LGBT Rights in British Columbia, Canada

Homosexuality: ⚢
✔ Legal
Gay Marriage: ⚭
✔ Legal
Censorship: ✔ No censorship
Changing Gender: ✔ Legal, no restrictions
Gender-Affirming Care: ✔ Legal
Non-Binary Gender Recognition: ✔ Recognized
Discrimination: ✔ Illegal
Employment Discrimination: ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
Housing Discrimination: ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
Adoption: ✔ Legal
Intersex Infant Surgery: ✖ Not banned
Military: ✔ Legal
Donating Blood: ✔ Legal
Conversion Therapy: ✔ Banned
Age of Consent: ✔ Equal

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Public Opinion

Suggest Public Opinion Data

Public opinion polls in British Columbia have found that acceptance for LGBTQ+ individuals is prevalent.

Survey

(Fondation , 2020)

of British Columbia residents would be okay with a family member marrying someone of the same-sex

Survey

(Fondation , 2014)

of British Columbia residents believe same-sex parents are as good as opposite-sex parents

In 2005, the Canadian parliament passed a law allowing civil marriage between same-sex couples. Today, six years later, what do you think of this decision?

(Fondation , 2011)

64%

Good decision

20%

Bad decision

Perception of LGBTQ+ People

Rate This Region

Survey results from 7 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited British Columbia.

Overall
Overall

Perceived Safety*
Feel safe being open
Absence of verbal harassment
Absence of threats and violence
*Survey results represent personal perceptions of safety and may not be indicative of current actual conditions.

Equal Treatment
Treatment by peers
Treatment by family
Treatment at work
Treatment at school
Treatment by general public
Treatment by businesses
Treatment by law enforcement
Treatment by religious groups

Visibility & Representation
Inclusion in education
Representation in entertainment
Representation in news
Political support
Out public figures

Culture
Pride/events
Nightlife
Dating life
Interest groups and clubs

Services
Health and wellness
Gender-affirming care
Support and social services
Advocacy and legal

History

Homosexual activity in British Columbia

Homosexual activity in British Columbia is legal.

Current status

Since Jun 27, 1969

Legal

Criminal Law Amendment Act (Canada) 1968-1969.

Details

Same-sex marriage in British Columbia

Same-sex marriage in British Columbia is legal.

Current status

Since Jul 8, 2003

Legal

British Columbia became the second province in Canada behind Ontario to legalize gay marriage.

Details

Censorship of LGBT issues in British Columbia

Censorship of LGBT issues in British Columbia is no censorship.

Current status

No censorship

In British Columbia, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.

Details

Right to change legal gender in British Columbia

Right to change legal gender in British Columbia is legal, no restrictions.

Current status

Since Apr 29, 2014

Legal, no restrictions

Now, surgery is not required to change an individual's stated gender on their birth certificate.

Details

Until Apr 29, 2014

Legal, but requires surgery

Surgery was required

Details

Gender-affirming care in British Columbia

Gender-affirming care in British Columbia is legal.

Current status

Legal

British Columbia covers the following procedures:
-Chest construction (including reduction)
-Orchiectomy
-Hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy
-Vaginoplasty
-Vulvoplasty
-Clitoral release
-Metoidioplasty
-Phalloplasty
-Travel Assistance Program for provincial travel assistance for services not available in own community
-Expenses for out-of-province surgical aftercare if medically required
-Psychiatry services
-Vocal feminization program (via free Changing Keys program)

Breast augmentations can be covered on a case-by-case basis and hormones are generally covered under Pharmacare plans. Binders, packers and breast forms can be covered under PWD with a prescription/letter from a MD or NP.

Patients must have completed a surgical readiness assessment with a qualified assessor to be approved for coverage.

Details

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in British Columbia

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in British Columbia is recognized.

Current status

Since Nov 1, 2018

Recognized

British Columbia residents can ask for an X gender marker on their driver’s license, identity card, birth certificate and BC Services Card.

Details

Until Oct 31, 2018

Not legally recognized

Before November 1st, 2018, non-binary identities were not legally recognized in British-Columbia.

Details

LGBT discrimination in British Columbia

LGBT discrimination in British Columbia is illegal.

Current status

Since 1996

Illegal

Outlined in BC Human Rights Code

Details

LGBT employment discrimination in British Columbia

LGBT employment discrimination in British Columbia is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status

Since Jul 25, 2016

Sexual orientation and gender identity

BC Legislature passed a bill adding gender identity to protected class in the BC Human Rights Code

Details

1992–Jul 25, 2016

Sexual orientation only

Gender identity is not spelled out in the BC Human Rights Code

Details

LGBT housing discrimination in British Columbia

LGBT housing discrimination in British Columbia is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status

Since Jul 25, 2016

Sexual orientation and gender identity

BC Legislature passed a bill to include gender identity in the protected class for BC Human Rights Code

Details

1977–Jul 25, 2016

Sexual orientation only

Canadian Human Rights Act (1977, cited 1985) Gender identity is not spelled out in the BC Human Rights Code. However, there are a set of strict guidelines of exempt cases for housing protections on the basis of sexual orientation.

Details

Jan 1, 1977–Jul 15, 2016

Ambiguous

Protection under the BC Human Rights Code.

Details

Same-sex adoption in British Columbia

Same-sex adoption in British Columbia is legal.

Current status

Since Jul 4, 1995

Legal

British-Columbia was the first province to allow gay couples to adopt children.

M v. H (Canada) rules that Constitution protects same-sex couples federally.

Details

Intersex infant surgery in British Columbia

Intersex infant surgery in British Columbia is not banned.

Current status

Not banned

No law banning or monitoring genital surgery on intersex infants exists in British Columbia. The province also requires parents to assign a male or female designation on their child's birth certificate, putting pressure on parents to opt for correction.

Details

Serving openly in military in British Columbia

Serving openly in military in British Columbia is legal.

Current status

Since Oct 10, 1992

Legal

Douglas v. Canada (1992) lifts national ban on LGBT involvement in military.

Details

Blood donations by MSMs in British Columbia

Blood donations by MSMs in British Columbia is legal.

Current status

Since Sep 30, 2022

Legal

Following the Canadian Blood Services guidelines.

Details

Jun 3, 2019–Sep 30, 2022

Banned (less than 6-month deferral)

MSMs were previously put on indefinite deferral until the 2013 announcement by Canadian Blood Services, then further reduced to 3 months in 2019.

Details

Jan 2016–Jun 2, 2019

Banned (1-year deferral)

Following Canadian Blood Services guidelines.

Details

Jul 22, 2013–Jan 2016

Banned (5-year deferral)

Following Canadian Blood Services guidelines.

Details

Sep 26, 1998–Jul 21, 2013

Banned (indefinite deferral)

Following Canadian Blood Services guidelines.

Details

Conversion therapy in British Columbia

Conversion therapy in British Columbia is banned.

Current status

Banned

Banned in all of Canada

Details

Equal age of consent in British Columbia

Equal age of consent in British Columbia is equal.

Current status

Since Jun 21, 2019

Equal

Equal age of consent at 16. Previously, anal sex was set at 18.

Details

1892–May 1, 2008

Ambiguous

Under the Criminal Law Code at the time, age of consent to vaginal sex was raised from 12 to 14. Anal sex was not mentioned.

Details

Equality Index ?

84 / 100

Legal Rights

95 / 100

Public Opinion

72 / 100

#190

Interest Rank based on Equaldex traffic ?

Top Contributors

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British Columbia LGBT Organizations

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Is it illegal to be gay in British Columbia?
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LGBT Rights in British Columbia Province

Public Opinion

Survey

Survey

In 2005, the Canadian parliament passed a law allowing civil marriage between same-sex couples. Today, six years later, what do you think of this decision?

Perception of LGBTQ+ People

Overall

Perceived Safety*

Equal Treatment

Visibility & Representation

Culture

Services

History

Homosexual activity in British Columbia

Same-sex marriage in British Columbia

Censorship of LGBT issues in British Columbia

Right to change legal gender in British Columbia

Gender-affirming care in British Columbia

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in British Columbia

LGBT discrimination in British Columbia

LGBT employment discrimination in British Columbia

LGBT housing discrimination in British Columbia

Same-sex adoption in British Columbia

Intersex infant surgery in British Columbia

Serving openly in military in British Columbia

Blood donations by MSMs in British Columbia

Conversion therapy in British Columbia

Equal age of consent in British Columbia

Top Contributors

British Columbia LGBT Organizations

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