Bocas del Toro is governed by federal Panama law. Learn more
    Homosexuality
    ⚢
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ⚭
    ✖ Unrecognized
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Legal, but requires surgery
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✔ Legal
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✖ Illegal
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    Unknown
    Military
    N/A
    Donating Blood
    ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion

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History

Homosexual activity in Bocas del Toro

?

Homosexual activity in Bocas del Toro is legal.

Current status
Since Jul 29, 2008
Legal
Same-sex sexual activity was legalized in Panama through a presidential decree on July 29th, 2008, repealing a 1949 law which would incur those convicted with a 500$ fine or prison sentence. The age of consent was equalized at 18 and homosexuality was declassifed as a mental illness subsequently.
Details
Sources:
wipo.int/wipolex/en/text.js…
web.archive.org/web/2012010…//www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-8700.html
gacetaoficial.gob.pa/pdfTem…
web.archive.org/web/2018021…//metrolibre.com/index.php/principales/115604-panama-en-camino-al-matrimonio-igualitario
Added by vviet93  ·  Report error  ·  Log
Jan 1, 1513–Jul 29, 2008
Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
Prior to the Spanish colonization of Panama, no laws governed Panamanian soil. History of indigenous Guna showed acceptance of third gender individuals, known as omeggid akin to LGBT folks in modern day society. Some Guna today are accepting of homosexuality. In 1513, Panama was incorporated into New Spain and had it's territories part of a viceroyalty, becoming a province of the Spanish empire, recieving the same rights as any other province in Peninsular Spain, bearing the brunt of colonial anti-sodomy laws in place at the time.
Details
Sources:
britannica.com/place/Vicero…
wipo.int/wipolex/en/text/18…
bbc.com/travel/article/2018…
Added by PersianArchitecture  ·  Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Bocas del Toro

?

Same-sex marriage in Bocas del Toro is unrecognized.

Current status
Since Dec 12, 2018
Unrecognized
Article 58 of the 1972 constitution defined marriage as a different-sex union. In 2018, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that the American convetion on Human rights mandates the recognition of same-sex marriage, recommending that countries issue decrees until legislation was brought into place. In March 2023, after seven years of delay the court ruled that there is no positive right to same-sex marriage in Panama under the constitution, halting any potential change for the time being through the courts.
Details
Sources:
constituteproject.org/const…
agendaestadodederecho.com/l…
web.archive.org/web/2018010…//au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/38550305/inter-american-court-endorses-same-sex-marriage/
Added by vviet93  ·  Report error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT issues in Bocas del Toro

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Bocas del Toro is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
In Panama, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Details
Added by equaldex  ·  Report error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Bocas del Toro

?

Right to change legal gender in Bocas del Toro is legal, but requires surgery.

Current status
Since Oct 11, 1972
Legal, but requires surgery
Since 2006, transgender individuals have been able change their legal gender and name after undergoing gender affirming surgery and potentially humilitating doctor's inspection as reported by some trans activists, according to Article 121 of The Civil Registry Law (Law No. 31).
In 2016, a transgender woman was able, through court permission, to change her legal name according to her gender identity, without the need to undergo surgery.
Details
Sources:
refworld.org/legal/legislat…
elespectador.com/noticias/e…
hrw.org/news/2021/07/21/pan…
docs.panama.justia.com/fede…
prensa.com/impresa/panorama…
Added by Ausyk  ·  Report error  ·  Log

Gender-affirming care in Bocas del Toro

?

Gender-affirming care in Bocas del Toro is legal.

Current status
Since 1998
Legal
In 1998, Panama adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
Details
Sources:
ourworldindata.org/grapher/…
Added by JuliaB  ·  Report error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Bocas del Toro

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Bocas del Toro is not legally recognized.

Current status
Not legally recognized
Panama does not recognize genders other than male and female.
Details
Sources:
hrw.org/news/2021/07/21/pan…
Added by Notdog1996  ·  Report error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Bocas del Toro

?

LGBT discrimination in Bocas del Toro is no protections.

Current status
Since Feb 14, 2018
No protections
There are no laws protecting LGBT people from discrimination. The Anti-discrimination law (Law No. 7 2018) does not explicity include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected categories.
Details
Sources:
up.ac.pa/sites/default/file…
Added by Samuel_NOT_Samuele  ·  Report error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Bocas del Toro

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Bocas del Toro is no protections.

Current status
Since Feb 14, 2018
No protections
There are no laws protecting LGBT people from discrimination in employment. The Anti-discrimination law (Law No. 7 2018) does not explicity include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected categories.
Details
Sources:
up.ac.pa/sites/default/file…
Added by Ausyk  ·  Report error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Bocas del Toro

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Bocas del Toro is no protections.

Current status
Since Feb 14, 2018
No protections
There are no laws protecting LGBT people from discrimination in housing. The Anti-discrimination law (Law No. 7 2018) does not explicity include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected categories.
Details
Sources:
up.ac.pa/sites/default/file…
Added by Ausyk  ·  Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Bocas del Toro

?

Same-sex adoption in Bocas del Toro is illegal.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2021
Illegal
Bill No.121 was passed in 2021, the bill was criticzed as cruel and banned same-sex couples from adopting children, but allowed single parents to adopt. Single LGBT individuals may be able to adopt under this technicality.
Details
Sources:
pinknews.co.uk/2021/03/10/p…
hrw.org/node/378119/printab…
Added by Ausyk  ·  Report error  ·  Log

Intersex infant surgery in Bocas del Toro

?

Intersex infant surgery in Bocas del Toro is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Serving openly in military in Bocas del Toro

?

Serving openly in military in Bocas del Toro is n/a.

Current status
N/A
Doesn't have military.
Details
Added by Ausyk  ·  Report error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Bocas del Toro

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Bocas del Toro is banned (indefinite deferral).

Current status
Banned (indefinite deferral)
LGBT Panamanians and foreigners are ineligible to donate blood in Panama.
Details
Sources:
prensa.com/impresa/panorama…
Added by Ausyk  ·  Report error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Bocas del Toro

?

Conversion therapy in Bocas del Toro is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Not preformed. Conversion therapy ban pending.
Details
Added by Ausyk  ·  Report error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Bocas del Toro

?

Equal age of consent in Bocas del Toro is equal.

Current status
Since Jul 29, 2008
Equal
The age of consent was set equally at 18 with the decriminilization of homosexuality in 2008.
Details
Sources:
gacetaoficial.gob.pa/pdfTem…
Added by ryanbynes  ·  Report error  ·  Log
Equality Index ?
N/A
There is not enough information on Bocas del Toro for an Equality Index to be assigned. Please contribute LGBTQ+ rights information or survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in Bocas del Toro to help improve its accuracy.

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