- 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 in some contexts
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✔ Legal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- Varies by Region
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Public opinion surveys in Switzerland have pointed to a varied attitude towards LGBTQ+ individuals.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
Perception of LGBTQ+ People
Survey results from 10 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited Switzerland.
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
Same-sex marriage in Switzerland is legal.
Current status
Since Jul 1, 2022
Legal federal law
Switzerland approved same-sex marriage with a national referendum.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Switzerland is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship federal law
In Switzerland, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Right to change legal gender in Switzerland is legal, no restrictions.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2022
Legal, no restrictions federal law
Change of sex is legal though there are now specific laws concerning the matter. In 1993, the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland stated that a change of sex should be "irreversible"; many judges interpreted it as the person had to go under surgery. In 2012, the Federal Department of Justice and Police via its Federal Office for Civil Registration released a statement about how transsexualism should be handled by cantonal Register offices. The FOCR stated that the Judges and Authorities should cease to oblige a person to go through forced sterilisation in order to have their sex change recognised. Furthermore, a person is granted to choose his or her gender according to his or her social gender and not anymore according to his or her biological gender.
Legal, but requires surgery federal law
Until 2022, Switzerland only provided for legal gender recognition on the condition of surgery and sterilisation.
Gender-affirming care in Switzerland is legal.
Current status
Legal federal law
Gender affirming care is provided in Switzerland, including for minors since 1988. A restriction on it only being provided after two years of therapy was lifted in 2010.
The Swiss national council rejected a motion to ban gender affirming care for minors in 2023 saying that the legislature should decide the policies.
The Swiss national council rejected a motion to ban gender affirming care for minors in 2023 saying that the legislature should decide the policies.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Switzerland is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized federal law
Switzerland does not currently legally recognize non-binary identities.
LGBT discrimination in Switzerland is illegal in some contexts.
Current status
Since Jul 1, 2020
Illegal in some contexts federal law
Since 2020, an amendment to Article 261 bis of the Criminal Code (1937) penalises discrimination based on "sexual orientation" in the provision of goods and services. Article 261 bis of the Criminal Code was amended to include “sexual orientation” in the provision that criminalises public denigration, discrimination, or incitement to those actions, as well as the public dissemination of ideologies that aim to systematically denigrate or defame members of a protected group.
LGBT employment discrimination in Switzerland is no protections.
Current status
No protections
Laws in force in Switzerland do not offer protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment.
LGBT housing discrimination in Switzerland is no protections.
Current status
No protections
Laws in force in Switzerland do not offer protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and “gender identity in housing.
Same-sex adoption in Switzerland is legal.
Current status
Since Jul 1, 2022
Legal
The new law of same sex marriage for Switzerland also guarantees adoption rights for same sex couples.
Second parent adoption only
The registered partnership act was amended to allow second parent adoption by same sex couples.
Intersex infant surgery in Switzerland is not banned.
Current status
Not banned federal law
In April 2019, the Grand Council of the Canton of Geneva adopted two motions (no. 2491 and no. 2541) aimed at banning non-vital surgical procedures on intersex children at cantonal level.
In March 2022, the Federal Council was considering another motion (22.3355) which urges the Federal Council to present a bill to prohibit any irreversible and non-consensual surgical or hormonal interventions on the sexual characteristics of intersex children. This measure also allows interventions that are necessary to avoid a life-threatening situation or a danger to the child's health.
In March 2022, the Federal Council was considering another motion (22.3355) which urges the Federal Council to present a bill to prohibit any irreversible and non-consensual surgical or hormonal interventions on the sexual characteristics of intersex children. This measure also allows interventions that are necessary to avoid a life-threatening situation or a danger to the child's health.
Blood donations by MSMs in Switzerland is legal.
Current status
Since Nov 1, 2023
Legal
New blood donation rules are now based on an updated risk assessment of various sexual behaviours and are equally applied to all people regardless of sexual orientation.
Banned (1-year deferral)
In early May 2017, the National Council approved a motion calling on all restrictions on gay and bisexual men donating blood to be lifted. According to the National Council, only risky behaviour should be a factor for blood donation, not one's sexual orientation. The motion, introduced by the Conservative Democrats, was approved 97–89.[66] However, this was rejected by the Council of States on 29 November 2017.[67] The 1 year deferral period for gay and bisexual men donating blood therefore remains in place.
Conversion therapy in Switzerland is varies by region.
Current status
Since Nov 2021
Varies by Region
Several cantons have passed bans on conversion therapy while others have yet to take any action. At the federal level, however, the presence of a ban is less clear. In 2016 the National Council stated that conversion therapy and similar practices would go against the "loi sur les professions de la psychologie" (Psychological Professions Act) and should therefore be banned however the enforcement of this is seemingly non-existent.
Banned
Not banned
Equal age of consent in Switzerland is equal.
Current status
Since 1992
Equal federal law
Consensual age is Switzerland is 16 years old, unless the difference in age between the persons involved is not more than 3 years.
LGBT Rights by Canton
View the LGBT laws in each individual canton of Switzerland.
- Aargau
- Appenzell Ausserrhoden
- Appenzell Innerrhoden
- Basel-Landschaft
- Basel-Stadt
- Bern
- Fribourg
- Genève
- Glarus
Equality Rank
#28
Interest Rank based on Equaldex traffic ?
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Alternative names: Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera/Svizra (local name)