- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✔ Legal, no restrictions
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✔ Legal
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✔ Illegal
- Employment Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Adoption
- ✔ Legal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- N/A
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✔ Banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Public opinion in Réunion appears to be somewhat divided on LGBTQ+ issues, as evidenced by recent studies.
History
Homosexual activity in Réunion is legal.
Current status
Since Sep 25, 1791
Legal
In 1791, homosexuality was decriminalised in Reunion under French law.
Until Sep 24, 1791
Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
Until 1791, homosexuality was punished by burning at the stake in France, including in Reunion.
Same-sex marriage in Réunion is legal.
Current status
Since May 18, 2013
Legal
France legalized same-sex marriage, which also applied for Réunion
Civil unions (limited rights)
In 1999, France provided recognition to same-sex couples as civil unions. This also applied in Reunion. However, they had very limited rights compared to married couples.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Réunion is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Réunion, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Right to change legal gender in Réunion is legal, no restrictions.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2017
Legal, no restrictions
Under French law, trans people can change their legal gender without surgery or medical diagnosis since 2017. This law also applies to Reunion.
Legal, but requires surgery
In 1992, France began providing legal gender recognition provided that surgery be performed after two court cases. This also applied to Reunion.
Gender-affirming care in Réunion is legal.
Current status
Legal
Under French law, Reunion allows gender transition care for adults and minors. Minors can access puberty blockers, hormone replacement therapy, and in some cases, mastectomies but genital surgeries are reserved for adults.
LGBT discrimination in Réunion is illegal.
Current status
Since Mar 27, 2014
Illegal
In 2014, all forms of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity became illegal in Reunion when discrimination in housing on the basis of gender identity became prohibited.
Illegal in some contexts
In 2001, the first protections against discrimination were provided to LGBTIQ+ people in Reunion when Law 1066 was passed prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in goods and services and employment.
Since then, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation were criminalised in the below:
-Law 73: Housing (2002)
-Law 496: All Other Areas (2008)
Gender identity would later be protected under Law 954 passed in 2012 in all areas except for housing.
Since then, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation were criminalised in the below:
-Law 73: Housing (2002)
-Law 496: All Other Areas (2008)
Gender identity would later be protected under Law 954 passed in 2012 in all areas except for housing.
LGBT employment discrimination in Réunion is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since Aug 6, 2012
LGBT housing discrimination in Réunion is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since Mar 27, 2014
Sexual orientation and gender identity
In 2014, gender identity became a protected characteristic from discrimination in housing in Reunion under federal French law when France's housing law was amended to prohibit discrimination against tenants on grounds established by Article 225.1 of the Penal Code which lists gender identity.
Intersex infant surgery in Réunion is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Surgery on intersex infants is legal in Reunion.
Serving openly in military in Réunion is n/a.
Current status
N/A
Reunion's defence is under the jurisdiction of France.
Blood donations by MSMs in Réunion is legal.
Current status
Since Mar 16, 2022
Legal
Since 2022, blood donations by men who have sex with men has been legal with no deferral period in Reunion.
Banned (less than 6-month deferral)
In 2020, the deferral period for blood donations from MSMs was reduced to four months in Reunion.
Banned (1-year deferral)
In 2016, the complete ban on blood donations from MSMs was replaced with a 1-year deferral period in Reunion.