- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- 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
- Discrimination
- ✔ Illegal
- Employment Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Adoption
- ✔ Legal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✖ Banned (6-month deferral)
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Recent surveys in Sweden indicate a moderate level of acceptance for LGBTQ+ rights in specific areas.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
Perception of LGBTQ+ People
Survey results from 11 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited Sweden.
Overall
Perceived Safety**Survey results represent personal perceptions of safety and may not be indicative of current actual conditions.
Equal Treatment
Visibility & Representation
Culture
Services
History
Censorship of LGBT issues in Sweden is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Sweden, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Right to change legal gender in Sweden is legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
A new law will be going into effect in 2 months.
Going into effect Jul 1, 2025
Legal, no restrictions
Starting July 1, 2025, updating legal gender on official records will become much easier. People 16 and up will be able to switch their legal gender, however anybody that is under the age of 18 will need permission from their parents, a doctor, and the National Board of Health and Welfare. When the law goes into effect, transgender people won't need a diagnosis of "gender dysphoria" anymore in order to legally change their gender.
Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
Legal gender recognition is available in Sweden under the Law on Gender Determination in Certaing Cases (Law No. 1972:119) (1972). Although it has been reformed several times, it still includes pathologizing requirements such as medical diagnosis and a "real life" test. Applications are made to the National Health and Welfare Board. They must be accompanied by a medical report stating that the person has undergone the primary “investigation”, via psychiatrist, to confirm the “diagnosis of transsexualism”. (ILGA)
Gender-affirming care in Sweden is legal, but restricted for minors.
Current status
Since Feb 1, 2022
Legal, but restricted for minors
Starting in February 2022, Sweden began restricting gender affirming care to minors with the Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare saying that "the risks outweigh the benefits currently".
Sweden now reserves gender affirming care for minors for "exceptional" circumstances.
Sweden now reserves gender affirming care for minors for "exceptional" circumstances.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Sweden is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Sweden does not recognize a third or non-binary gender option, however introducing such has been proposed.
LGBT discrimination in Sweden is illegal.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2009
Illegal
LGBT housing discrimination in Sweden is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Same-sex adoption in Sweden is legal.
Current status
Since Jun 6, 2002
Legal
The Swedish parliament has overwhelmingly voted to allow gay couples to adopt.
Intersex infant surgery in Sweden is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
No laws banning it in Sweden.
Serving openly in military in Sweden is legal.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2009
Legal
Protection against discrimination in the Swedish Armed Forces is explicitly stated.
In 2015, Sweden even ran a campaign encouraging LGBT people to serve openly. The campaign featured a poster of an individual in camouflage with a rainbow flag badge on her arm, with the headline, "some things you should not have to camouflage."
The poster read, "Equality is an essential ingredient in a democracy. In the military, we treat them with respect and see the differences of others as a fortress. We are an inclusive organisation where all the people who serve and contribute feel welcome and respected."
In 2015, Sweden even ran a campaign encouraging LGBT people to serve openly. The campaign featured a poster of an individual in camouflage with a rainbow flag badge on her arm, with the headline, "some things you should not have to camouflage."
The poster read, "Equality is an essential ingredient in a democracy. In the military, we treat them with respect and see the differences of others as a fortress. We are an inclusive organisation where all the people who serve and contribute feel welcome and respected."
Blood donations by MSMs in Sweden is banned (6-month deferral).
Current status
Since May 1, 2021
Banned (6-month deferral)
A proposal was made for a 6-month deferral for MSMs by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare as early as 2006.
Until Sep 19, 2013
Banned (indefinite deferral)
MSMs are not allowed to donate blood.
Conversion therapy in Sweden is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
While Conversion Therapy is not banned,many protesters have demanded it should be and the Swedish Government have investigated it
Equal age of consent in Sweden is equal.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 1978
Equal
Age of consent are 15 regardless of sexual orientation.
LGBT Rights by County
View the LGBT laws in each individual county of Sweden.
- Blekinge län [SE-10]
- Dalarnas län [SE-20]
- Gotlands län [SE-09]
- Gävleborgs län [SE-21]
- Hallands län [SE-13]
- Jämtlands län [SE-23]
- Jönköpings län [SE-06]
- Kalmar län [SE-08]
- Kronobergs län [SE-07]
- Norrbottens län [SE-25]
- Skåne län [SE-12]
- Stockholms län [SE-01]
- Södermanlands län [SE-04]
- Uppsala län [SE-03]
- Värmlands län [SE-17]
- Västerbottens län [SE-24]
- Västernorrlands län [SE-22]
- Västmanlands län [SE-19]
- Västra Götalands län [SE-14]
- Örebro län [SE-18]
- Östergötlands län [SE-05]
Equality Rank
#44
Interest Rank based on Equaldex traffic ?
Top Contributors
- Unknownmiles 9 contributions
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- Samanthos 4 contributions
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- PaulBrierley 3 contributions
- Lisa 3 contributions
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Sweden LGBT Organizations
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Common queries:
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Alternative names: Sverige (local name)