In 1997, there were 41 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 47 changes made and 59 in the following year. A total of 407 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 15
- Right 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.Since October 1997 homosexual relationships are not criminalised in Kyrgyzstan.
- July 25
- July 16
- Equal age of consent becomes equal.The law sets the age of consent as 16 for all sexual activities ("sodomy and "lesbianism" included explicitly.)
- June 28
- May 1
- Homosexual activity becomes legal.Follows from Australian law due to being a territory of Australia without any population
- 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 17Same-sex marriage becomes banned.The family code was amended to prohibit same sex marriage.
- 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 14
- (date unknown)
- Gender-affirming care becomes legal.In 1997, El Salvador adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
- January 1Gender-affirming care becomes restricted.
- (date unknown)Gender-affirming care becomes legal.In 1997, Costa Rica adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
- Gender-affirming care becomes legal.In 1997, South Korea adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
- January 1Gender-affirming care becomes legal.In 1997, Montenegro adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
- Gender-affirming care becomes legal.In 1997, Chile adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition. In 2023, the Gender Identity Support Program "Crece con Orgullo" began operating, which is aimed at children and adolescents from 3 to 17 years old, and includes gender-affirmative care. The state program was born under Decree 3 (2019) created by the Regulation of Article 23 of Law No. 21,120, which recognizes and protects the Right to Gender Identity.
- (date unknown)
- Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
- January 1
- (date unknown)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.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.All discrimination against LGBT in education is illegal
- Equal age of consent becomes equal.The age of consent in Thailand is 15 regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
- January 1Equal age of consent becomes varies by region.The age of consent in Russia is 16 for same-sex couples. However, in Chechnya, the age of consent is N/A because homosexuality is de facto illegal there.
LGBT Organizations Founded in 1997
- Equality FederationEquality 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 Florida- GALA
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… - Ishtar MSM