In 1997, there were 49 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 127 changes made and 83 in the following year. A total of 818 legal changes were made in the 1990s.
- November 27
- Equal age of consent becomes equal.The age of consent in Ecuador is 14, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. (Penal Code, Art 512)
- November 15
- October 14
- October 1Homosexual activity becomes legal.Since October 1997 homosexual relationships are not criminalised in Kyrgyzstan.
- September 22Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.The "REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGES Act, 1996" (taking effect the next September) does not define marriage as heterosexual.
- July 25
- 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.)
- July 2Homosexual activity becomes legal.Montana’s ban on sodomy was unanimously struck down by Montana’s Supreme Court on July 2nd, 1997. It was the 32nd state to legalize consensual gay sex.
- July 1Censorship of LGBT issues becomes imprisonment as punishment.
- Serving openly in military becomes n/a.Since the British handover of Hong Kong to China, there has been no military force of Hong Kong with all defence activities being the responsibility of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.
- June 17Censorship of LGBT issues becomes no censorship.In Cuba, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics since the removal of references to homosexuality in 1997 in Article 303 which considered "homosexual solicitations" as a public scandal leading to arrest. Law No.54 guarantees the constitutional right to freedom of association. It is worth nothing that in 2019, a pride parade was held in open defiance of the government's views referring to it as "subversive". 3 activists were arrested. HRW has noted concerns on freedom of expression in Cuba which could potentially affect LGBT rights activists.
- May 28Gender-affirming care becomes legal, but restricted for minors.The Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology (JSPN) allows Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for those aged 15 and over with parental consent. The law considered to have potentially banned it was the Eugenics Protection Law but in 1998 it was ruled that when done in accordance of JSPN regulations it was not in violation of the law.
- May 14
- May 2Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
- April 24Right to change legal gender becomes legal, no restrictions.Previous ministerial decree regulating legal gender recognition, the on the Establishment of Mandatory Processes for Gender Reassignment. Transgender people were not required to undergo sex reassignment surgery, sterilisation or divorce their partner. Appointment with medical expert committee required.
- April 21Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
- April 17Same-sex marriage becomes banned.The family code was amended to prohibit same sex marriage.
- April 1Censorship of LGBT issues becomes imprisonment as punishment.In 1997, Malaysia passed the Sharia Criminal Offences Act, which criminalises “men posing as women” with up to 1 year in prison, in its Federal Territories, including Putrajaya.
- Censorship of LGBT issues becomes imprisonment as punishment.In 1997, Malaysia passed the Sharia Criminal Offences Act, which criminalises “men posing as women” with up to 1 year in prison, in its Federal Territories, including Labuan.
- Censorship of LGBT issues becomes imprisonment as punishment.In 1997, Malaysia passed the Sharia Criminal Offences Act, which criminalises “men posing as women” with up to 1 year in prison, in its Federal Territories, including Kuala Lumpur.
- March 31
- March 28Same-sex marriage becomes banned.In March of 1997, the Maine Legislature passed a statute that restricted marriage to opposite-sex couples. The Governor at the time, Angus S. King, Jr., signed the bill into law.
- March 14Equal age of consent becomes equal.The age of consent in China is 14 for both same-sex and opposite sex couples.
- February 17Same-sex marriage becomes banned.In 1997, a law was passed restricting marriages to different-sex couples in Arkansas, effectively banning same-sex marriage. On November 2nd, 2004, the ban became a constitutional clause and it did not matter where a same-sex couple was married. Arkansas stated that all such marriages were void in the eyes of the state.
- February 5Same-sex marriage becomes banned.Until 2019, the Civil Code of Nuevo León defined a marriage as between a union between a man and a woman, effectively banning same-sex marriage. This was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
- January 1LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.In 1997, sexual orientation was only protected from employment discrimination in Tasmania due to a federal law. There were no other protections on the basis of sexual orientation nor were there any on the basis of gender identity.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.In 1997, sexual orientation became a protected characteristic from employment discrimination in Victoria under a federal Australian law. However, gender identity remained unprotected and there were no other protections provided to sexual orientation.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.In 1997, sexual orientation became a protected characteristic in Queensland from employment discrimination under federal Australian law, despite Queensland not including it in its anti-discrimination act. Gender identity however remained unprotected and there were no other protections from discrimination provided on the basis of sexual orientation.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.In 1997, sexual orientation became a protected characteristic in Norfolk Island from employment discrimination under federal Australian law. Gender identity was not protected and no other protections were provided to sexual orientation.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.In 1997, sexual orientation became a protected characteristic in Christmas Island from employment discrimination under federal Australian law. Gender identity is not protected. In 2002, Western Australia, which includes Christmas Island, would provide sexual orientation its own state-level protections, but none would extend to gender identity until another federal law in 2013.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.In 1997, sexual orientation became a protected characteristic in the Cocos Islands from employment discrimination under federal Australian law. Gender identity is not protected. In 2002, Western Australia, which includes the Cocos Islands, would provide sexual orientation its own state-level protections, but none would extend to gender identity until another federal law in 2013.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.In 1997, sexual orientation became a protected characteristic in Christmas Island from employment discrimination under federal Australian law. Gender identity was not protected and no other protections were provided to sexual orientation. In 2002, Western Australia would provide sexual orientation its own state-level protections which includes Christmas Island, but none would extend to gender identity until another federal law in 2013.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.In 1997, sexual orientation became a protected characteristic in the Cocos Islands from employment discrimination under federal Australian law. Gender identity was not protected and no other protections were provided to sexual orientation. In 2002, Western Australia would provide sexual orientation its own state-level protections which includes the Cocos Islands, but none would extend to gender identity until another federal law in 2013.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.In 1997, sexual orientation became a protected characteristic in Western Australia from employment discrimination under federal Australian law. Gender identity was not protected and no other protections were provided to sexual orientation. In 2002, Western Australia would provide sexual orientation its own state-level protections, but none would extend to gender identity until another federal law in 2013.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.In 1997, sexual orientation became a protected characteristic in Western Australia from employment discrimination under federal Australian law. Gender identity is not protected. In 2002, Western Australia would provide sexual orientation its own state-level protections, but none would extend to gender identity until another federal law in 2013.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
- (date unknown)Same-sex marriage becomes banned.In 1997, Indiana added a clause to its “defence of marriage” act, prohibiting the recognition of same-sex marriages that occur even outside of the state.
- Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.Turkmenistan criminalizes sodomy between men under Article 135 of the Criminal Code (1997). The punishment for breaking this law is 2 years imprisonment.
- Same-sex marriage becomes other type of partnership.In 1997, the state established reciprocal beneficiary relationships, open to all couples as well as blood relatives, offering numerous spousal rights including the ability to sue for wrongful death, decisions about health care, proptery rights and co-tenancy, inheritance without a will, and insurance and state pensions.
- Equal age of consent becomes equal.There is no language used in law to differentiate consent between gay or heterosexual sex.
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
Organization based in Quebec City aiming to educate people about LGBT issues and offer safe spaces for LGBT and questioning people.Queeramnesty
Queeramnesty works as part of Amnesty Switzerland specifically on the topic of "Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Development". The group successfully advocates for…Lambda Warszawa
Lambda Warszawa has been active in supporting and creating a space necessary to create a positive identity of the LGBTQI+ community in Poland since 1997. Our mission is to offer…Libellula Italia APS
Libellula Italia is an association that deals with the protection, assistance and accompaniment of the Transgender and Non-binary population, offering a variety of social and…Bi'Cause
Bi'Cause is a mixed association, aimed at people who define themselves or are perceived as Bi or Pan, or who are interested in these orientations. Created as an association in…L'Autre cercle
L'Autre Cercle supports those involved in diversity and inclusion management in the professional world. It also monitors the situation of LGBT+ people in the workplace and…