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2000 in LGBT Rights

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In 2000, there were 57 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 27 changes made and 67 in the following year. A total of 658 legal changes were made in the 2000s.

  • December 31
    Blood donations by MSMs becomes ambiguous.
    Italy legalizes blood donations as Health Minister lifts blood ban. However, Italy still denies men who engaged in "risky behaviors"
  • December 2
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    Housing discrimination is illegal against all LGBT people
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    Transgenders have yet to receive discrimination protections in employment. Something Ilga Europe advices Romania to do
  • November 30
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Legal in the UK extending to Liverpool.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Legal since 2000
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Legal since 2000
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    On November 30, 2000 a bill was signed to make the ages of consent equitable, regardless of gender. The law came into effect on August 1, 2001. The age of consent for men who have sex with men was reduced from 18 to 16, on par with different sex individuals.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    On November 30, 2000 a bill was signed to make the ages of consent equitable, regardless of gender. The law came into effect on August 1, 2001. The age of consent for men who have sex with men was reduced from 18 to 16, on par with different sex individuals.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    As in the United Kingdom, the law is the same
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Same as in England.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    The age of consent is 16 (or 18 for those in a position of authority) for all couples.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexuality is legal in Scotland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000 repealed all criminal provisions regarding homosexuality; setting an equal age of consent for sexual activity between men.
  • November 27
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
  • September 26
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    In the Lithuania criminal code in Article 170, sexual orientation is among the things that are explicitly banned from being discriminated against. Gender identity is not one of those things.
  • September 12
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
  • September 1
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In 2000 a new criminal code was introduced, repealing article 121 against homosexuality.
  • August 16
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Outlawed by the Marriage Amendment Act 2000.
  • July 23
    LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
  • June 24
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    It has been legal since 1988 but the current criminal code was enacted in 2000.
  • June 9
    Same-sex adoption becomes single only.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    The marriage law explicitly prohibits marriage between same-sex couples
  • June 1
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    Any person or couple may adopt a child regardless of orientation pursuant Connecticut Public Act Number 00-228.
  • May 15
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    Law Number 3406
  • February 15
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    According to article 140 and 141 of the Georgian Penal Code, the age of consent for both homosexual and heterosexual sex is 16.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexuality has been legal for all genders in Georgia since 2000.
  • January 12
    Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    Regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation one may serve in the military within the UK
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    The Ministry of Defence were forced to change their stance on when the European Court of Human Rights ruled in September 1999 that the then current ban on gays in the military was unlawful.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    Military service is allowed regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    LGBT+ personnel have the same terms and conditions as everyone else; this includes maternity benefits and pension arrangements for same-sex spouses or civil partners. The Army welcomes transgender personnel and all who apply to join the Army must meet the same mental and physical entry standard as any other candidate.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    Defence as part of United Kingdom
  • Serving openly in military becomes 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.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    As a British Overseas Territory, Gibraltar is defended by the United Kingdom's armed forces.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    Military service is allowed regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    United Kingdom responsible for defence.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    Serving openly in the military is legal as of the 2000's.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    The Ministry of Defence were forced to change their stance on when the European Court of Human Rights ruled in September 1999 that the then current ban on gays in the military was unlawful.
  • (date unknown)
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes ambiguous.
    While no law offers explicit protection on the basis of sexual orientation in employment, it could be argued that Article 2 of the General Law on Youth (Law No. 49) (2000), which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, could apply to employment matters. However, this law only protects youth between 14 and 25 years of age.
  • January 1
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes ambiguous.
    in three cities and one county.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes ambiguous.
    City discrimination protection in a few cities. in one county.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    Defended by UK.
  • (date unknown)
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
    Under the Gender Reassignment Act (2000), in order to amend their gender markers, applicants must submit an application to the Gender Reassignment Board. Upon examination of the application, the Board verifies that the applicant has undergone gender affirming surgery (Article 15.b.i), that they have adopted "the lifestyle" and has "the gender characteristics of a person of the gender to which the person has been reassigned" (Article 15.b.ii), and that they have received "proper counselling" in relation to their gender identity (Article 15.b.iii). However, in 2011, the High Court of Australia held in AB and AH v. Western Australia (2011) that the surgical procedure is no longer a requirement, but some sort of physical alteration must have taken place. In this instance, HRT can be seen to fulfill this requirement. If the Board is satisfied, they will issue a "recognition certificate" that enables the applicant to request a gender marker change on the birth certificate.
  • January 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • (date unknown)
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    Protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation was probited by the General Law on Youth (Law 49/2000) and Article 11 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. In 2011 Law 135/2011 on HIV/AIDS prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
  • January 1
    Serving openly in military becomes n/a.
    UK defends them
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
  • (date unknown)
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    Sexual orientation protections only.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes illegal.
    Miss. Code § 93-17-3(5) restricts adoptions making it illegal for a same-sex couple to adopt a child. Additionally, statute permits sexual orientation to be utilized as an adverse consideration in custody disputes.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes illegal.
    Utah Code Ann. § 78B-6-117(3): Adoption may not be permitted to individuals who are not entered into a legal marriage in a cohabitation situation. This applies to foster parenting as well (§ 62A-4a-602). Second parent adoption is outlawed as well for same-sex couples.(§ 62A-4a-60)
  • January 1
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
    This state does not provide any legal protections from discrimination based upon sexual orientation or gender identification. However, the Human Rights Campaign states, "The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires grantees and participants of HUD programs to comply with local and state non-discrimination laws that include sexual orientation and gender identity. HUD also prohibits inquiries regarding the sexual orientation or gender identity of a prospective tenant or applicant for assisted housing in every state (March 2012)."
  • (date unknown)
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    While anti-discrimination laws may apply to transgender individuals in Romania, only sexual orientation is stated in their constitution. "Anti-discrimination legislation sanctions ‘any difference, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, nationality, ethnic origin, language, religion, social status, beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, chronic disease, HIV positive status, belonging to a disadvantaged group or any other criterion, aiming to or resulting in a restriction or prevention of the equal recognition, use or exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social and cultural field or in any other fields of public life.'"
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    Article 3 (1) of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany and Article 14 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms protect against unequal treatment on grounds of sexual orientation.
  • Homosexual activity becomes ambiguous.
    Contemporary Egyptian law does not explicitly criminalize same-sex sexual acts. Instead, the state uses several morality provisions for the de facto criminalization of homosexual conduct. Any behavior, or the expression of any idea that is deemed to be immoral, scandalous or offensive to the teachings of a recognized religious leader may be prosecuted using these provisions. These public morality and public order laws have been used to target the LGBT community.
  • January 1
    Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    Military protection is responsibility of the United Kingdom, hence their law applies.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes other type of partnership.
    Statutory Cohabitation grants specific rights to cohabiting persons. Although not specifically intended for LGBT couples it was open for same sex couples.

LGBT Organizations Founded in 2000