- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Civil unions
- 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
- ✖ Step-child adoption only
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✖ Banned (3-month deferral)
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
Suggest Public Opinion Data
Until Feb 2017
Public Opinion
Acceptance of homosexuals as neighbors ?
Ranked #41 out of 79 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
(35.6%) Mentioned homosexuals
Did not mention homosexuals (59.1%)
Justifiability of homosexuality ?
Ranked #39 out of 79 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
(50.2%) Not justifiable
Justifiable (18.9%)
Opinion on same-sex couples as parents ?
Ranked #44 out of 74 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
(48.3%) Disagree
Agree (23.2%)
Perceived prevalence of discrimination against transgender people (European Union) ?
Ranked #6 out of 28 regions surveyed. (Source: Eurobarometer, May 2019)
(24%) Widespread
Rare (40%)
Acceptance of same-sex relationships (European Union) ?
Ranked #18 out of 28 regions surveyed. (Source: Eurobarometer, May 2019)
(44%) Disagree
Agree (49%)
Support for transgender people changing legal gender (European Union) ?
Ranked #15 out of 28 regions surveyed. (Source: Eurobarometer, May 2019)
(32%) No
Yes (51%)
Perceived prevalence of discrimination against sexual orientation (European Union) ?
Ranked #11 out of 28 regions surveyed. (Source: Eurobarometer, May 2019)
(34%) Widespread
Rare (44%)
Support for same-sex marriage in Central and Eastern Europe ?
Ranked #6 out of 19 regions surveyed. (Source: Pew Research Center, June 2015-July 2016)
(71%) Oppose
Favor (23%)
"Should society accept homosexuality?" (2016, Eastern/Central Europe) ?
Ranked #7 out of 19 regions surveyed. (Source: Pew Research Center, June 2015-July 2016)
(62%) No
Yes (31%)
Perceived Acceptance of Gay People ?
Ranked #46 out of 119 regions surveyed. (Source: Gallup, 2013)
(41%) Not a good place
Good place (27%)
By The Numbers
82%
of Orthodox Christians support the Church's position on refusing to perform same-sex marriages
13%
oppose
(Pew Research Center, 2017)
History
Homosexual activity in Estonia is legal.
Current status
Since May 7, 1992
Since May 7, 1992
Legal
Homosexual activity is legal in Estonia as of it's independence.
Censorship of LGBT Issues in Estonia is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Estonia, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Right to change legal gender in Estonia is legal, surgery not required.
Current status
Since Jun 2002
Since Jun 2002
Legal, surgery not required
Since June 2002, transgender people in Estonia have been allowed to change their legal gender and name. Additionally, they are not required to undergo sex reassignment surgery, sterilisation or divorce their partner.
Legal, surgery not required
Just got rid of the requirement for surgery. Missing non binary options on documents.
Legal, but requires surgery
The main legislation on gender change is the “General Requirements on Medical Procedures for the Change of Gender” issued by the Minister for Social Affairs (Soovahetuse arstlike
toimingute ühtsed nõuded, of 07.05.1999, no 32). This sets out the conditions for changing a person’s legal gender and allowing medical treatment for gender reassignment. It requires:
• An application to the Ministry for Social Affairs;
• The decision is made by a medical expert committee appointed by the Minister of Social Affairs;
• Certification of transsexual identity during at least two years prior to the application;
• A psychiatrist’s decision that excludes the possibility that the wish to undergo gender/sex
change is caused by psychiatric disorder;
• Compatibility of chromosomatic and gonad gender/sex certified by genetic research;
• At least two years of treatment must pass from the beginning of medical treatment. At least one year must pass from the positive response from the Minister for Social Affairs to have the right to surgically change gender. If the Person decides otherwise during that year they are not obliged to go ahead with the change of gender.
toimingute ühtsed nõuded, of 07.05.1999, no 32). This sets out the conditions for changing a person’s legal gender and allowing medical treatment for gender reassignment. It requires:
• An application to the Ministry for Social Affairs;
• The decision is made by a medical expert committee appointed by the Minister of Social Affairs;
• Certification of transsexual identity during at least two years prior to the application;
• A psychiatrist’s decision that excludes the possibility that the wish to undergo gender/sex
change is caused by psychiatric disorder;
• Compatibility of chromosomatic and gonad gender/sex certified by genetic research;
• At least two years of treatment must pass from the beginning of medical treatment. At least one year must pass from the positive response from the Minister for Social Affairs to have the right to surgically change gender. If the Person decides otherwise during that year they are not obliged to go ahead with the change of gender.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Estonia is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Non-binary gender is not legally recognized.
LGBT discrimination in Estonia is illegal.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2009
Since Jan 1, 2009
Illegal
Discrimination of people based on sexual orientation, race, sex, and others is illegal.
LGBT employment discrimination in Estonia is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2009
Since Jan 1, 2009
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Rejecting job applications due to sexual orientation, race, sex and others is illegal.
LGBT housing discrimination in Estonia is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2009
Since Jan 1, 2009
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Under Estonian law.
Same-sex adoption in Estonia is step-child adoption only.
Current status
Since Jan 2017
Since Jan 2017
Step-child adoption only
In February of 2017, a lesbian woman successfully adopted her partner’s child. Since then, many other same-sex couples adopted their partners child.
In 2020 a same-sex couple adopted a child.
Theoretically, infertile couples may be able to jointly adopt non-biological but it is unclear if this applies to same-sex couples.
In 2020 a same-sex couple adopted a child.
Theoretically, infertile couples may be able to jointly adopt non-biological but it is unclear if this applies to same-sex couples.
Until Feb 2017
Single only
Serving openly in military in Estonia is legal.
Current status
Legal
Serving openly in the military is legal.
Conversion therapy in Estonia is not banned.
Current status
Since Sep 1, 2017
Since Sep 1, 2017
Not banned
Not criminalized in the country, but is not encouraged by any public services. Accessibility is very low due to high atheism.
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Alternative names: Eesti (local name)