LGBT Rights in Esfahan Province

Esfahan is governed by federal Iran law. Learn more
    Homosexuality
    ✖ Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
    Gay Marriage
    ✖ Banned
    Censorship
    ✖ Other punishment
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Legal, but requires surgery
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✖ Restricted
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✖ Illegal
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    ✖ Not banned
    Military
    ✖ Illegal
    Donating Blood
    ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    N/A
💬 Join Equaldex's LGBTQ+ Discord to discuss LGBT rights and chat!

Public Opinion

Esfahan is missing public opinion data.

Help expand our understanding of the public's view on LGBTQ+ issues in Esfahan by sharing a link to a survey from a reputable organization.

Suggest Public Opinion Data

Have you lived in or visited Esfahan?

Share your experience of being LGBTQ+ in Esfahan.

Take Survey

History

Homosexual activity in Esfahan

?

Homosexual activity in Esfahan is illegal (death penalty as punishment).

Current status
Since Feb 11, 1979
Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
The punishment for homosexuality is currently death for men. (Unless if there is sex between a mature person and a minor; in which can the mature person will be killed while minor will receive up to 74 lashes. Same case applies for 2 minors.) For women, the punishment is up to 100 lashes. Women with a certain number of repeat offenses can become subject to the death penalty as well.
Jan 1, 1900–Sep 3, 2018
Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
74 lashes for immature men and death penalty for mature men. 50 lashes for women. as well as life in prison. forth conviction is death penalty.
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Esfahan

?

Same-sex marriage in Esfahan is banned.

Current status
Since Feb 11, 1979
Banned
Definition of marriage used follows from the Islamic definition of a union between a man and women. The marriage is prohibited and same-sex sexual activity is punished as stated in the Penal code.
Report error  ·  Log
Sep 16, 1941–Feb 11, 1979
Unrecognized
Under the Shah's rule, the last monarch of the Pahlavi dynasty, homosexuality was criminalised, though it was mostly tolerated even to the point of allowing news coverage of a mock same-sex wedding between two men.
Sources:
"LGBT History in Iran".
Report error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT issues in Esfahan

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Esfahan is other punishment.

Current status
Since 2013
Other punishment
Penal Code 2013, Art. 237 Other Homosexual Acts:
Article 237 provides that same-sex affection between men or between women other than ‘liwat’ or ‘tafkhiz’ (Anal Sex between men and frotting) , such as “kissing or touching as a result of lust”, is punishable with 31-74 lashes.

In Iran, there are no laws restricting to discussing LGBT topics in the Internet. However those who are accused of Political dissidence or plotting to " overthrow the Islamic Republic " could be subjected to the death penalty as well, of which charges are also included with Homosexuality . An estimated number from the Amnesty International reports is that more than 5,000 Gay men and Lesbians have been executed since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Right to change legal gender in Esfahan

?

Right to change legal gender in Esfahan is legal, but requires surgery.

Current status
Since 1987
Legal, but requires surgery
Became legal due to a fatwa from Khomeini in 1987. Trans individuals have the gender they identify with legally recognized and sex reassignment surgeries are publicly funded.

Gender-affirming care in Esfahan

?

Gender-affirming care in Esfahan is restricted.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1987
Restricted
The process of undergoing sex reassignment surgery is extensive and arduous, and is restricted to those over the age of 18. There further exists a requirement for adult trans individuals to provide formal certification of parental approval to be issued a permit for surgery.
Access to HRT likely requires similar steps.
Until Jan 1, 1987
Banned
Medically transitioning in Iran was illegal prior to 1987.

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Esfahan

?

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

Current status
Not legally recognized
Third gender here is not allowed.
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Esfahan

?

LGBT discrimination in Esfahan is no protections.

Current status
Since Oct 24, 1979
No protections
Formally, Iranian government believes every citizen to be heterosexual, stripping protection for LGBTQ+ community.
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Esfahan

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Esfahan is no protections.

Current status
Since Oct 24, 1979
No protections
Homosexuality is illegal in Iran, so no protections for Employment exist if you are an LGBT person.
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Esfahan

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Esfahan is no protections.

Current status
Since Oct 24, 1979
No protections
Homosexuality is illegal in Iran.
No protections exist.
Sources:
Equaldex
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Esfahan

?

Same-sex adoption in Esfahan is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
No laws in place for same sex couples.
Report error  ·  Log

Intersex infant surgery in Esfahan

?

Intersex infant surgery in Esfahan is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
There is no ban on surgeries performed on intersex infants in Iran.
Report error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in Esfahan

?

Serving openly in military in Esfahan is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
Homosexuality is illegal in Iran, therefore homosexuals serving openly would also be illegal.
Sources:
Equaldex.
Report error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Esfahan

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Esfahan is banned (indefinite deferral).

Current status
Banned (indefinite deferral)
Homosexuality is illegal in Iran.
Report error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Esfahan

?

Conversion therapy in Esfahan is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Widely preformed.
Report error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Esfahan

?

Equal age of consent in Esfahan is n/a.

Current status
Since 1979
N/A
Homosexual sex is illegal. Also, sexual activity outside of marriage is illegal.
Report error  ·  Log