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1995 in LGBT Rights

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In 1995, there were 25 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 44 changes made and 32 in the following year. A total of 330 legal changes were made in the 1990s.

  • December 29
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    The federal laws of Russia do not allow for same-sex unions of any kind, and the Russian constitution has defined marriage as a union strictly between a man and woman since 2020.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    The federal laws of Russia do not allow for same-sex unions of any kind, and the Russian constitution has defined marriage as a union strictly between a man and woman since 2020.
  • November 23
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    Ley Orgánica núm. 10/1995, de 23 de noviembre, del Código Penal.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    Art. 22.4 criminal code. In the current penal code is considered an aggravating.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Actually the criminal code in Spain is under review in order to increase the age of consent.
  • November 14
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    There are no law specifically preventing homosexual
  • July 5
    LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
    The constitution does not prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity
  • July 4
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    British-Columbia was the first province to allow gay couples to adopt children. M v. H (Canada) rules that Constitution protects same-sex couples federally.
  • May 29
    Same-sex marriage becomes foreign same-sex marriages recognized only.
    Required by 2018 ruling by IACHR Ruling. Gay Unions pending.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.
    Article 78 of the civil code defines marriage to be a union between a man and a woman
  • May 25
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    There are no laws in Canada against same-sex couples adoption children.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    Homosexual couples can legally adopt children.
  • January 27
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
  • January 1
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes ambiguous.
    Article 141 of Slovenian Penal Code adopted on September 29, 1994, prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation. Imployment is not strictly mentioned.
  • (date unknown)
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
    Gender marker change requires initiating a court procedure in which the applicant must file an “assessment suit”, manufacturing proceedings between the applicant and their family. This procedure is very subjective and can result in summary dismissal of the applicant’s suit. Conditions can include a “real-life test”, requiring the applicant to have expressed their gender identity publicly for two years (often without any medical intervention) and medical testing, both psychological and physical. This procedure is based on the Supreme Court decision of 22 March 1991 which interprets the sense of belonging to a gender as “a personal good”, per Article 23 of the Civil Code (1964), meaning that a suit can be brought on this basis under Article 189 of the Code. Another Supreme Court judgment of 22 September 1995 established that parents or guardians of the applicant are the defendants in the lawsuit taken. Reports produced by Transfuzja showed that a diagnosis of “transsexualism” can be obtained through a series of tests and examinations, both psychological and physical, including head x-rays, genitalia examination and karyotype check. As there are no unified standards to diagnose a person of “transsexualism” in Poland, healthcare providers “recommend” a two-year “real life” test, during which the applicant is required to live full-time as their preferred gender, but they are not prescribed any hormonal treatment and they are still unable to change their legal status. While it is possible to receive hormonal treatment without a diagnosis, this practice can complicate legal gender recognition court procedures. In the resolution of the Court Supreme Court (ref. no. III CZP 100/77), the court found admissible gender change without surgery. In the same judgment, the court decided that it was possible to rectify the birth certificate.
  • January 1
    Same-sex adoption becomes single only.
    Single people are allowed to adopt. No laws in place for same sex couples.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    since 1995.
  • (date unknown)
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    Single and joint adoption are permitted per N.J. Stat. §9:3-43. Second-parent adoption is permitted via case law in H.N.R, 666 A.2d 535 (N.J.Super, 1995)
  • Same-sex adoption becomes illegal.
    The 1995 Administrative Memorandum of the Nebraska Division of Children and Family Services introduced a ban on fostering and adoption by individuals identifying as "homosexual" as well as unmarried individuals.
  • January 1
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes ambiguous.
    Article 141 of Slovenian Penal Code adopted on September 29, 1994, prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation. Housing is not strictly mentioned.
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes illegal (up to life in prison as punishment).
    Sexual Offences Act of 1995 (Act No. 9) Buggery Article 12. “(1) A person who commits buggery is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment - (a) for life, if committed by an adult on a minor; (b) for  fteen years, if committed by an adult on another adult; (c) for  ve years, if committed by a minor. (2) In this section “buggery” means sexual intercourse per anum by a male person with a male person or by a male person with a female person.” Serious indecency Article 15. “(1) A person who commits an act of serious indecency on or towards another is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment - (a) for ten years, if committed on or towards a minor under sixteen years of age; (b) for  ve years, if committed on or towards a person sixteen years of age or more, (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to an act of serious indecency committed in private between - (a) a husband and his wife; or (b) a male person and a female person each of whom is sixteen years of age or more; (3) An act of “serious indecency” is an act, other than sexual intercourse (whether natural or unnatural), by a person involving the use of genital organ for the purpose of arousing or gratifying sexual desire.”
  • January 1
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    Article 141 of Slovenian Penal Code adopted on September 29, 1994, strictly prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation. This protection applies to any of the human rights or fundamental freedoms recognized by the international community or determined by the constitution or laws of Slovenia.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (marriage rights).

LGBT Organizations Founded in 1995