In 1972, there were 27 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 33 changes made and 15 in the following year. A total of 203 legal changes were made in the 1970s.
- October 11Same-sex marriage becomes banned.Article 58 of the 1972 constitution defined marriage as a different-sex union. Article 34 of the Family Code (1994) establishes that people of the same sex cannot marry each other. In 2018, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that the American convetion on Human rights mandates the recognition of same-sex marriage, recommending that countries issue decrees until legislation was brought into place. In March 2023, after seven years of delay the court ruled that there is no positive right to same-sex marriage in Panama under the constitution, halting any potential change for the time being through the courts.
- September 18
- June 17Equal age of consent becomes unequal.Article 331 of Madagascar’s penal code states that the age of consent for heterosexual sex is 14, and the age of consent for homosexual sex is 21.
- April 21
- Homosexual activity becomes legal.Norway fully repealed Section 213 of the Norwegian Penal Code, legalizing homosexual activity.
- April 5
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.Turkmenistan was part of the Soviet Union during 1972 when the first sex change was performed and a trans man was granted legal gender recognition after completing surgery.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.Under Soviet law, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the regulations were not changed.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.Under Soviet law, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the regulations were not changed.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.Under Soviet law, trans people could change their legal gender if they had surgery. However, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the regulations were no longer in force.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.Under Soviet law, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the regulations were not changed.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.Under Soviet law, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the regulations were not changed.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.Kyrgyzstan was part of the Soviet Union during 1972 when the first sex change was performed and a trans man was granted legal gender recognition after completing surgery.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.Tajikistan was part of the Soviet Union during 1972 when the first sex change was performed and a trans man was granted legal gender recognition after completing surgery. This law has not since been revoked.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.The Soviet 1972 law allowing legal sex change after undergoing sex reassignment surgery was never repealed
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.The Soviet 1972 law allowing legal sex change after undergoing sex reassignment surgery was never repealed in Armenia. Armenia currently requires trans people to show proof of gender-affirming surgery for legal recognition. However, it is not provided for in practice.
- March 1Equal age of consent becomes equal.Nobody lives in Bouvet Island,however Norwegian law has equal consent (16) for both straight and homosexual couples.
- Homosexual activity becomes legal.Nobody lives here, but still legal according to Norwegian Laws.
- (date unknown)
- Gender-affirming care becomes restricted.In 1972, Netherlands legalized sterilization, which de facto meant legalizing sex reassignment surgery, however, medical records regarding transsexualism had to be obtained abroad.
- January 1Equal age of consent becomes equal.Age of consent laws are equitable regardless of gender or orientation.
- Homosexual activity becomes legal.
LGBT Organizations Founded in 1972
PFLAG
PFLAG is the United States' largest family and ally organization. Made up of parents, families, friends, and straight allies united with people who are LGBT, PFLAG is committed…Twenty10
A Sydney based service working across New South Wales, providing a broad range of specialised services for young people 12-25 including housing, mental health, counselling and…Persad Center
Persad Center, is the nation’s second oldest licensed mental health center specifically created to serve the LGBTQ+ community. Founded in 1972, Persad was created in…