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2004 in LGBT Rights

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In 2004, there were 83 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 241 changes made and 99 in the following year. A total of 1150 legal changes were made in the 2000s.

  • December 30
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    Discrimination aimed toward an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity is banned in France.
  • December 29
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    In 2004, Piaui passed Law 5431 which prohibited discrimination in housing on the basis of sexual orientation. However, gender identity remained unprotected until 2019.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    In 2004, Piaui passed Law 5431 which prohibited discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation. However, gender identity remained unprotected until 2019.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    Treats of administrative penalties to be applied to companies that practice discrimination based on sexual orientation under Law 5431 which passed in 2004 in Piaui. However, there were no protections in healthcare or education and gender identity remained unprotected.
  • December 21
    Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
    Same-sex marriage is legal.
  • December 17
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    In 2004, Malta provided for legal gender recognition but required proof of an irreversible sex change for such.
  • December 13
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes no censorship.
    In 2004, Puebla removed "homosexual practices" as a "corrupt habit" in its "corruption of minors" law in the Penal Code. Since then, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
  • December 8
    Right to change legal gender becomes ambiguous.
    Section 85(1) of the Código do Registo Civil 2004 gives the Civil Registrar general authority to make changes when there is a change of facts which alter the legal identity or status of the person registered. Transgender people can use this section to change the sex description on their identity document but it is unclear what they require for this.
  • November 15
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes varies by region.
    There are no national protections against discrimination in housing for LGBT individuals; however, some Italian regions have introduced their own protections.
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    Since 2004, Toscana has banned discrimination in housing against LGBT people.
  • November 9
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    The Constitution of Armenia was amended in 2015 to define marriage in heterosexual terms only.
  • November 7
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    Under the 2002 Adoption Act (in the United Kingdom), same-sex couples can adopt children.
  • November 5
    Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
    Queen's Bench Justice Donna Wilson Ruled It unconstitutional.
  • November 2
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Same-sex marriages and civil unions are prohibited in Georgia. Marriages between people of the same sex are not entitled the status of marriage. Foreign same-sex marriages also stand void here and are not covered by the jurisdiction, whatsoever be the circumstances.
  • October 19
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
    In Florida you have the right to change your gender on your birth certificate and driver's license. In both cases, a physician is required to attest that you are receiving "appropriate treatment". What exactly is considered appropriate seems to be at the discretion of the physician. As such, surgery is not required. Additionally, before beginning hormone therapy, adults are required to have a psychological evaluation performed by a Florida-licensed psychologist or psychiatrist and then every two years thereafter. At the end of June, the Florida Board of Medicine adopted an emergency rule giving patients already on treatment six months to adapt to the new requirements.
  • September 25
    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.
  • September 24
    Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
    Gay marriage became legal in Nova Scotia on September 24th, 2004.
  • September 19
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    The Law on Prohibition of Discrimination from 2004 prohibited discrimination in Housing on the basis of sexual orientation (Articles 2 and 4).
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    The Law on Prohibition of Discrimination from 2004 prohibited discrimination in Employment on the basis of sexual orientation (Articles 2 and 4).
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    Law on Prohibition of Discrimination adopted on February 19, 2004, prohibited, among other categories, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in all areas. Also, Kosovo Constitution from 2008 prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation (Article 24 (2)).
  • September 18
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    The state passed a referendum question defining marriage to be a union between one man and one woman.
  • September 16
    Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
    Manitoba legalized gay marriage on September 16th, 2004.
  • September 14
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    In 2004, Uruguay passed Law 17,817 which prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in housing.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    In 2004, Uruguay passed Law 17,817 which prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    In 2004, an official anti-discrimination bill was passed that includes provisions for sexual orientations and gender identities in all areas. The law is actively enforced.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    In 2009, Uruguay became the first Latin American country to allow same-sex couples to adopt children when they were explicitly granted equal rights to different-sex couples in adoption. However, adoption was in practice already allowed since 2004.
  • August 25
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Article 2 of the Family Law of Mozambique defines marriage as a “free and notorious union between a man and a woman.”
  • August 17
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    Defines a hate crime as a criminal act committed because the victim's perceived: disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. Protections also include gender identification. Also, In 2014, California became the first state in the U.S. to officially ban the use of gay panic and transgender panic defenses in murder trials.
  • August 11
    Equal age of consent becomes n/a.
    Between 2004 and 2021, same-sex sexual activity was illegal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    Article 213 of Bhutan’s 2004 Penal Code criminalized “unnatural sex” which was defined as “sodomy or any other sexual conduct that is against the order of nature.” Article 214 stated that the offence of unnatural sex was a petty misdemeanor, which provided a maximum prison sentence of less than one year and a minimum term of one month.
  • August 5
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes imprisonment as punishment.
    Article 4 of the Law on Associations (2004) forbids the registration of associations with objectives deemed "contrary to law and morality." In November 2021, authorities detained multiple women following a complaint from a mother alleging her daughter's involvement in an "online network" of lesbians. Researchers have found that searches for LGBT related subjects on the Malian internet are curated to provide anti-LGBT results. The country has an authoritarian government and appears to control the flow of information online.
  • August 4
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    Any adults are permitted to petition jointly or individually before the court to request adoption, regardless of sexual orientation. §19-5-202. Second-parent adoption by same-sex couples is permitted per Colo. Rev. §19-5-203 et seq.
  • August 2
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes imprisonment as punishment.
    Article 226 of the Penal Code (1913) which was amended in 2004, criminalizes any act that publicly draws attention to the opportunity to “commit debauchery” through any form of writing, audio, or visual recording.
  • August 1
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    In 2004, the Equality for Men and Women Act (2003) was passed in the government. Allowing for no discrimination against women or men
  • Serving openly in military becomes lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.
    Only 22 Countries allow transgender service Bulgaria is not one of them.
  • July 30
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    In 2004, same-sex marriage was banned in Norfolk Island under Australian federal law which defined a marriage as between a man and a woman.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    In 2004, same-sex marriage was banned in Western Australia under Australian federal law which defined a marriage as between a man and a woman. This also applied in Christmas Island.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    In 2004, same-sex marriage was banned in Western Australia under Australian federal law which defined a marriage as between a man and a woman. This also applied in the Cocos Islands.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    In 2004, same-sex marriage was banned in Tasmania under Australian federal law which defined a marriage as between a man and a woman.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    In 2004, same-sex marriage was banned in South Australia under Australian federal law which defined a marriage as between a man and a woman.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    In 2004, same-sex marriage was banned in Western Australia under Australian federal law which defined a marriage as between a man and a woman.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    In 2004, same-sex marriage was banned in New South Wales under Australian federal law which defined a marriage as between a man and a woman.
  • July 24
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    Article 13 explicitly prohibits discriminations on the basis of sexual orientations
  • July 16
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Act No.111 of 2003 requires for transgender people to change their legal gender, (1) be at least 20 years of age, (2) not currently married, (3) no child, (4) infertile (no gonads or persistent lack of gonadal function), (5) and has a body which appears to have genital parts of those of the opposite sex. And also requires medical certificate by two or more psychiatrist.
  • July 1
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    The Human Rights Act of 2002 amended the 1998 Adoption Act to allow LGB couples to legally adopt. The sections of the act amending the Adoption Act did not take effect until July 2004.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    Article 17(1) of the Law on Equal Treatment (2004) prohibits sexual orientation discrimination in employment at the federal level. However, for gender identity there are no explicit protections.
  • May 17
    Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
    In 2004, Massachusetts became the first US state to legalize same-sex marriage.
  • May 10
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes imprisonment as punishment.
    Qatar has very limited freedom of the press. There have been cases of publications being censored for referencing LGBTQ+ topics. The 2004 Penal Code also criminalises “leading, instigating or seducing a man to commit sodomy” with up to three years in prison.
  • May 7
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    In May 2004, Gov. Bob Taft signed legislation into law that banned the recognition of same-sex marriages, including those that were legally entered into “in any other jurisdiction”. In November 2004, Ohio voters approved Ohio Issue 1, which was a constitutional amendment that banned same-sex marriage and same-sex civil unions.
  • May 3
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    In 2004, Aragon passed a bill stating: “stable unmarried couples may jointly adopt”
  • May 1
    Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    LGBT people are allowed to serve openly under new rules brought into place when Cyprus joined the European Union
  • Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.
    There was no definition of marriage in the 1991 Constitution. Article 53: Marriage and legal relationships within it... are regulated by law. Family Law from 2004, Article 3: "A marriage union is a life community of a husband and wife regulated by law."
  • April 14
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Until 2015, Chihuahua’s Civil Code defined a marriage as being between a man and a woman, effectively banning same-sex marriage in a 2004 amendment. Since 2013, marriages have been recognised through federal amparos.
  • April 6
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Kosovo has an equal age of consent (16 years) for both heterosexual and homosexual sexual activity.
  • March 19
    Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
    Quebec legalized gay marriage and was the third to do so. After gay couple Michael Hendricks and René Leboeuf went to court and invalidated parts of the law preventing them from getting married. This became effective on March 19th, 2004. Gay marriage became legal federally on July 20th, 2005.
  • March 17
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    In 2004, the Northern Territory lowered the age of consent for homosexual relations to 16, making it equal to heterosexual ones.
  • March 15
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
    The Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act allows people to apply to have their sex status altered in the population registry, and consequently to receive identity documents and passports indicating their gender identity. The law states that transgender persons must undergo gender reassignment. This includes medical interventions but is not limited to surgery alone. Hormone therapy is considered to be gender reassignment, therefore surgery per se is not required.
  • March 13
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    In 2004, Mexico City provided legal gender recognition but required surgery until 2015.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes varies by region.
    In 2004, Mexico City became the first region of Mexico to provide legal gender recognition. In 2009, the Supreme Court of Mexico established in its Judgment No. 6/2008 (2009) that the right to personal identity and free development of personality includes the right to gender identity and to "sexual reassignment", which obliges states to provide access to the "rectification of name and sex legal markers". In 2018, the Court issued Judgment No. 1317/2017 (2018) where it analysed the most appropriate procedure to guarantee "sex-gender rectification in the Civil Registry". In summary, this judgment concluded that the type of authority (judicial or administrative) before which the procedure is conducted is irrelevant as long as the nature of the procedure is materially administrative. Specifically, it must (a) be comprehensive; (b) be based on free and informed consent, with no medical, psychological and/or pathologising requirements; (c) be confidential; (d) be expeditious and free of charge; and (e) it must not require surgical or hormonal treatments. Despite this, various Mexican states have not unified their regulations and, in many cases, continue to require judicial processing and all sorts of evidence.
  • March 4
    Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (marriage rights).
    In 2004, Rio Grande do Sul passed a law providing legal recognition to same-sex couples as civil unions.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes varies by region.
    On March 4th, 2004, a panel of judges in Rio Grande Do Sul gave the green light to gay and lesbian civil unions. The ruling gave same-sex couples broad rights in areas like inheritance, child custody, insurance benefits and pensions. They were the first Brazilian state to offer civil unions.
  • March 1
    LGBT discrimination becomes varies by region.
    In Tuscany, Piedmont, Liguria, Marche, Umbria, Sicily, Emilia-Romagna and Campania discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is banned.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexual activity has been legal in Cape Verde since 2004.
  • February 27
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    There is limited protection based on sexual orientation under the Mediation Act 2004, and as “sensitive personal information” under the Data Protection Act, 2011.
  • February 12
    Same-sex marriage becomes varies by region.
    In 2004, San Francisco’s newly elected mayor defied the state ban and began providing for recognition of marriage for same-sex couples in the city. These would get invalidated by the state months later.
  • February 10
    (deleted region)
    Legal recognition of non-binary gender becomes not legally recognized.
    No official ‘x’ marking option on official documents, applications etc. for non binary individuals.
  • February 1
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Queensland’s Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 2003 took effect in 2004. The act provided for legal gender recognition under the condition of proof of surgery being provided.
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    In 2004, Finland provided for protections from discrimination in housing on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    LGBTQ+ people from Finland are protected from all types of discrimination.
  • January 22
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Wyoming requires surgery as a requirement for legal gender recognition.
  • January 10
    (deleted region)
    Legal recognition of non-binary gender becomes not legally recognized.
    In 2021 the UK government said (in response to a petition) that legal recognition of non-binary gender identity would have "complex practical consequences for other areas of the law, service provision and public life", and said that they felt existing legislation allowing people to change their legal gender went far enough. Courts have, however, ruled that people with non-binary identities are protected from discrimination by the Equality Act.
  • January 9
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    NAC 440.130 provides allowance for persons to change gender on birth certificates and other vital records so long as a certifying physicians signs off on the persons gender identity.
  • (date unknown)
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    In 2004, Rhode Island provided for legal gender recognition but required proof of surgery.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    In 2004, New Hampshire provided for legal gender recognition but required proof of surgery.
  • January 1
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    illegal since 2004
  • (date unknown)
    Serving openly in military becomes don't ask, don't tell.
    According to the Helsinki Rights Committee in Armenia, in 2004, an internal defence ministry decree effectively bans gay men from serving in the armed forces. In practice, gays are marked as "mentally ill" and sent to a psychiatrist.
  • January 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Equal at 16 years. Art 151 of the Lithuanian Criminal Code.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    Discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity has been illegal in Hungary since 2003 under the Equal Treatment and the Promotion of Equal Opportunities Act which came into effect in 2004.
  • (date unknown)
    Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (marriage rights).
    A same-sex marriage bill was approved by the Chamber of Deputies on 18 June 2014, and went into effect in 2015.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    Articles 12, 13 and 14 of the Gender Equity Education Act (2004) include gender identity and sexual orientation among the prohibited grounds of discrimination in education. Taiwan banned workplace discrimination against LGBT citizens in 2007.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    Discrimintion is illegal in all context

LGBT Organizations Founded in 2004

  • Sexual Minorities Uganda FaviconSexual Minorities Uganda
    Uganda
    Sexual Minorities Uganda [SM-UG] is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation that works towards achieving full legal and social equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual…
  • LGBT Pride Centre of Edmonton FaviconLGBT Pride Centre of Edmonton
    Alberta, Canada
    The Pride Centre of Edmonton is a registered charity that was incorporated in August of 2004 (although other incarnations of the Centre have existed since at least 1974.) The…
  • Garden State Equality FaviconGarden State Equality
    New Jersey, United States
    With more than 150,000 members, Garden State Equality is New Jersey
  • Trans Youth Support Network FaviconTrans Youth Support Network
    Minnesota, United States
    ~~ Mission ~~ ~ To make it possible for trans and gender non-conforming youth to survive adultism, racism, sexism and economic injustices in systems we have to engage with to…
  • Colombia Diversa FaviconColombia Diversa
    Colombia
    Founded in 2004, Colombia Diversa is the leading LGBT human rights organization in Colombia. Colombia Diversa focuses on three main areas: 1. Advancing the human and legal…
  • Bilitis Foundation FaviconBilitis Foundation
    Bulgaria
    Bilitis began its activity as a self-support group of lesbian and bisexual women in 2004. Today, Bilitis advocates actively for eliminating all forms of discrimination and…
  • LGBT Organization Labrys Kyrgyzstan FaviconLGBT Organization Labrys Kyrgyzstan
    Kyrgyzstan
    Labrys is committed to improving the situation of Lesbians, Bisexual women, Gay men and Transgender people in Kyrgyzstan through empowering LGBT themselves and working with…
  • Equal Ground FaviconEqual Ground
    Sri Lanka
    EQUAL GROUND is a nonprofit organisation seeking human and political rights for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Questioning (LGBTIQ) community of Sri Lanka.…
  • Kif-Kif FaviconKif-Kif
    Spain
    The organization is the only one that advocates for LGBT rights for Morocco
  • University of Washington Q Center FaviconUniversity of Washington Q Center
    Washington, United States
    We facilitate and enhance a brave, affirming, liberatory, and celebratory environment for students, faculty, staff, and alumni of all sexual and gender orientations, identities…
  • Onassis Stegi FaviconOnassis Stegi
    Greece
    The Onassis Foundation House (Stegi) is a cultural meeting place for theater, dance, music, visual arts and letters. The mission of the Onassis Stegi is the promotion of modern…
  • Skeiv Verden FaviconSkeiv Verden
    Norway
    Skeiv Verden is a national interest organization for LGBTIQ+ people with a minority background. We are an independent, religiously and party-politically independent organization…
  • Asocijacija Duga FaviconAsocijacija Duga
    Serbia
    Providing support to the LGBT population, young people and people in institutional accommodation throughout Serbia.
  • Skeiv Ungdom FaviconSkeiv Ungdom
    Norway
    Skeiv Ungdom works for each individual's freedom to be themselves regardless of gender identity, gender expression and sexuality. They want a world where all sexual relationships…