In 2012, there were 45 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 116 changes made and 141 in the following year. A total of 1411 legal changes were made in the 2010s.
- December 25Blood donations by MSMs becomes legal.
- December 6Same-sex marriage becomes legal.SB 6239 - 2011-12 amended RCW 26.04.010 to legalize same-sex marriage by replacing gendered terms with gender-neutral language. The law, meant to take effect on June 7, 2012, was delayed by Referendum 74 which put the issue to voters who affirmed the legislation. The law went into effect on December 6, 2012. Same-sex marriage was further protected by the US Supreme Court in OBERGEFELL v. HODGES on June 26, 2015, under the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. The 117th US Congress legislated additional protections in H.R.8404, the Respect for Marriage Act, on December 13, 2022, mandating all states recognize any public act, record, or judicial proceeding pertaining to marriage in any other state; enforceable by the Attorney General and subject to injunctive and declaratory relief.
- December 5
- November 8Same-sex marriage becomes legal.In 2012, Maryland legalized same-sex marriage.
- November 6
- October 12
- September 29Conversion therapy becomes banned.Note that this only applies to youth (under 18 years olds)
- September 20Serving openly in military becomes legal.Don't Ask, Don't Tell is officially repealed throughout the United States, and gays and lesbians may openly serve.
- Serving openly in military becomes legal.Don't Ask, Don't Tell is officially repealed throughout the United States, and gays and lesbians may openly serve.
- July 31LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
- July 12LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.The anti-discrimnation law penalizes the arbitrary discrimination and includes protection for discrimination of sexual orientation and gender identity
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.The anti-discrimination law penalizes the arbitrary discrimination and includes protection for discrimination of sexual orientation and gender identity
- July 1
- June 21LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.Malta's hate crime laws include both gender identity and sexual orientation.
- June 15Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
- May 24Right to change legal gender becomes legal, surgery not required.As well people can change documents if they wish
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, surgery not required.People have a right to change their legal gender without approval from a doctor or a judge. Sex reassignment surgery and hormonal treatments are not required, but they are provided by the state for free to anyone who requests them. Several people had had their legal gender changed before the Gender Identity Law through court decisions, including popular actress, TV host and trans woman Flor de la V.
- May 8Same-sex marriage becomes not legal.
- May 3Same-sex marriage becomes legal.Same-Sex Marriage became legal in Quintana Roo on May 12, 2012 after the Secretary of State announced to legalize Same-Sex Marriage
- April 30
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.Labour law protects sexual minority individuals from discrimination. Gender identity is not explicitly stated however.
- April 23LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.only sexual orientation.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.only sexual orientation
- April 20LGBT employment discrimination becomes n/a.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
- April 11
- April 9Same-sex adoption becomes ambiguous.There is no specific exclusion for same-sex couples. It is legal, however, to deny adoption based on religious grounds.
- March 26Blood donations by MSMs becomes legal.
- March 9
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes no protections.high discrimination from the aids epidemic. Discrimination protections pending.
- March 1LGBT housing discrimination becomes ambiguous.There is no current state housing or federal housing discrimination protections in place. However there is city and county discrimination protection.
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes ambiguous.Various by cities and counties.
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes ambiguous.Various by city. Pending state wide.
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.Only city discrimination protections. As well as state housing discrimination protection for sexual orientation only.
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes ambiguous.In the city of New Orleans and Shreveport. As well as Full State discrimination protections under the current governor. Pending statewide.
- February 12Blood donations by MSMs becomes legal.According to the Grenadian Blood Bank.
- January 6
LGBT Organizations Founded in 2012
Law Firm of J.W. Stafford, L.L.C.
Maryland discrimination lawyer Jamaal W. Stafford assists individuals facing workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation with protecting their rights.