- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
- Non-binary gender recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✔ Illegal
- Employment Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Adoption
- ✔ Legal
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Recent studies in Scotland show a discernible level of opposition to LGBTQ+ rights among the population.
Scotland Surveys
LGBTQ+ Discrimination
(Equality Network, 2015)
Prevalence of LGBTQ+ Prejudice
(Equality Network, 2015)
History
Same-sex marriage in Scotland is legal.
Current status
Since Dec 16, 2014
Legal
MSPs voted by 105 to 18 in favour of the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill.
Establishes belief ceremonies, such as humanist ceremonies as a "third form of marriage", alongside religious and civil events.
Allowing transgender people to stay married, rather than having to get divorced, when obtaining a Gender Recognition Certificate.
Amended guidance on the teaching of the issue in schools.
The first same-sex marriages were allowed to take place December 16, 2014.
Establishes belief ceremonies, such as humanist ceremonies as a "third form of marriage", alongside religious and civil events.
Allowing transgender people to stay married, rather than having to get divorced, when obtaining a Gender Recognition Certificate.
Amended guidance on the teaching of the issue in schools.
The first same-sex marriages were allowed to take place December 16, 2014.
Censorship of LGBT Issues in Scotland is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Scotland, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Right to change legal gender in Scotland is legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
Current status
Since Apr 4, 2005
Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
The Act gives transsexual people legal recognition as members of the sex appropriate to their gender (male or female) allowing them to acquire a new birth certificate, affording them full recognition of their acquired sex in law for all purposes, including marriage.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Scotland is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Non-binary identities are still not recognized in Scotland, despite it being previously planned in the gender recognition reform bill and most Scottish people agreeing it should be recognized.
LGBT discrimination in Scotland is illegal.
Current status
Since Oct 1, 2010
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.
Also covering LGBT discrimination would be the Human Rights Act, which is a fundamental piece of the legislation underpinning the Scottish Parliament. In 2024, Scotland revised its hate crime law to explicitly include gender identity and sexual orientation.
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.
Also covering LGBT discrimination would be the Human Rights Act, which is a fundamental piece of the legislation underpinning the Scottish Parliament. In 2024, Scotland revised its hate crime law to explicitly include gender identity and sexual orientation.
LGBT employment discrimination in Scotland is sexual orientation and gender identity.
LGBT housing discrimination in Scotland is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Same-sex adoption in Scotland is legal.
Current status
Since Sep 28, 2009
Legal
Either single or coupled LGBT people can adopt children.
Serving openly in military in Scotland is legal.
Current status
Since Jan 12, 2000
Legal
The British military actively recruits gay men and lesbians, all three services have deployed recruiting teams to gay pride events, and punishes any instance of intolerance or bullying. The Royal Navy advertises for recruits in gay magazines and has allowed gay sailors to hold civil partnership ceremonies on board ships and, since 2006, to march in full naval uniform at a gay pride marches. British Army and Royal Air Force personnel could march but had to wear civilian clothes until 2008, now all military personnel are permitted to attend Gay Pride marches in uniform.
Conversion therapy in Scotland is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Conversion therapy ban pending.
Equal age of consent in Scotland is equal.
Current status
Since Nov 30, 2000
Equal
The age of consent is 16 (or 18 for those in a position of authority) for all couples.
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Common queries:
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Alternative names: Scotland