 2023, the starkly split (28-21) Highest Court of Bulgaria ruled that people could not change the gender marker on their legal documents.
Legal, but requires surgery
In 2009, the Bulgarian Identity Documents Act was amended to provide for a possibility of "changing sex" in identification documents but did not provide any requirements specified nor who could issue such documents. However, in practice, sterilisation and surgery were often required.
Gender-affirming care in Bulgaria is legal.
Current status
Legal federal law
There is little available information about gender-affirming care in Bulgaria. However, all restrictions seem to be practical and not legal but transphobia is still rampant and there have been attempts to ban gender-affirming care for minors. However, the ban was rejected in 2024.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Bulgaria is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Non-binary options missing
Hate crime protections in Bulgaria is sexual orientation only.
Current status
Since Aug 7, 2023
Sexual orientation only
Since 2023, sexual orientation has been a protected characteristic from hate crimes in Bulgaria.
On July 28, 2023, the Bulgarian Parliament adopted amendments to the country’s Penal Code adding sexual orientation to the list of such characteristics. On August 3, 2023, the law was published in the State Gazette. Article 5(5) of Bulgaria’s Constitution states that normative acts take effect three days after promulgation unless otherwise specified; accordingly, because no alternate date was provided, the amendments took effect on August 7, 2023.
On July 28, 2023, the Bulgarian Parliament adopted amendments to the country’s Penal Code adding sexual orientation to the list of such characteristics. On August 3, 2023, the law was published in the State Gazette. Article 5(5) of Bulgaria’s Constitution states that normative acts take effect three days after promulgation unless otherwise specified; accordingly, because no alternate date was provided, the amendments took effect on August 7, 2023.
LGBT discrimination in Bulgaria is illegal.
Current status
Since 2023
Illegal
Discrimination in bulgaria is illegal. Recently Bulgaria has stepped up against anti lgbtq discrimination with new legislation
LGBT employment discrimination in Bulgaria is sexual orientation and gender identity.
LGBT housing discrimination in Bulgaria is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since 2023
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Bulgaria has recently been stepping up against lgbtq+ discrimination. Widely supported legislation
Same-sex adoption in Bulgaria is single only.
Current status
Single only
Same-sex couples are banned from adopting in Bulgaria. However, single individuals regardless of sexual orientation are allowed to adopt, though requests from single men are rarely accepted. Lesbian couples do not have access to IVF and artificial insemination, as it is only available to married opposite-sex couples. Nevertheless, since 2004, single lesbian women have had access to IVF.
Intersex infant surgery in Bulgaria is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
There is no official ban on unnecessary sex reassignment operations in infants in Bulgaria.
Serving openly in military in Bulgaria is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.
Current status
Since Aug 1, 2004
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
Only 22 Countries allow transgender service Bulgaria is not one of them.
Blood donations by MSMs in Bulgaria is legal with restrictions.
Current status
Legal with restrictions
Gay and bisexual men are not explicitly banned from donating blood in Bulgaria. However, the blood donor application form, required prior to any blood donation, does not ask the applicant to disclose that information, rather requires them to confirm that they did not partake in practices (sexual included) that increase the risk of HIV or other STIs. The consent form is detailed in an ordinance issued by Bulgaria's Ministry of Healthcare on 19 July 2004.
Conversion therapy in Bulgaria is not banned.
Current status
Not banned federal law
Conversion therapy in Bulgaria is not banned.
Equal age of consent in Bulgaria is equal.
Current status
Since May 1, 1968
Equal federal law
The age of consent is 14 for both heterosexual and homosexual intercourse.
LGBT Rights by Region
View the LGBT laws in each individual region of Bulgaria.
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#111
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Common queries:
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Alternative names: Balgarija (local name)
