Genève is governed by federal Switzerland law. Learn more
    Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✔ Legal
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✔ Legal, no restrictions
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✔ Legal
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ Illegal in some contexts
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✔ Legal
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    ✖ Not banned
    Military
    ✖ Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    Varies by Region
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion

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History

Homosexual activity in Genève

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Homosexual activity in Genève is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 21, 1991
Legal
Homosexual acts were not mentioned anymore in the revision of the Penal Code of 1991. Therefore the age of consent was lowered to 16 years old for all consenting sexual intercourse.
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Jan 1, 1942–Jun 20, 1991
Legal
The Swiss Penal Code introduced in 1942 allowed same sex acts between adults (above 20 years old), but punished homosexual intercourse with people between 16 and 20 years old (while allowing heterosexual acts)
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Same-sex marriage in Genève

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Same-sex marriage in Genève is legal.

Current status
Since Jul 1, 2022
Legal
Switzerland approved same-sex marriage with a national referendum.
Jan 1, 2007–Jul 1, 2022
Civil unions (marriage rights)
A registered partnership in Switzerland grants equal rights to marriage but differs on three points: access to fertility treatment, joint adoption and facilitated Swiss naturalisation.
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Censorship of LGBT issues in Genève

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Censorship of LGBT issues in Genève is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
In Switzerland, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
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Right to change legal gender in Genève

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Right to change legal gender in Genève is legal, no restrictions.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2022
Legal, no restrictions
Change of sex is legal though there are now specific laws concerning the matter. In 1993, the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland stated that a change of sex should be "irreversible"; many judges interpreted it as the person had to go under surgery. In 2012, the Federal Department of Justice and Police via its Federal Office for Civil Registration released a statement about how transsexualism should be handled by cantonal Register offices. The FOCR stated that the Judges and Authorities should cease to oblige a person to go through forced sterilisation in order to have their sex change recognised. Furthermore, a person is granted to choose his or her gender according to his or her social gender and not anymore according to his or her biological gender.
Sources:
FOCR Statement (in German, French, Italian): ejpd.admin.ch/content/dam/d…

Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland Statement (in German):
transgender-network.ch/wp-c…
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_…
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Gender-affirming care in Genève

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Gender-affirming care in Genève is legal.

Current status
Since 1995
Legal
In 1995, Switzerland adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Genève

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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Genève is not legally recognized.

Current status
Not legally recognized
Switzerland does not currently legally recognize non-binary identities.
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LGBT discrimination in Genève

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LGBT discrimination in Genève is illegal in some contexts.

Current status
Since Jul 1, 2020
Illegal in some contexts
Since 2020, an amendment to Article 261 bis of the Criminal Code (1937) penalises discrimination based on "sexual orientation" in the provision of goods and services. Article 261 bis of the Criminal Code was amended to include “sexual orientation” in the provision that criminalises public denigration, discrimination, or incitement to those actions, as well as the public dissemination of ideologies that aim to systematically denigrate or defame members of a protected group.

LGBT employment discrimination in Genève

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LGBT employment discrimination in Genève is no protections.

Current status
No protections
Laws in force in Switzerland do not offer protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment.

LGBT housing discrimination in Genève

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LGBT housing discrimination in Genève is no protections.

Current status
No protections
Laws in force in Switzerland do not offer protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and “gender identity in housing.
Sources:
database.ilga.org/switzerla…
Article 8 of the Federal Constitution
admin.ch/opc/en/classified-…
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Same-sex adoption in Genève

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Same-sex adoption in Genève is legal.

Current status
Since Jul 1, 2022
Legal
The new law of same sex marriage for Switzerland also guarantees adoption rights for same sex couples.
Sources:
www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58696604.amp
swissinfo.ch/eng/society/ad…
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Jan 1, 2018–Jul 1, 2022
Second parent adoption only
The registered partnership act was amended to allow second parent adoption by same sex couples.
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Jan 1, 2007–Jan 1, 2018
Illegal
Under the registered partnership act same sex couples are not able to adopt their partner’s child.
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Intersex infant surgery in Genève

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Intersex infant surgery in Genève is not banned.

Current status
Since Apr 18, 2019
Not banned
In April 2019, the Grand Council of the Canton of Geneva adopted two motions (no. 2491 and no. 2541) aimed at banning non-vital surgical procedures on intersex children at cantonal level.

In March 2022, the Federal Council was considering another motion (22.3355) which urges the Federal Council to present a bill to prohibit any irreversible and non-consensual surgical or hormonal interventions on the sexual characteristics of intersex children. This measure also allows interventions that are necessary to avoid a life-threatening situation or a danger to the child's health.

Serving openly in military in Genève

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Serving openly in military in Genève is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.

Current status
Since May 17, 1992
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
Code pénal suisse. Code pénal militaire (Infraction contre l'intégrité sexuelle): Modification du 21 juin 1991 pp 63-78. Switzerland has yet to allow Trans people to serve in the military
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Blood donations by MSMs in Genève

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Blood donations by MSMs in Genève is legal.

Current status
Since Nov 1, 2023
Legal
New blood donation rules are now based on an updated risk assessment of various sexual behaviours and are equally applied to all people regardless of sexual orientation.
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Nov 29, 2017–Nov 1, 2023
Banned (1-year deferral)
In early May 2017, the National Council approved a motion calling on all restrictions on gay and bisexual men donating blood to be lifted. According to the National Council, only risky behaviour should be a factor for blood donation, not one's sexual orientation. The motion, introduced by the Conservative Democrats, was approved 97–89.[66] However, this was rejected by the Council of States on 29 November 2017.[67] The 1 year deferral period for gay and bisexual men donating blood therefore remains in place.
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Conversion therapy in Genève

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Conversion therapy in Genève is varies by region.

Current status
Since May 16, 2024
Varies by Region
On May 2, 2023 Neuchâtel banned conversion therapy. Valais Canton banned conversion therapy through the Cantonal parliament on the 16th of May 2024. Neuchâtel and Valais are cantons of Switzerland, of which there are 26. In the other 24 member states of the Swiss Confederation, conversion therapy remains legal. At the federal level, a bill has been languishing in parliament to ban conversion therapy at the national level.
Sources:
swissinfo.ch/eng/business/c…
swissinfo.ch/eng/society/fi…
euronews.com/culture/2022/1…
swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-poli…~:text=On%20Thursday%2C%20the%20cantonal%20parliament,sexual%20orientation%20or%20gender%20identity.&text=After%20examining%20around%20forty%20amendments,by%20106%20votes%20to%2021.

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May 2, 2023–May 16, 2024
Varies by Region
On this date, Neuchâtel banned conversion therapy. Neuchâtel is a canton of Switzerland, of which there are 26. In the other 25 member states of the Swiss Confederation, conversion therapy remains legal.

Equal age of consent in Genève

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Equal age of consent in Genève is equal.

Current status
Since 1992
Equal
Consensual age is Switzerland is 16 years old, unless the difference in age between the persons involved is not more than 3 years.
Sources:
Article 188 of the Swiss Criminal Code admin.ch/ch/e/rs/3/311.0.en.pdf
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