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2001 in LGBT Rights

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In 2001, there were 67 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 57 changes made and 39 in the following year. A total of 658 legal changes were made in the 2000s.

  • December 21
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes ambiguous.
    Article 12 of the 2001 Labour Law prohibited discrimination in employment but did not mention sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • November 5
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    under São Paulo Law No. 10 948
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes n/a.
    Even though some laws prohibiting discrimination against LGBT people have been passed in Brazil, they were not actually enforced.
  • September 28
    Same-sex marriage becomes other type of partnership.
    Same-sex couples are legally able to form registered partnerships
  • September 14
    Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (indefinite deferral).
    On September 14, 2001, the Russian Ministry of Health announced that men who have sex with men would be considered part of the "HIV high-risk groups," along with prostitutes and drug addicts.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (indefinite deferral).
    On September 14, 2001, the Russian Ministry of Health announced that men who have sex with men would be considered part of the "HIV high-risk groups," along with prostitutes and drug addicts.
  • September 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Age of consent is equal at 16 years old.
  • August 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Consent is equal.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Consent is equal.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Consent is equal.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Consent is equal
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Consent is equal.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Consent is equal.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Age of consent is equal.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Age of consent is equal in oldham
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    On November 30, 2000 a bill was signed to make the ages of consent equitable, regardless of gender. The law came into effect on August 1, 2001. The age of consent for men who have sex with men was reduced from 18 to 16, on par with different sex individuals.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    On November 30, 2000 a bill was signed to make the ages of consent equitable, regardless of gender. The law came into effect on August 1, 2001. The age of consent for men who have sex with men was reduced from 18 to 16, on par with different sex individuals.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    On November 30, 2000 a bill was signed to make the ages of consent equitable, regardless of gender. The law came into effect on August 1, 2001. The age of consent for men who have sex with men was reduced from 18 to 16, on par with different sex individuals.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (marriage rights).
    Germany recognizes civil unions and provides tax benefits to couples in a civil union.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    On November 30, 2000 a bill was signed to make the ages of consent equitable, regardless of gender. The law came into effect on August 1, 2001. The age of consent for men who have sex with men was reduced from 18 to 16, on par with different sex individuals.
  • June 26
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Legal since 2001
  • June 12
    Same-sex marriage becomes other type of partnership.
    Marriage Law is subject to Federal Law, Victoria afforded same sex relationships equal status as defacto heterosexual relationships (as domestic partnerships) in 2001
  • May 8
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Legislative repeal, effective 2001.
  • May 2
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexuality is now legal in Minnesota, although the state constitution would not rescind its sodomy provisions until 2023.
  • April 1
    Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
    The Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize gay marriage. The Lower Chamber voted 109 in favor on the same-sex marriage, with 33 against on September 12, 2000. On December 19, the Higher Chamber votes 'yes' on the bill. Queen Beatrix ratified the law on December 21st and it went into effect on April 1, 2001.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
    The Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize gay marriage. The Lower Chamber voted 109 in favor on the same-sex marriage, with 33 against on September 12, 2000. On December 19, the Higher Chamber votes 'yes' on the bill. Queen Beatrix ratified the law on December 21st and it went into effect on April 1, 2001.
  • January 31
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
    Provision of housing is addressed by the Equal Opportunity Act which explicitly states that it "does not include sexual preference or orientation" as a protected status. Gender identity is not mentioned in the Act.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes no protections.
    The Equal Opportunity Act covers employment discrimination and explicitly states that it "does not include sexual preference or orientation" as a protected status. Gender identity is not mentioned in the act.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
    The act explicitly states that it "does not include sexual preference or orientation" as a status which may be the basis of discrimination.
  • January 26
    LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
    Although certain regions of the Philippines have anti discrimination laws but they are not being widely and properly enforce nor followed. Though LGBT rights groups around the country demand the passing of the Equality Bill.
  • January 8
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • January 5
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes no protections.
    Was not added to the current criminal code.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
    not much is know about this island. was not added when criminality was decriminalized in Anguilla criminal code.
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexuality has been decriminalised in 2001
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Legal since 2001
  • Censorship of LGBT Issues becomes state-enforced.
    The Government of South Korea practiced censorship of gay content websites from 2001 to 2003, through its Information and Communications Ethics Committee, an official organ of the Ministry of Information and Communication.
  • January 1
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    Sexual orientation and gender identity in public employment only.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes ambiguous.
    Sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination protection only in public employment.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    The age of concent was equalised at the same time as homosexual activity was decriminalised.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    On 13 December 2000, Caribbean Territories (Criminal Law) Order 2000 decriminalised consensual same-sex acts in private for two people over the age of 18. Age of consent for heterosexual couples is under 16.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
  • (date unknown)
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Although homosexual activity has been legal since 1989, the age of consent between homosexual couples and the age of consent between heterosexual couples was not equalized until 2001. The age of consent is currently 14 years old.
  • January 1
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    In a 2001 amendment, sex change is possible but only with surgery.
  • (date unknown)
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    State law provides for protections against employment discrimination in regards to both sexual orientation and gender identification.
  • January 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Article 1 of the Constitution of Mexico was amended to prohibit discrimination based on, among other factors, sexual orientation.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
  • January 1
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    On 13 December 2000, Caribbean Territories (Criminal Law) Order 2000 decriminalised consensual same-sex acts in private for two people over the age of 18. The order came in to force on 1 January 2001. It does not apply to acts with more than two parties, or in public lavatories.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    On 13 December 2000, Caribbean Territories (Criminal Law) Order 2000 decriminalised consensual same-sex acts in private for two people over the age of 18. The order came in to force on 1 January 2001. It does not apply to acts with more than two parties, or in public lavatories.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    On 13 December 2000, Caribbean Territories (Criminal Law) Order 2000 decriminalised consensual same-sex acts in private for two people over the age of 18. The order does not apply to acts with more than two parties, or in public lavatories.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    On 13 December 2000, Caribbean Territories (Criminal Law) Order 2000 decriminalised consensual same-sex acts in private for two people over the age of 18. The order does not apply to acts with more than two parties, or in public lavatories.
  • (date unknown)
    Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    Norway has been allowing all genders to serve openly in the miliary since 2001
  • January 1
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    The UK government decriminalised homosexual acts between two consenting adults via Sections 3(1) and 3(7) of the Caribbean Territories (Criminal Law) Order, 2000.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes single only.
  • (date unknown)
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Equal age of consent is 16.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (indefinite deferral).
    Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and other "high risk HIV" groups are banned from donating blood in Taiwan.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes legal.
    Italy uses a risk-based donor selection system that treats MSM and heterosexual partners equally.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.

LGBT Organizations Founded in 2001