In 1997, there were 16 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 37 changes made and 51 in the following year. A total of 322 legal changes were made in the 1990s.
- November 27Equal age of consent becomes equal.The age of consent in Ecuador is 14, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. (Penal Code, Art 512)
- November 26
- November 15Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.Transgender people are able to change their gender on identification documents after being issued a document from a health institution confirming the surgical requirements.
- October 1Homosexual activity becomes legal.
- July 16Equal age of consent becomes equal.The law sets the age of consent as 16 for all sexual activities ("sodomy and "lesbianism" included explicitly.)
- Homosexual activity becomes legal.
- June 17Homosexual activity becomes legal.
- June 5
- May 1
- Homosexual activity becomes legal.Follows from Australian law due to being a territory of Australia without any population
- April 17Same-sex marriage becomes not legal.The family code was amended to prohibit same sex marriage.
- April 1LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.According to ILGA.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.The only part of legal system that protects individuals from LGBT-based discrimination is in the law of children and youth, protecting them from sexual orientation based discrimination (gender identity is not mentioned explicitly)
- February 4LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.Discrimination (including by private parties) prohibited by sec. 9 of the Constitution of 1996. Discrimination in rental housing specifically prohibited by sec. 4 of the Rental Housing Act 50 of 1999. Discrimination in all areas (including housing) prohibited by sec. 6 of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 4 of 2000. Gender identity is not specifically mentioned but is included by case law.
LGBT Organizations Founded in 1997
Equality Federation
Equality Federation is the movement builder and strategic partner to US state-based organizations advancing equality for LGBT people in the communities we call home.Ishtar MSM
Ishtar MSM is a Community Based Organization in Kenya who aimed at attaining full sexual health rights and social well being for Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kenya.Equality Florida
Equality Florida is the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for FloridaGALA
From their website: GALA is the custodian of over 200 organisational and personal archival collections dating back to the 1940s, with archival responsibilities that include the…GRIS-Québec