- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Banned
- Censorship
- ✖ State-enforced
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Illegal
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✖ Restricted
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✔ Illegal
- Employment Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Adoption
- ✖ Single only
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✖ Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal with restrictions
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Recent studies in Bulgaria indicate societal resistance to LGBTQ+ rights.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
Perception of LGBTQ+ People
Survey results from 8 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited Bulgaria.
Overall
Perceived Safety**Survey results represent personal perceptions of safety and may not be indicative of current actual conditions.
Equal Treatment
Visibility & Representation
Culture
Services
History
Homosexual activity in Bulgaria is legal.
Same-sex marriage in Bulgaria is banned.
Current status
Since Jul 12, 1991
Banned
Article 46 of The Constitution of Bulgaria (1991) defines marriage as a “free union between a man and a woman.” Bulgaria has recognized one gay marriage because of a court ruling, and only one being recognized does not mean they recognize foreign gay marriages.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Bulgaria is state-enforced.
Current status
Since Aug 15, 2024
State-enforced federal law
On August 7th, the Bulgarian parliament passed a law prohibiting so-called 'LGBT propaganda' in schools. The parliament vote 135 for, 57 against. The bill took effect on August 15th after the president signed the bill into law the previous day.
Until Jan 1, 1990
State-enforced
During the communist era in Bulgaria, which lasted from 1946 to 1990, the government promoted a highly controlled and regulated society, which extended to matters related to LGBT rights. Homosexuality was criminalized under Article 157 of the Bulgarian Penal Code, which remained in place until 1968.
During this time, discussions or expressions of LGBT-related topics were generally suppressed, and any attempt to advocate for LGBT rights could face censorship and persecution by the government. This was part of the broader censorship and control exerted by the communist regime over various aspects of society, including the media, literature, and public discourse.
During this time, discussions or expressions of LGBT-related topics were generally suppressed, and any attempt to advocate for LGBT rights could face censorship and persecution by the government. This was part of the broader censorship and control exerted by the communist regime over various aspects of society, including the media, literature, and public discourse.
Right to change legal gender in Bulgaria is illegal.
Current status
Since Feb 21, 2023
Illegal
The current law does not provide for the possibility for the court to allow the change of the data regarding the gender, name and uniform civil number in the acts of civil status of an applicant who claims to be transgender,” the decision states. Since February 21st 2023 by the supreme court of Bulgaria. However, there are still protections but limited protections.
Until Feb 21, 2023
Legal, but requires surgery
Requires sterilization. Ruled not legal by EU. Changes pending. Missing non binary options on documents.
Gender-affirming care in Bulgaria is restricted.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2005
Restricted
Even though it is technically legal for adults with a prescription due to the lack of availability of gender affirming care, any form of do-it-yourself HRT being illegal and the unclear legal status of sterilisation it is restricted.
Legal, but restricted for minors
In 1980, Bulgaria adopted the ICD-9 classification, which included codes allowing for the diagnosis of transsexualism in adults.
Until 1980
Banned
Medical transition is not possible
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Bulgaria is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Non-binary options missing
LGBT discrimination in Bulgaria is illegal.
Current status
Since 2023
Illegal
Discrimination in bulgaria is illegal. Recently Bulgaria has stepped up against anti lgbtq discrimination with new legislation
LGBT employment discrimination in Bulgaria is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since Sep 30, 2003
Sexual orientation and gender identity
In 2015, the National Assembly amended the definition of "sex" in the law to include cases of gender change.[20] Transgender people who have not undergone a legal gender change could use "gender" from the list of protected grounds. Gender expression and gender identity are not explicitly mentioned in the revised Act.
For other mods please check sources if it is wrong please change it but check sources first as this seems it is correct. Cheers!
For other mods please check sources if it is wrong please change it but check sources first as this seems it is correct. Cheers!
LGBT housing discrimination in Bulgaria is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since 2023
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Bulgaria has recently been stepping up against lgbtq+ discrimination. Widely supported legislation
Same-sex adoption in Bulgaria is single only.
Current status
Single only
Same-sex couples are banned from adopting in Bulgaria. However, single individuals regardless of sexual orientation are allowed to adopt, though requests from single men are rarely accepted. Lesbian couples do not have access to IVF and artificial insemination, as it is only available to married opposite-sex couples. Nevertheless, since 2004, single lesbian women have had access to IVF.
Intersex infant surgery in Bulgaria is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
There is no official ban on unnecessary sex reassignment operations in infants in Bulgaria.
Serving openly in military in Bulgaria is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.
Current status
Since Aug 1, 2004
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
Only 22 Countries allow transgender service Bulgaria is not one of them.
Blood donations by MSMs in Bulgaria is legal with restrictions.
Current status
Legal with restrictions
Gay and bisexual men are not explicitly banned from donating blood in Bulgaria. However, the blood donor application form, required prior to any blood donation, does not ask the applicant to disclose that information, rather requires them to confirm that they did not partake in practices (sexual included) that increase the risk of HIV or other STIs. The consent form is detailed in an ordinance issued by Bulgaria's Ministry of Healthcare on 19 July 2004.
Conversion therapy in Bulgaria is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Conversion therapy in Bulgaria is not banned. It is widely condemned however
Equal age of consent in Bulgaria is equal.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2002
Equal
LGBT Rights by Region
View the LGBT laws in each individual region of Bulgaria.
Equality Rank
#111
Interest Rank based on Equaldex traffic ?
Top Contributors
- XabBG 10 contributions
- brennen 5 contributions
- Unknownmiles 4 contributions
- Markissik 4 contributions
- amogusxab 3 contributions
- Notdog1996 3 contributions
- Nathan 2 contributions
- danlev 2 contributions
- equaldex 1 contribution
- bg98 1 contribution
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Common queries:
- Is it illegal to be gay in Bulgaria?
- Is homosexuality legal in Bulgaria?
- Is gay marriage legal in Bulgaria?
Alternative names: Balgarija (local name)
