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1991 in LGBT Rights

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In 1991, there were 35 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 30 changes made and 37 in the following year. A total of 715 legal changes were made in the 1990s.

  • December 25
    Serving openly in military becomes don't ask, don't tell.
    Only 22 countries allow trans service, Kyrgyzstan is not one of them
  • December 12
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Ukraine since 1991.
  • December 1
    Right to change legal gender becomes illegal.
    Until 2011, the independent Ukrainian state did not provide for legal gender recognition.
  • October 18
    Right to change legal gender becomes illegal.
    Azerbaijan currently provides no legal path for changing gender markers on official documents.
  • October
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Consensual homosexual intercourse between men has been decriminalized nationwide since 1991.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Consensual homosexual intercourse between men has been decriminalized nationwide since 1991.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Consensual homosexual intercourse between men has been decriminalized nationwide since 1991.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In 1991, Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina repealed paragraph 2 of article 93 of Criminal Code and thus decriminalized male homosexuality.
  • September 27
    Right to change legal gender becomes illegal.
    There are no legal provisions that allow gender change in official documents. Article 21 of the Civil Code allows name change, but it is not specific to trans people. The Handbook for Higher Education Institutions presented by the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan includes transsexuality and hermaphroditism within the investigations on controversial sexual situations and mentions that these examinations are carried out in ambiguous cases, i.e. when a person's gender (female or male) is uncertain.
  • August 25
    Right to change legal gender becomes illegal.
    There is no process for legal gender recognition in Transnistria. In 2025, there are even plans to ban gender transition.
  • July 12
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Article 46 of The Constitution of Bulgaria (1991) defines marriage as a “free union between a man and a woman.” Bulgaria has recognized one gay marriage because of a court ruling, and only one being recognized does not mean they recognize foreign gay marriages.
  • July
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexuality was legalised in 1991 after Hong Kong repealed its sodomy laws. However, the age of consent was set at 21, higher than that for heterosexual relations.
  • June 21
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexual acts were not mentioned anymore in the revision of the Penal Code of 1991. Therefore the age of consent was lowered to 16 years old for all consenting sexual intercourse.
  • June 11
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Marriage in Burkina Faso is defined as between a man and a woman. Article 23 of the country's constitution of 1991 states: "Marriage is founded on the free consent of the man and of the woman. All discrimination founded on race, colour, religion, ethnicity, caste, social origin, or fortune is forbidden in the matter of marriage."
  • April 3
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    The penal code adopted in 1991 did not mention if homosexuality was illegal. However there are several reports of local laws against loitering and indecent exposure being used disproportionately against LGBT people, especially trans women.
  • February 1
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Homosexuality is not legal in Sudan.
  • January 31
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (death penalty as punishment).
    In 1991, South Sudan was part of Sudan which had punished homosexuality with the death penalty.
  • Homosexual activity becomes illegal (death penalty as punishment).
    In 1991, The Criminal Act 1991 came into effect. Article 148 punished third time offenders of the "Offence of sodomy" with either the death penalty or with life imprisonment.
  • (date unknown)
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes state-enforced.
    In 1991, Arizona passed a law that prohibited instruction on HIV/AIDS as it allegedly "portrayed homosexuality as a positive alternative lifestyle". The law was repealed in 2019.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes n/a.
    There is no permanent population in Heard Island and the McDonald Islands, leaving no laws applicable to the region.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    When homosexuality was decriminalised in Hong Kong in 1991, a higher age of consent was set at 21 for homosexual sex acts while it was 16 for heterosexual ones. It was ruled unconstitutional by the High Court in 2005.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    Until 2025, Queensland provided gender affirming care for all ages including by public services like the gender clinic in the Royal Brisbane Children’s Hospital and in the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
  • Censorship of LGBT issues becomes state-enforced.
    Texas is one of five states with a "no promo homo" law since 1991 under Section 21.06 of the Penal Code. Educational materials for minors must state that homosexual conduct is unacceptable and a criminal offense. This is still actively in the penal code.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    Australian youth outside of Queensland can begin accessing puberty blockers at the age of 10, full HRT is not typically prescribed until 16 and GCS is often not done until 18. However, nobody can access irreversible treatment until 15. For Oestrogen or Testosterone two independent child and adolescent psychiatrists must do a standardised assessment of psychological development as well as a formal assessment of the child’s gender identification and capacity to understand the proposed treatment. A paediatric endocrinologist establishes the child’s pubertal stage, excludes disorders and discusses with the child and parents the effects and risks of puberty suppression. For Puberty blockers a young person requires a multidisciplinary team consisting of a paediatrician, two mental health professionals (one must be a psychiatrist), and a fertility expert, to agree treatment is in the child’s best interests. It is then necessary to make an application to the Family Court for authorisation of treatment.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    Australian youth outside of Queensland can begin accessing puberty blockers at the age of 10, full HRT is not typically prescribed until 16 and GCS is often not done until 18. However, nobody can access irreversible treatment until 15. For Oestrogen or Testosterone two independent child and adolescent psychiatrists must do a standardised assessment of psychological development as well as a formal assessment of the child’s gender identification and capacity to understand the proposed treatment. A paediatric endocrinologist establishes the child’s pubertal stage, excludes disorders and discusses with the child and parents the effects and risks of puberty suppression. For Puberty blockers a young person requires a multidisciplinary team consisting of a paediatrician, two mental health professionals (one must be a psychiatrist), and a fertility expert, to agree treatment is in the child’s best interests. It is then necessary to make an application to the Family Court for authorisation of treatment.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    Australian youth outside of Queensland can begin accessing puberty blockers at the age of 10, full HRT is not typically prescribed until 16 and GCS is often not done until 18. However, nobody can access irreversible treatment until 15. For Oestrogen or Testosterone two independent child and adolescent psychiatrists must do a standardised assessment of psychological development as well as a formal assessment of the child’s gender identification and capacity to understand the proposed treatment. A paediatric endocrinologist establishes the child’s pubertal stage, excludes disorders and discusses with the child and parents the effects and risks of puberty suppression. For Puberty blockers a young person requires a multidisciplinary team consisting of a paediatrician, two mental health professionals (one must be a psychiatrist), and a fertility expert, to agree treatment is in the child’s best interests. It is then necessary to make an application to the Family Court for authorisation of treatment.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    Australian youth outside of Queensland can begin accessing puberty blockers at the age of 10, full HRT is not typically prescribed until 16 and GCS is often not done until 18. However, nobody can access irreversible treatment until 15. For Oestrogen or Testosterone two independent child and adolescent psychiatrists must do a standardised assessment of psychological development as well as a formal assessment of the child’s gender identification and capacity to understand the proposed treatment. A paediatric endocrinologist establishes the child’s pubertal stage, excludes disorders and discusses with the child and parents the effects and risks of puberty suppression. For Puberty blockers a young person requires a multidisciplinary team consisting of a paediatrician, two mental health professionals (one must be a psychiatrist), and a fertility expert, to agree treatment is in the child’s best interests. It is then necessary to make an application to the Family Court for authorisation of treatment.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    Australian youth outside of Queensland can begin accessing puberty blockers at the age of 10, full HRT is not typically prescribed until 16 and GCS is often not done until 18. However, nobody can access irreversible treatment until 15. For Oestrogen or Testosterone two independent child and adolescent psychiatrists must do a standardised assessment of psychological development as well as a formal assessment of the child’s gender identification and capacity to understand the proposed treatment. A paediatric endocrinologist establishes the child’s pubertal stage, excludes disorders and discusses with the child and parents the effects and risks of puberty suppression. For Puberty blockers a young person requires a multidisciplinary team consisting of a paediatrician, two mental health professionals (one must be a psychiatrist), and a fertility expert, to agree treatment is in the child’s best interests. It is then necessary to make an application to the Family Court for authorisation of treatment.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    Australian youth outside of Queensland can begin accessing puberty blockers at the age of 10, full HRT is not typically prescribed until 16 and GCS is often not done until 18. However, nobody can access irreversible treatment until 15. For Oestrogen or Testosterone two independent child and adolescent psychiatrists must do a standardised assessment of psychological development as well as a formal assessment of the child’s gender identification and capacity to understand the proposed treatment. A paediatric endocrinologist establishes the child’s pubertal stage, excludes disorders and discusses with the child and parents the effects and risks of puberty suppression. For Puberty blockers a young person requires a multidisciplinary team consisting of a paediatrician, two mental health professionals (one must be a psychiatrist), and a fertility expert, to agree treatment is in the child’s best interests. It is then necessary to make an application to the Family Court for authorisation of treatment.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    Australian youth outside of Queensland can begin accessing puberty blockers at the age of 10, full HRT is not typically prescribed until 16 and GCS is often not done until 18. However, nobody can access irreversible treatment until 15. For Oestrogen or Testosterone two independent child and adolescent psychiatrists must do a standardised assessment of psychological development as well as a formal assessment of the child’s gender identification and capacity to understand the proposed treatment. A paediatric endocrinologist establishes the child’s pubertal stage, excludes disorders and discusses with the child and parents the effects and risks of puberty suppression. For Puberty blockers a young person requires a multidisciplinary team consisting of a paediatrician, two mental health professionals (one must be a psychiatrist), and a fertility expert, to agree treatment is in the child’s best interests. It is then necessary to make an application to the Family Court for authorisation of treatment.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    Australian youth can begin accessing puberty blockers at the age of 10, full HRT is not typically prescribed until 16 and GCS is often not done until 18. However nobody can access irreversible treatment until 15. For Oestrogen or Testosterone two independent child and adolescent psychiatrists must do a standardised assessment of psychological development as well as a formal assessment of the child’s gender identification and capacity to understand the proposed treatment. A paediatric endocrinologist establishes the child’s pubertal stage, excludes disorders and discusses with the child and parents the effects and risks of puberty suppression. For Puberty blockers a young person requires a multidisciplinary team consisting of a paediatrician, two mental health professionals (one must be a psychiatrist), and a fertility expert, to agree treatment is in the child’s best interests. It is then necessary to make an application to the Family Court for authorisation of treatment.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes restricted.
    In 1991, Mongolia legalized sterilization, which de facto meant legalizing sex reassignment surgery, however, medical records regarding transsexualism had to be obtained abroad.
  • January 1
    Serving openly in military becomes lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.
    Legal for LGB people, but not transgender people.
  • (date unknown)
    Same-sex marriage becomes unregistered cohabitation.
    Until being legalised nationwide under federal law, the only law recognising same-sex couples in the Northern Territory was the De Facto Relationship Act of 1991. It provided provisions for unregistered couples who live together to be granted limited rights.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Legal between consenting adults.

LGBT Organizations Founded in 1991