The 1887 Argentine Penal Code criminalised sodomy as an outrage against good morals.

In 2008, Santa Cruz provided the ability of same-sex couples to be recognised as an unregistered cohabitation under federal Argentine law.

The Civil Code of Argentina in 1987 defined a marriage as being between a man and a woman under Law 23515, effectively banning same-sex marriage in Argentina until 2010. This also applied in Santa Cruz.

The original Civil Code of Argentina did not explicitly define a marriage as being between a man and a woman until 1987. However, there was also no legal recognition provided to same-sex couples.

In 1961, Santa Cruz passed laws prohibiting people from "making proposals tending to homosexual practices" and "dressing as a person of the opposite sex or pretending to be such" with imprisonment. This was used to criminalise the expression of homosexuals and transgender people, although the latter could do so at carnivals and with due authorisation.

The anti-gay law was repealed in 2006, but the anti-trans law would not be repealed until 2010.

Since 1932, persecution of LGBTIQ+ people started to become state policy in Argentina as police edicts were issued that imprisoned homosexuals if they were travelling with a minor. This was often justified not as a persecution of homosexuality but as "protecting" minors across the country. This would further strengthen in the 1940s under Juan Peron into even more widespread discrimination by the government.

In 1961, Santa Cruz would adopt its own provincial laws suppressing LGBTIQ+ expression.

Until 1932, there was no known attempt at censoring or restricting LGBTIQ+ topics or expression in Argentina.

Before 2012, trans people were required to undergo surgery to achieve legal gender recognition in Argentina. However, it wasn't until 1997 when the federal government provided legal recognition to a trans woman after previous requests for recognition were rejected by courts.

Until 1997, there was no legal gender recognition provided in Argentina with requests for gender marker changes refused and trans people criminalised.

Decree 62/2025 signed by President Javier Milei, in force since February 7, 2025, replaced article 11 of Law No. 26,743 on Gender Identity, with the following:

ARTICLE 11.- Right to free personal development. All persons over EIGHTEEN (18) years of age may, in accordance with article 1 of this law and in order to guarantee the enjoyment of their comprehensive health, access total and partial surgical interventions and/or comprehensive hormonal treatments to adapt their body, including their genitalia, to their self-perceived gender identity, without the need to request judicial or administrative authorization.

To access comprehensive hormonal treatments, it will not be necessary to prove the will in the surgical intervention of total or partial genital reassignment. In both cases, only the informed consent of the person will be required.

The public health system's effectors, whether state, private or part of the social security subsystem, must permanently guarantee the rights recognized by this law.

All health benefits contemplated in this article are included in the Mandatory Medical Plan, or the one that replaces it, as regulated by the implementing authority.

Persons under EIGHTEEN (18) years of age will not be able to access the interventions and treatments referred to in this article.

With the gender identity law passed in 2012, Argentina established access to gender affirming care as a right of transgender people.

In 2007 a judge ruled that minors could consent to GAC but the scope and availability of the process was unclear.

Medical transition is not possible as sterilisation was banned until 2006 under Article 19 of Law No. 17,132 in 1967 which explicitly prohibits medical professionals to not carry out surgical interventions that modify the sex of the patient.

Until 1967, there were no known bans on gender-affirming care in Argentina but a doctor was arrested for performing such in 1966.

Until 2021, there was no legal recognition provided to nonbinary or intersex people in Santa Cruz.

Until 2009, there were no protections from discrimination provided to LGBTIQ+ people in Santa Cruz.

Until 2021, there were no protections from discrimination in employment provided to LGBTIQ+ people in Santa Cruz.

Until 2021, there were no protections from discrimination in housing provided to LGBTIQ+ people in Santa Cruz.

Until 2010, there was no ability for same-sex couples to adopt in Argentina. However, LGBTIQ+ singles could adopt.

Following a military reform law by the Argentine parliament, LGBTIQ+ people can serve in the military since 2009.

The 1951 Argentine Military Justice Code did not explicitly ban LGBTIQ+ people from serving in the military but homosexual acts in the military were penalised until 2009.

In 2005, Argentina’s blood donation criteria banned men who have sex with men from donating blood within a 12-month deferral. This law applied to Santa Cruz.

Until 2005, there were no known laws restricting or banning blood donations from men who have sex with men in Argentina.

Until 2010, conversion therapy was legal in Argentina.