Riga is governed by federal Latvia law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Civil unions (limited rights)
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✖ Legal, but restricted for minors
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Hate Crime Protections
- ✖ No protections
- Discrimination
- ✖ Illegal in some contexts
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ Sexual orientation only
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✖ Single only
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✖ Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Bathroom Access
- ✔ No explicit protections
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
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Homosexual activity in Riga is legal.
Male illegal, female legal
An article under which sodomy was punishable by imprisonment from 5 to 8 years appeared in the Soviet Criminal Code on March 7, 1934 - number 154-a: “Sexual intercourse between a man and a man (sodomy) - imprisonment for a term of three to five years. Sodomy committed with the use of violence or taking advantage of the dependent position of the victim - imprisonment for a term of five to eight years."
Same-sex marriage in Riga is civil unions (limited rights).
Current status
Since Jul 1, 2024
Civil unions (limited rights)
On November 9th, 2023, the Saeima passed legislation establishing same-sex civil unions, and the unions were approved by President Edgars Rinkevics on January 9th, 2024. The law took effect on July 1st, 2024. Same-sex couples are not able to inherit from their partners even if they are in a registered partnership.
Civil unions (limited rights)
Civil unions recognized by courts in Latvia with limited rights.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Riga is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Latvia, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Right to change legal gender in Riga is legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
Current status
Since Dec 14, 2012
Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
Transgender people are allowed to change their legal gender in Latvia but a medical transition is required. However, this does not have to be surgery and can be hormone therapy.
Legal, but requires surgery
Under Soviet law, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the regulations were not changed.
Until Apr 5, 1972
Illegal
Legal gender change is impossible
Gender-affirming care in Riga is legal, but restricted for minors.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 1996
Legal, but restricted for minors
Gender affirming care is legal in Latvia. However, despite misinformation stating otherwise, it is rarely given to minors and puberty blockers are generally not provided.
Legal, but restricted for minors
In 1983, transsexualism began to be professionally diagnosed in the Soviet Union, which allowed the prescription of hormone therapy
Until 1926
Banned
Medical transition is not possible
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Riga is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
No non-binary recognition.
Hate crime protections in Riga is no protections.
Current status
No protections
Latvia does not provide hate crime protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
In 2021, Saeima deputy Andrejs Judins proposed amending Latvian hate crime law to include sexual orientation as a protected class. However, the Saeima’s Criminal Policy Sub-Committee rejected the proposal.
In 2021, Saeima deputy Andrejs Judins proposed amending Latvian hate crime law to include sexual orientation as a protected class. However, the Saeima’s Criminal Policy Sub-Committee rejected the proposal.
LGBT discrimination in Riga is illegal in some contexts.
Current status
Since Nov 9, 2006
Illegal in some contexts
The labour law was amended to protect LGBTQ+ population in some aspects of the labour market.
LGBT employment discrimination in Riga is sexual orientation only.
Current status
Since Nov 9, 2006
Sexual orientation only
only banned on sexual orientation
LGBT housing discrimination in Riga is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no protections from discrimination in housing provided to LGBTIQ+ people in Latvia.
Same-sex adoption in Riga is single only.
Current status
Single only
Latvian law allows any person over 25 to adopt. However persons who are not married to each other may not adopt the same child. This means that only one person of an unmarried couple can adopt a child. However, lesbian couples can get access to IVF and assisted insemination treatment.
Intersex infant surgery in Riga is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
There is no official ban on unnecessary sex reassignment operations in infants in Latvia.
Serving openly in military in Riga is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.
Current status
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
Sexual orientation is a protected category for employment discrimination, however gender identity is not.
Blood donations by MSMs in Riga is legal.
Current status
Legal
No restrictions about gay sex.
Bathroom access in Riga is no explicit protections.
Current status
No explicit protections
Latvia has no statutory legal restrictions prohibiting transgender individuals from using restrooms matching their gender identity. While there is no specific 'bathroom law', general anti-discrimination principles apply under Article 91 of the Constitution (Satversme) and Section 3(1) of the Consumer Rights Protection Law regarding access to public services.
Conversion therapy in Riga is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Conversion therapy is legal in Latvia but is not widely practiced.
Legal Rights
60 / 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 Riga to help improve its accuracy.
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