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1990 in LGBT Rights

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In 1990, there were 30 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 13 changes made and 35 in the following year. A total of 627 legal changes were made in the 1990s.

  • December 24
    Same-sex adoption becomes ambiguous.
    The Lao family law states in article 38 that people who have "inappropriate behaviours" or those who have had their parental rights withdrawn may not adopt children. However, LGBT is not explicitly covered in the way this law is written so the result is ambiguous.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    The Family Law defines marriage to be a union between a man and a woman. Laos has not introduced any specific legislation around marriage equality for same-sex couples.
  • December 17
    Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The general age of consent in Paraguay is 14 years for heterosexual acts and 16 years for homosexual acts.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexuality was legalised in 1990 after Law 104/90 was enacted, removing all references to sodomy and homosexuality in Article 325 of the Paraguayan Penal Code.
  • November 16
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes no censorship.
    After the fall of communism in Bulgaria but before the adoption of a homophobia censorship law in 2024 there was no censorship of LGBT issues by the Bulgarian government.
  • October 24
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Marriage in North Korea is defined as between a man and a woman. Article 8 of the Family Law of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea states “Marriage may be done only between one man and one woman.”
  • September 13
    Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (indefinite deferral).
    Costa Rica banned gays from donating blood with Executive Decree 19933-S. The Degree was published in the Sept. 13, 1990 edition of the official government newspaper, La Gaceta. The order specifically identified gay men, sex workers, intravenous drug users and others as “high risk” for blood donation, citing concerns about HIV-AIDS.
  • August 1
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    In 1990, amendments to South Australia's Equal Opportunity Act came into effect, adding sexuality, which included "transsexuality", as a protected characteristic from employment discrimination. Trans people would later be redefined under chosen gender in 2009 and gender identity in 2016.
  • July 24
    Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    When homosexuality was decriminalized, the age of consent for homosexual sex was 21. The age of consent was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1995.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In 1990, Jersey legalized homosexual sex with The Sexual Offences Law (1990). The age of consent for homosexual sex and heterosexual sex wasn’t equalized until more than 16 years later.
  • July 13
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Sex-reassignment surgery is required to change legal documents in Kentucky.
  • July 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    The age of consent in Czech Republic is 15 years for both heterosexual and homosexual individuals.
  • March 23
    Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    When Western Australia finally decriminalised same-sex sexual activity, it set the age of consent for homosexual couples to 21, simultaneously lowering the age of consent for heterosexual couples to 16.
  • Censorship of LGBT issues becomes varies by region.
    In 1990, Western Australia’s Decriminalisation of Sodomy Act took effect but also contained provisions banning promotion of homosexuality. No other states have these laws.
  • Censorship of LGBT issues becomes state-enforced.
    Although the Decriminalisation of Sodomy Act of 1989 decriminalised homosexuality, it also contained provisions banning promotion of it and education of homosexuality in secondary schools.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    The Law Reform (Decriminalisation of Sodomy) Act 1989 decriminalised homosexuality and was passed by the Western Australian parliament in December of 1989 and then came into effect the following March.
  • March 21
    Equal age of consent becomes female equal, male n/a.
    The age of consent in Namibia is 16 years of age. However, sexual acts performed by males are illegal so the age of consent is irrelevant for them.
  • Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female uncertain.
    When Namibia gained independence from South Africa in 1990, they inherited the Roman-Dutch common law. The law criminalized sodomy and "unnatural sexual offences." The law was only applied toward sex performed between men and not sex between woman.
  • March
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Under Western Australian law, which oversees Cocos, homosexuality was decriminalised by the Western Australian parliament with the "Law Reform (Decriminalisation of Sodomy) Act 1989" which came into effect in March of 1990
  • February 2
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes no censorship.
    In South Africa, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics since the reforms of 1990 and the end of the apartheid era.
  • (date unknown)
    Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (limited rights).
    Before 01 April 2001, gay couples could have civil unions but were not able to marry.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes restricted.
    In 1990, Sudan legalized sterilization, which de facto meant legalizing sex reassignment surgery, however, medical records regarding transsexualism had to be obtained abroad.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes restricted.
    In 1990, Sudan legalized sterilization, which de facto meant legalizing sex reassignment surgery, however, medical records regarding transsexualism had to be obtained abroad.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    There are no known restrictions on LGBT singaporeans serving in the armed forces.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Christmas Island follows the law of West Australia, as the island belongs to Australia. West Australia decriminalized homosexual activity with the Decriminalisation of Sodomy Act. However, the age of consent for homosexuals stood at 21, while the heterosexual age of consent was 16. This was equalized in 2002.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    Female same-gender sexual activity always legal. Male same-gender sexual activity legalised in 1990. This does not include 'sodomy' (anal intercourse)- it is illegal for anyone regardless of orientation or gender under 18 to partake in.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Female always legal, male legal as of 1990.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    Prison up to 10 years. (Decriminalization pending)
  • Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (marriage rights).
    Before April 1st 2001, gay people could not marry, but had access to civil unions.

LGBT Organizations Founded in 1990