- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✔ Legal, surgery not required
- Non-binary gender recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✖ Illegal in some contexts
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✔ Legal
- Military
- ✖ Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
Public Opinion
Public opinion surveys in Switzerland have pointed to a varied attitude towards LGBTQ+ individuals.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
History
Same-sex marriage in Switzerland is legal.
Current status
Since Sep 26, 2022
Since Sep 26, 2022
Legal
Switzerland approved same-sex marriage with a national referendum.
Civil unions
Swiss Registered Partnership is a Civil Union that grants equal rights to Marriage but differs on three points: access to Fertility treatment, Adoption and facilitated Swiss naturalisation, this last one being discussed actually in Swiss parliament. ILGA states that Registered Partnership in Switzerland is «Equal/almost equal substitute nationally recognized» to Marriage.
Censorship of LGBT Issues in Switzerland is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Switzerland, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Right to change legal gender in Switzerland is legal, surgery not required.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2022
Since Jan 1, 2022
Legal, surgery not required
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 recognition of non-binary gender in Switzerland is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Switzerland does not currently legally recognize non-binary identities.
LGBT discrimination in Switzerland is illegal in some contexts.
Current status
Since Jul 1, 2020
Since Jul 1, 2020
Illegal in some contexts
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 Sep 26, 2021
Since Sep 26, 2021
Legal
The new law of same sex marriage for Switzerland also guarantees adoption rights for same sex couples.
Serving openly in military in Switzerland is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.
Blood donations by MSMs in Switzerland is legal.
Current status
Since Nov 1, 2023
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 not banned.
Current status
Since May 2, 2023
Since May 2, 2023
Not banned
On this date, Neuchâtel banned conversion therapy. Neuchâtel is a canton of Switzerland, of which there are 26. In the other 25 member states of the Swiss Confederation, conversion therapy remains legal.
Equal age of consent in Switzerland is equal.
Current status
Since 1992
Since 1992
Equal
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
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Common queries:
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Alternative names: Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera/Svizra (local name)