Timeline of LGBT Rights

Number of LGBT-related laws changed over time

This year, there were 11 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 135 changes made. A total of 583 legal changes have been made so far in the 2020s.

  • July 1
    Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions.
    On 9 November 2023, the Saeima passed legislation establishing same-sex civil unions, subject to approval by President Edgars Rinkevics by 9 January 2024. The law is scheduled to take effect on 1 July 2024.
  • May 17
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    On November 1, 2023, Windhoek High Court judges Nate Ndauendapo, Shafimana Ueitele and Claudia Claasen announced that they will reserve the judgement on May 17, 2024.
  • March 1
    Blood donations by MSMs becomes legal.
    Since March 1st, 2024, there are no restrictions for MSMs donating blood.
  • February 29
    Censorship of LGBT Issues becomes imprisonment as punishment.
    Since 2024, any form of LGBTQ+ self-identification is punishable by prison sentences.
  • Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    Under Section 104 of the Ghanaian Criminal Code of 1960 as "unnatural carnal knowledge". If the person is of 16 years or older and has consent, this is considered a misdemeanour, punishable by imprisonment not exceeding 3 years as per Article 296(4) of the Criminal Procedural Code. In 2024, this law was strengthened to criminalise any form of LGBTQ+ expression, and extended the potential prison sentence to 5-10 years.
  • February 28
    Censorship of LGBT Issues becomes state-enforced.
    On February 28, 2024, the Minister of Education indicated that "any usage of gender ideology has been thrown out of public schools", which means it is no longer possible to teach about LGBT topics in schools.
  • February 15
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    The marriage equality bill changed the 4443/2016 law, extending the prohibition of discrimination to social protection, social benefits, education and access to the availability and provision of goods and services protections (including housing), enshrining full legal coverage against discrimination.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    Greece becomes the first orthodox country to legalize same-sex marriage. The country’s Parliament also extended equal parental rights to same-sex couples, including clearing the way for them to adopt children.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
    On February 16th, 2024, the Hellenic Parliament voted with 173 votes (76 against and 46 abstentions), on legalizing same-sex marriage, becoming the first orthodox country to do so.
  • January 30
    Right to change legal gender becomes illegal.
    Florida passed a bill on January 30th that makes it illegal for one's sex on ID to be "different than the one assigned at birth". As such, any license that have been issued with a new gender marker are now considered fraud and can be taken away.
  • January 20
    Conversion therapy becomes banned.
    The conversion therapy ban passed by Parliament last year was officially signed into law by the President over the weekend.