- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✔ Legal, surgery not required
- Non-binary gender recognition
- ✔ Recognized
- Discrimination
- ✔ Illegal
- Employment Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Adoption
- ✔ Legal
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
Suggest Public Opinion Data
Public Opinion
Views on same-sex marriage or other legal recognition
Ranked #17 out of 27 regions surveyed. (Source: Ipsos, April–May, 2021)
(17%) Against
Support (67%)
Views on same-sex couples' right to adopt
Ranked #21 out of 27 regions surveyed. (Source: Ipsos, April–May, 2021)
(44%) Disagree
Agree (48%)
Acceptance of homosexuals as neighbors ?
Ranked #30 out of 79 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
(28.1%) Mentioned homosexuals
Did not mention homosexuals (71.9%)
Justifiability of homosexuality ?
Ranked #36 out of 79 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
(51.6%) Not justifiable
Justifiable (23.9%)
Opinion on same-sex couples as parents ?
Ranked #43 out of 74 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
(55.6%) Disagree
Agree (31.6%)
Support for same-sex marriage (North and South America) ?
Ranked #11 out of 29 regions surveyed. (Source: AmericasBarometer, 2016-2017)
(66%) Disapprove
Approve (34%)
Acceptance of Gay People in Public Office (North and South America) ?
Ranked #10 out of 29 regions surveyed. (Source: AmericasBarometer, 2016-2017)
(52.9%) Disapprove
Approve (47.1%)
Perceived Acceptance of Gay People ?
Ranked #32 out of 119 regions surveyed. (Source: Gallup, 2013)
(43%) Not a good place
Good place (50%)
History
Same-sex marriage in Colombia is legal.
Current status
Since Apr 28, 2016
Since Apr 28, 2016
Legal
"The judges affirmed by a majority that marriage between people of the same sex does not violate the constitutional order," judge Maria Victoria Calle said.
Other type of partnership
A Colombia court ruling implies that even though there are no specific legal provisions, same sex couples can now file for the same right and protection like a different-sex marriage using the provision of a "de facto union" in the 1991 constitution
Censorship of LGBT Issues in Colombia is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Colombia, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Right to change legal gender in Colombia is legal, surgery not required.
Current status
Since Jun 4, 2015
Since Jun 4, 2015
Legal, surgery not required
In response to two rulings of the Constitutional Court in 2015, the Colombian Government issued a decree on 4 June 2015 to simplify the process by which adults over 18 can legally change their gender. The decree, signed by the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior, says the gender change is justified by a person's individual choice; it eliminates the requirement for psychiatric or physical examinations.
Legal, but requires surgery
DECISION T-918-12
The Constitutional Court rules on the right to sexual identity, its relationship with the right to health in the case of transgender people and the change of the marital status of persons on the grounds on gender reassignment. The Chamber rules that it is the duty of the Health Promotion Agency to which the plaintiff is registered, to apply the procedures needed for the gender reassignment surgery, since these are covered by the Compulsory Health Plan (POS).
Additionally, in the action for protection it is requested the application of all the procedures required for the normalization of the process of feminization and changing registration of gender from MALE to FEMALE, without leaving in this document any record of the biological condition.
DECREE 1227 OF 2015
On June 5, the Colombian President signed Decree 1227, which authorizes citizens to change their sex on identification documents through a Notary Public and without having to prove their sexual identity through psychiatric or physical evaluations.
The Constitutional Court rules on the right to sexual identity, its relationship with the right to health in the case of transgender people and the change of the marital status of persons on the grounds on gender reassignment. The Chamber rules that it is the duty of the Health Promotion Agency to which the plaintiff is registered, to apply the procedures needed for the gender reassignment surgery, since these are covered by the Compulsory Health Plan (POS).
Additionally, in the action for protection it is requested the application of all the procedures required for the normalization of the process of feminization and changing registration of gender from MALE to FEMALE, without leaving in this document any record of the biological condition.
DECREE 1227 OF 2015
On June 5, the Colombian President signed Decree 1227, which authorizes citizens to change their sex on identification documents through a Notary Public and without having to prove their sexual identity through psychiatric or physical evaluations.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Colombia is recognized.
Current status
Since Feb 2022
Since Feb 2022
Recognized
The Constitutional Court of Columbia ruled that a non-binary person was entitled to a birth certificate and identity card with a "no binario"/"NB" sex marker.
LGBT discrimination in Colombia is illegal.
Current status
Since Nov 30, 2011
Since Nov 30, 2011
Illegal
Sexual orientation is explicitly covered in the law. Gender Identity on the other hand, is not mentioned explicitly but is implied.
LGBT employment discrimination in Colombia is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since May 7, 2018
Since May 7, 2018
Sexual orientation and gender identity
In May 2018, President Juan Manuel Santos issued an executive decree ordering the Interior Ministry to further guarantee the rights of LGBT people in the social sector, notably in health, education, work, housing, recreation, sports and culture, as well as establishing support programmes.
LGBT housing discrimination in Colombia is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since May 7, 2018
Since May 7, 2018
Sexual orientation and gender identity
In May 2018, President Juan Manuel Santos issued an executive decree ordering the Interior Ministry to further guarantee the rights of LGBT people in the social sector, notably in health, education, work, housing, recreation, sports and culture, as well as establishing support programmes.
Same-sex adoption in Colombia is legal.
Current status
Since Nov 4, 2015
Since Nov 4, 2015
Legal
Previously couples could only adopt a child if it was from one of the partners, but the same-sex adoption law allows homosexual couples the same rights as heterosexual couples.
Serving openly in military in Colombia is legal.
Current status
Since Jul 14, 1999
Since Jul 14, 1999
Legal
Blood donations by MSMs in Colombia is legal.
Current status
Since Mar 26, 2012
Since Mar 26, 2012
Legal
Conversion therapy in Colombia is not banned.
Current status
Since Aug 15, 2015
Since Aug 15, 2015
Not banned
Equal age of consent in Colombia is equal.
Current status
Equal
The age of consent in Colombia is 14 for people of all sexual orientations.
LGBT Rights by department
View the LGBT laws in each individual department of Colombia.
- ChocĂł
- Cundinamarca
- CĂłrdoba
- GuainĂa
- Guaviare
- Huila
- La Guajira
- Magdalena
- Meta
- Nariño
- Norte de Santander
- Putumayo
- QuindĂo
- Risaralda
- San Andrés, Providencia y Santa Catalina
- Santander
- Sucre
- Tolima
- Valle del Cauca
- Vaupés
- Vichada