In 2010, there were 81 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 78 changes made and 58 in the following year. A total of 1118 legal changes were made in the 2010s.
- December 11Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.Belarusians have been allowed to update their gender markers and names following a medical diagnosis however applicants were often barred if they were married or had children. Additionally, until 2018 national identification numbers had a gender marker embedded and these could not be changed. This reportedly often leads to discrepancies between the two resulting in denial of employment.
- December 3Conversion therapy becomes banned.Article 3(c) of the Law on Mental Health (2010) establishes that a person cannot be diagnosed on their mental health exclusively on the basis of their "sexual choice or identity”. It prevents health professionals, particularly psychiatrists, from legally engaging in sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE). Additionally, at the subnational level, in December 2020, the province of Santa Cruz passed the Integral Law for the recognition and historical reparation of the rights of trans persons (Law No. 3.724), which prohibits "aversion therapies" for trans people under Article 24.
- November 1Same-sex adoption becomes single only.Law specifies that married couples or single individuals may adopt, but there is no same sex marriage in Ireland at present.
- October 10
- (deleted region)LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.It is illegal to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity when hiring
- (deleted region)LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.Discrimination in the United Kingdom is illegal. This extends to Salford.
- Same-sex marriage becomes foreign same-sex marriages recognized only.Marriages performed in the Kingdom of the Netherlands are recognised. They are not however performed in Aruba.
- Same-sex marriage becomes foreign same-sex marriages recognized only.Marriages performed in the Kingdom of the Netherlands are recognised. They are not however performed in Curaçao. However, this doesn't mean equal treatment is given to same sex married couples (as opposed to different sex married couples)
- Same-sex marriage becomes foreign same-sex marriages recognized only.Marriages performed in the Kingdom of the Netherlands are recognised. They are not however performed in Sint Maarten. Additionally, the official government website specifies a "bride" and "groom".
- October 8LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.Discrimination is protected for sexual orientation and gender identity as per the law against racism and discrimination of any kind.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.Discrimination is protected for sexual orientation and gender identity as per the law against racism and discrimination of any kind.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.The law against racism and all other forms of discrimination, in article 5a explicitly includes sexual orientation and (gender) identity.
- October 1LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.Employment discrimination protections in the UK stem from the Equality Act of 2010. There are, however, exemptions for certain occupations (such as religious organisations).
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.LGBT discrimination in England is illegal, as per the UK's Equality Act of 2010. Sexual orientation and gender identity are covered as protected groups by the act.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.LGBT discrimination in the United Kingdom of Great Britain is illegal, as per the Equality Act of 2010. Sexual orientation and gender identity are covered as protected groups by the Equality Act.
- (deleted region)LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.Employment discrimination protections in the UK stem from several peices of legislation, which were combined into the wide-ranging Equality Act 2010.
- (deleted region)LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.Employment discrimination protections in the UK stem from several peices of legislation, which were combined into the wide-ranging Equality Act 2010.
- (deleted region)LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.The Equality Act brings together over 116 separate pieces of legislation into one single Act. Combined, they make up a new Act that provides a legal framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all. The Act simplifies, strengthens and harmonises the current legislation to provide Britain with a new discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society.
- (deleted region)LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.Housing discrimination for sexual orientation and gender identity is illegal.
- (deleted region)LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.It is illegal to discriminate employment based on sexual orientation or gender identity
- (deleted region)LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.It is illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in England.
- (deleted region)LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.It is illegal for a service provider to deny a service based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity.
- (deleted region)LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.It is illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in England. This extends to Manchester.
- (deleted region)LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.Discrimination in Manchester is illegal.
- (deleted region)LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.Both Sexual and gender orientation
- (deleted region)LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.LGBTQ+ Communities are protected from any discrimination.
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.The Equality Act 2010 made it illegal for any public or private landlord to discriminate against tenants due to many things, including sexual orientation and gender identity.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.The Equality Act 2010 makes it illegal for an employer to discriminate against any employee on the grounds of many things, including sexual orientation and gender identity.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.LGBT discrimination in Employment is illegal, as per the Equality Act of 2010. Sexual orientation and gender identity are covered as protected groups by the Equality Act.
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.LGBT discrimination in housing is illegal, as per the Equality Act of 2010. Sexual orientation and gender identity are covered as protected groups by the Equality Act.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.LGBT discrimination in the United Kingdom of Great Britain is illegal, as per the Equality Act of 2010. Sexual orientation and gender identity are covered as protected groups by the Equality Act. The Act simplifies, strengthens and harmonises the current legislation to provide Britain with a new discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society. The Equality Act of 2010 extends to Scotland. In 2024, Scotland revised its hate crime law to explicitly include gender identity and sexual orientation.
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes varies by region.While England, Wales and Scotland are bound by the Equality Act 2010, Northern Ireland is not and has different discrimination protections in employment.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
- September 2Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
- August 14LGBT housing discrimination becomes ambiguous.The Law on Prohibition of Discrimination from 2010 prohibits discrimination in all areas, but there is no specific article dealing with Housing.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.Article 16 of the Anti-Discrimination Law from 2010 bans Employment discrimination. Discrimination is prohibited on basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex characteristics among others.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.On July 27, 2010, Montenegrin Parliament passed a Law on Prohibition of Discrimination, which prohibits, among other categories, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex characteristics in all areas.
- August 10LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.Botswana provides protection from discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation but not gender identity. However, the law was not enforced.
- July 27
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.In Iceland, homosexual and heterosexual relationships are treated the same under housing laws. Individuals are not allowed to deny a person housing with homophobic or transphobic motivations. This came along with Act 65, The Amending Act which legalized gay marriage.
- July 15
- July 1Same-sex marriage becomes foreign same-sex marriages recognized only.Prior to the federal legalisation of same-sex marriage in Australia, New South Wales recognised same-sex marriages performed overseas. In November 2013, a bill to legalise same-sex marriage in the state narrowly failed by 21 votes to 19 in the upper house of the state Parliament. On 24 June 2015, the New South Wales state Parliament unanimously passed a motion pressuring the federal government to pass the Marriage Equality Bill 2015 to legalise same-sex marriage nationwide.
- Same-sex adoption becomes single only.§ 148. (1) "A single person may adopt a child only alone."
- June 27
- June 7Gender-affirming care becomes legal.Wisconsin tried to ban gender affirming care for minors, it was ultimately vetoed by the governor. Adults are able to get gender affirming care, minors are also able to get gender affirming care. Governor Tony Evers stated in his offical veto letter "This bill would prohibit, with limited exceptions, healthcare providers from engaging in, causing the engagement in, or making referrals for certain medical intervention practices upon an individual under 18 years of age for the purpose of changing the minor's body to correspond to a sex that is discordant with the minor's biological sex". Gender-affirming care for all adults has been legal since 2010, when a law banning such care for trans prisoners was overturned by the federal court.
- May 31
- May 21
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.Changing gender is legal in Jersey however the individual must acquire a gender recognition certificate from the government of Jersey. They need to provide reasoning to the court and evidence.
- May 1Same-sex adoption becomes legal.Any individual can apodt regardless of thair marital status but prefecence has to be given to married couples. Joint adoption is available only for them. Second parent adoption is available for married and cohabiting couples - regardless of gender - but not for registered (same sex) partners. Same sex cohabiting couples's joint adoption has to be authorized by the Guardianship Office.
- April 15LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.Full discrimination protection in the city of Charlottesville, Alexandria, Arlington county.
- April 7Blood donations by MSMs becomes legal.In Portugal, blood donations have rules regarding sexual behaviour but they are the same for homosexual and heterosexual people. While discrimination is illegal according to the Portuguese Constitution, discrimination is widely reported amongst the LGBTQ+ community and new legislation was discussed in 2021 to address this.
- April 1Same-sex adoption becomes legal.Made officially legal through the Consolidated Children's Act of 2010
- March 21Same-sex adoption becomes varies by region.There is no federal law allowing for joint adoption and second parent adoption by same-sex couples. Adoption is only permitted for same sex married couples in 21 of the 31 Mexican states and Mexico City
- March 13Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.On February 04, 2010, Albanian parliament approved a unified anti-discrimination law, known as the Law on Protection from Discrimination, which prohibits, among other categories, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics in all areas.
- March 3Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
- March 1Same-sex adoption becomes single only.
- February 18
- February 10
- February 2
- February 1
- (date unknown)Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
- (deleted region)LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.It's against the law for an employer to discriminate against their sexual or gender orientation.
- January 1
- Legal recognition of non-binary gender becomes recognized.Arkansas rolled out its gender policy quietly in 2010. "Our official policy is to allow a licensee to change their gender as requested, no questions asked, no documentation required." -former Assistant Commissioner of Operations and Administration Mike Munns. Arkansas residents were thus able to change their marker on their driver's license (including to an X) since 2010, but this has only started being known since 2018.
- (date unknown)Conversion therapy becomes sexual orientation only.Section 3(1)(d) of the Mental Health Act (Decree No. 54) (2010) states that expressing, refusing, or failing to express a specific sexual preference or sexual orientation should not be grounds for considering someone mentally ill. While this doesn't outright ban "conversion therapy," it does legally prohibit health professionals, especially psychiatrists, from engaging in it.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.National Registration Act 13 of 2010 : Section 20(1) provides that where a change in particulars of a registered person materially affect his registration, the district registrar shall record the change and notify the Director of the circumstances and recommend that the person be issued with a new identity card. Section 21(1) provides that every registered person may, when he is satisfied that his appearance has changed so as to make it likely that his identity may be questioned, apply to the district registrar for the issue of a new card with a more recent photograph.
- Same-sex marriage becomes banned.Dominican Republic law does not recognise any marriage or partnership between same sex couples. In 2010 the Constitution was amended to affirm that "The State shall promote and protect the family organization based on the institution of marriage between a man and a woman" (Article 55). In 2018 the IACHR ruled that the American Convention on Human Rights requires Dominican Republic to legalise same-sex marriage.
- Equal age of consent becomes equal.Legal age of consent is 18, but close in age exclusions apply.
- January 1
- Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
- (date unknown)Same-sex marriage becomes varies by region.23/31 States of Mexico (and Mexico City) recognize same-sex marriage.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.In June 2019, the High Court of Botswana ruled that "sex", as defined in Section 3 of the Botswana Constitution, should be "generously and purposively interpreted" to include "sexual orientation". The Employment Act (2010) prohibits employers from terminating contracts of employment on the basis of "sexual orientation". There are no laws that protect gender identity from discrimination
LGBT Organizations Founded in 2010
It Gets Better Project
GlobalThe It Gets Better Project's mission is to communicate to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth around the world that it gets better, and to create and inspire the changes…Equality Michigan
Equality Michigan works to achieve full equality and respect for all people in Michigan regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Equality Michigan…One Colorado
One Colorado is a statewide advocacy organization dedicated to securing and protecting equality and opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Coloradans and…Identoba
Identoba is a Georgian gender equality and LGBT rights organization. Identoba is one the largest LGBT rights NGOs in the country.All Out
GlobalAll Out is mobilizing millions of people to build a world where no person will have to sacrifice their family or freedom, safety or dignity, because of who they are or who they…Geikristlaste Kogu
Geikristlaste Kogu is a religiously and politically independent non-governmental organization of gay and lesbian Christians working for equal treatment and opportunities for…The Swiss Rainbow Families Association
The Swiss Rainbow Families Association champions the concerns and interests of rainbow families at the federal level. It is the primary contact for all questions related to the…Transgender Support Association
The Transgender Support Association is a Greek LGBTQI+ activist organization based in Athens. It focuses on the rights of transgender and transgender people (transvestites…TGNS - Transgender Network Switzerland
TGNS aims to represent the interests and networking of individual trans people, their local groups and organizations on a national level. To this end, we are also happy to assist…Trans-Ident e.V.
Trans-Ident e.V. is a non-profit association that has set itself the goal of supporting and caring for transident people and their relatives as well as being the association of…Ambasada PINK
Ambasada PINK works for the protection and advancement of the rights of LGBTIQ people in Albania.LGBT Forum Progress
Gathers LGBTIQ people in Montenegro and stands for respect and protection of their human rights and equality in society.Transgender Education Network of Texas
TENT is an organization dedicated to furthering gender-diverse equality in Texas. We work to accomplish this through education and networking in both public and private forums.…Youth Voices Count (YVC)
Youth Voices Count is a regional network in the Asia-Pacific region mobilizing, building capacity, and empowering young people of diverse SOGIESC in the region to advocate for…6Rang
6rang aims to raise awareness of LGBTI+ rights and eliminate homophobia, transphobia, and violence against lesbian and transgender individuals largely through advocacy and…