Balvu novads (Balvi) is governed by federal Latvia law. Learn more
    Homosexuality
    ⚢
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ⚭
    ✖ Civil unions (limited rights)
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Legal, but requires surgery
    Gender-Affirming Care
    Unknown
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ Illegal in some contexts
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ Sexual orientation only
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✖ Single only
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    ✖ Not banned
    Military
    ✖ Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion

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History

Homosexual activity in Balvu novads (Balvi)

?

Homosexual activity in Balvu novads (Balvi) is legal.

Current status
Since 1992
Legal
Article 124.1 that prohibits male-male sex was repealed in 1992
Details
Sources:
ageofconsent.com/latvia.htm
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Until Jan 1, 1992
Male illegal, female legal
Homosexual activity between men was prohibited before 1992. Sexual acts between women were not explicitly criminalized.
Details
Sources:
web.archive.org/web/2007042…//www.ilga-europe.org/europe/guide/country_by_country/latvia
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Same-sex marriage in Balvu novads (Balvi)

?

Same-sex marriage in Balvu novads (Balvi) is civil unions (limited rights).

Current status
Since Jul 1, 2024
Civil unions (limited rights)
On November 9th, 2023, the Saeima passed legislation establishing same-sex civil unions, and the unions were approved by President Edgars Rinkevics on January 9th, 2024. The law took effect on July 1st, 2024. Same-sex couples are not able to inherit from their partners even if they are in a registered partnership.
Details
Sources:
uk.news.yahoo.com/latvia-le…
lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija…
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Jun 1, 2022–Jun 30, 2024
Civil unions (limited rights)
Civil unions recognized by courts in Latvia with limited rights.
Details
Sources:
eng.lsm.lv/article/society/…
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Dec 15, 2005–May 31, 2022
Banned
Section 110 of the Constitution of Latvia was amended in 2006, explicitly defining marriage as a union exclusively between a man and woman.
Details
Sources:
wipo.int/wipolex/en/text.js…
web.archive.org/web/2006061…//news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5084832.stm
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Censorship of LGBT issues in Balvu novads (Balvi)

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Balvu novads (Balvi) is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
In Latvia, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Details
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Right to change legal gender in Balvu novads (Balvi)

?

Right to change legal gender in Balvu novads (Balvi) is legal, but requires surgery.

Current status
Since Dec 14, 2012
Legal, but requires surgery
Transgender people are allowed to change their gender, however surgery is required.
Details
Sources:
database.ilga.org/api/downl…
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Apr 5, 1972–Dec 14, 2012
Legal, but requires surgery
Under Soviet law, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the regulations were not changed.
Details
Sources:
bigpicture.ru/ya-peredumala…
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Until Apr 5, 1972
Illegal
Legal gender change is impossible
Details
Sources:
bigpicture.ru/ya-peredumala…
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Gender-affirming care in Balvu novads (Balvi)

?

Gender-affirming care in Balvu novads (Balvi) is unknown.

Jan 1, 1983–Jan 1, 1996
Legal, but restricted for minors
In 1983, transsexualism began to be professionally diagnosed in the Soviet Union, which allowed the prescription of hormone therapy
Details
Sources:
russiapost.info/society/lgbt
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Restricted
In 1926, the Soviet Union's Ministry of Internal Affairs legalized sex reassignment surgery
Details
Sources:
russiapost.info/society/lgbt
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Until 1926
Banned
Medical transition is not possible
Details
Sources:
russiapost.info/society/lgbt
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Current status
Unknown

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Balvu novads (Balvi)

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Balvu novads (Balvi) is not legally recognized.

Current status
Not legally recognized
No non-binary recognition.
Details
Sources:
ilga-europe.org/files/uploa…
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LGBT discrimination in Balvu novads (Balvi)

?

LGBT discrimination in Balvu novads (Balvi) is illegal in some contexts.

Current status
Since Nov 9, 2006
Illegal in some contexts
The labour law was amended to protect LGBTQ+ population in some aspects of the labour market.
Details
Sources:
ilo.org/dyn/natlex/natlex_b…
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LGBT employment discrimination in Balvu novads (Balvi)

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Balvu novads (Balvi) is sexual orientation only.

Current status
Since Nov 9, 2006
Sexual orientation only
only banned on sexual orientation
Details
Sources:
rainbow-europe.org/#8642/0/0
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LGBT housing discrimination in Balvu novads (Balvi)

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Balvu novads (Balvi) is no protections.

Current status
Since Nov 9, 2006
No protections
no protections based on ILGA Europe
Details
Sources:
rainbow-europe.org/#8642/0/0
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Same-sex adoption in Balvu novads (Balvi)

?

Same-sex adoption in Balvu novads (Balvi) is single only.

Current status
Single only
Latvian law allows any person over 25 to adopt. However persons who are not married to each other may not adopt the same child. This means that only one person of an unmarried couple can adopt a child. However, lesbian couples can get access to IVF and assisted insemination treatment.
Details
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_…
likumi.lv/doc.php?id=225418
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Intersex infant surgery in Balvu novads (Balvi)

?

Intersex infant surgery in Balvu novads (Balvi) is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
There is no official ban on unnecessary sex reassignment operations in infants in Latvia.
Details
Sources:
rainbowmap.ilga-europe.org/…
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Serving openly in military in Balvu novads (Balvi)

?

Serving openly in military in Balvu novads (Balvi) is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.

Current status
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
Sexual orientation is a protected category for employment discrimination, however gender identity is not.
Details
Sources:
humanrightsfirst.org/librar…
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Blood donations by MSMs in Balvu novads (Balvi)

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Balvu novads (Balvi) is legal.

Current status
Legal
No restrictions about gay sex.
Details
Sources:
cafebabel.fr/societe/articl…
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Conversion therapy in Balvu novads (Balvi)

?

Conversion therapy in Balvu novads (Balvi) is not banned.

Current status
Since Dec 23, 2017
Not banned
No laws in place.
Details
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Equal age of consent in Balvu novads (Balvi)

?

Equal age of consent in Balvu novads (Balvi) is equal.

Current status
Equal
Details
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Equality Index ?
48 / 100
Legal Rights
61 / 100
This region's Equality Index is based on legal rights alone. Please submit survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in Balvu novads (Balvi) to help improve its accuracy.

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