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LGBT Rights in Zimbabwe

    Homosexuality
    ✖ Male illegal, female legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✖ Not legal
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Legal, but requires surgery
    Non-binary gender recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ Illegal in some contexts
    Employment Discrimination
    Ambiguous
    Housing Discrimination
    Ambiguous
    Adoption
    ✖ Single only
    Military
    ✖ Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal

According to recent survey data, underlying homophobic beliefs appear to be highly prevalent in Zimbabwe, signaling a hostile environment for LGBTQ+ people.

History

Homosexual activity in Zimbabwe

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Homosexual activity in Zimbabwe is male illegal, female legal.

Current status
Since 2006
Male illegal, female legal
Fine and up to 10 years in prison (decriminalization pending)
Added by robertshippey  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Zimbabwe

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Same-sex marriage in Zimbabwe is not legal.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1964
Not legal
Marriage act passed in 1964 implies that a marriage is between a man and a woman.
Added by vviet93  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jan 1, 1964–Sep 9, 2018
Unrecognized
No laws in place.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Zimbabwe

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Censorship of LGBT Issues in Zimbabwe is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
In Zimbabwe, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Added by equaldex  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Zimbabwe

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Right to change legal gender in Zimbabwe is legal, but requires surgery.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1986
Legal, but requires surgery
Section 18(2) of the the Births and Deaths Registration Act 11 of 1986 allows a person to change their forename. Section 18(3) provides for the change of a surname, but the Registrar-General must be satisfied that it is for a “lawful purpose”.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Zimbabwe

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

Current status
Not legally recognized
As there are no protocols around legal gender changes, non-binary self-identification is defacto not recognized in Zimbabwe.
Added by Notdog1996  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Zimbabwe

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LGBT discrimination in Zimbabwe is illegal in some contexts.

Current status
Since Apr 18, 1980
No protections
Although Zimbabwean constitution does state "All citizens are equal", sexual orientations and gender identities are not protected.
Added by vviet93  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log
Current status
Since Apr 18, 1980
Illegal in some contexts
Some protection under the mandate through human rights institute.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Zimbabwe

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LGBT employment discrimination in Zimbabwe is ambiguous.

Current status
Since Apr 18, 2017
Ambiguous
Sexual orientation discrimination protections under human rights institute. Homosexuality is illegal.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Zimbabwe

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LGBT housing discrimination in Zimbabwe is ambiguous.

Current status
Since Apr 18, 1980
Ambiguous
Unknown.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Zimbabwe

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Same-sex adoption in Zimbabwe is single only.

Current status
Single only
Homosexuality is currently illegal. As well no laws in place for same sex couples.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in Zimbabwe

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

Current status
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
Not a single country in Africa allows trans military service
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Zimbabwe

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Blood donations by MSMs in Zimbabwe is legal.

Current status
Legal
Some restrictions. Nothing involving lgbt people.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Zimbabwe

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Conversion therapy in Zimbabwe is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Not criminalized.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Zimbabwe

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Equal age of consent in Zimbabwe is equal.

Current status
Since Oct 21, 2015
Equal
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log


LGBT Rights by Province

View the LGBT laws in each individual province of Zimbabwe.