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

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History

Homosexual activity in Nova Scotia

?

Homosexual activity in Nova Scotia is legal.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1969
Legal
In 1969, Canada passed a omnibus bill that removed the requirement to be over 21 for the homosexual acts. Nova Scotia followed soon after. In 1977, Canada also passed another bill stating that sexual orientation was protected federally.
Details
Sources:
canada.ca/en/canadian-herit…
humanrights.novascotia.ca/a…
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Same-sex marriage in Nova Scotia

?

Same-sex marriage in Nova Scotia is legal.

Current status
Since Sep 24, 2004
Legal
Gay marriage became legal in Nova Scotia on September 24th, 2004.
Details
Sources:
cbc.ca/amp/1.1147516
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Censorship of LGBT issues in Nova Scotia

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Nova Scotia is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
In Nova Scotia, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Details
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Right to change legal gender in Nova Scotia

?

Right to change legal gender in Nova Scotia is legal, no restrictions.

Current status
Since Sep 24, 2015
Legal, no restrictions
Surgeries are no longer required to change one's gender marker in Nova Scotia since September 24th 2015.
Details
Sources:
transalliancesociety.wordpr…
cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-sco…
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Jan 1, 2001–Sep 23, 2015
Legal, but requires surgery
In a 2001 amendment, sex change is possible but only with surgery.
Details
Sources:
nslegislature.ca/legc/statu…
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Gender-affirming care in Nova Scotia

?

Gender-affirming care in Nova Scotia is legal.

Current status
Legal
Nova Scotia covers the following procedures:
-Hysterectomy
-Oophorectomy (only available in NS)
-Orchiectomy
-Penectomy
-Breast augmentation
-Breast reduction
-Chest masculinization/mastectomy (in NS or Montreal Centre)
-Phalloplasty
-Metoidplasty
-Vaginoplasty (only available at Centre Metropolitain de Chirurgie in Montreal)

Counselling and hormones are covered in the public system.

An assessment by a healthcare professional with required competencies to assess/treat/refer patients with gender dysphoria is required for coverage.
Details
Sources:
globalnews.ca/news/8900413/…
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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Nova Scotia

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Nova Scotia is recognized.

Current status
Since Jul 9, 2019
Recognized
Nova Scotia residents can ask for an X on their birth certificate or driver's license, or they can opt to remove the gender marker altogether, free of charge.
Details
Sources:
thecoast.ca/halifax/nova-sc…
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Until Jul 9, 2019
Not legally recognized
Before July 9th 2019, there were no legal recognition for non-binary people in Nova Scotia.
Details
Sources:
Check the source in the current entry
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LGBT discrimination in Nova Scotia

?

LGBT discrimination in Nova Scotia is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
Protected in all public and private areas by the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act.
Details
Sources:
humanrights.novascotia.ca/c…
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LGBT employment discrimination in Nova Scotia

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Nova Scotia is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Under the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act.
Details
Sources:
humanrights.novascotia.ca/c…
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LGBT housing discrimination in Nova Scotia

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Nova Scotia is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Under the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act.
Details
Sources:
humanrights.novascotia.ca/c…
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Same-sex adoption in Nova Scotia

?

Same-sex adoption in Nova Scotia is legal.

Current status
Since Jul 10, 2001
Legal
On July 10th 2001, a Nova Scotia judge invalidates the requirement for marriage for adoption after a same-sex couple pleaded their case. Before then, same-sex couples were banned from adopting as they could not be married.
Details
Sources:
cbc.ca/news/canada/same-sex…~:text=A%20Nova%20Scotia%20supreme%20court%20judge%20says%20the,discriminatory%20based%20on%20marital%20status%20and%20sexual%20orientation.
nsfamilylaw.ca/children/adoption
novascotia.ca/coms/families…
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Until Jul 10, 2001
Illegal
Before July 10th 2001, same-sex couples could not adopt as couples had to be married, and same-sex marriage was not yet legal.
Details
Sources:
cbc.ca/news/canada/same-sex…~:text=A%20Nova%20Scotia%20supreme%20court%20judge%20says%20the,discriminatory%20based%20on%20marital%20status%20and%20sexual%20orientation.
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Intersex infant surgery in Nova Scotia

?

Intersex infant surgery in Nova Scotia is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Currently there are no laws banning or monitoring surgeries on intersex infants in Nova Scotia.
Details
Sources:
mjlh.mcgill.ca/2022/02/28/t…
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Serving openly in military in Nova Scotia

?

Serving openly in military in Nova Scotia is legal.

Current status
Since Oct 10, 1992
Legal
Under federal jurisdiction.
Details
Sources:
palmcenter.org/publications…
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Blood donations by MSMs in Nova Scotia

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Nova Scotia is legal.

Current status
Since Sep 30, 2022
Legal
Following Canadian Blood Services guidelines.
Details
Sources:
blood.ca/en/blood/am-i-elig…
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Jun 3, 2019–Sep 30, 2022
Banned (less than 6-month deferral)
Following the Canadian Blood Services Guidelines.
Details
Sources:
blood.ca/en/blood/am-i-elig…
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Jun 20, 2016–Jun 3, 2019
Banned (1-year deferral)
Following the Canadian Blood Services guidelines.
Details
Sources:
nsrap.ca/issues/bloodban
canada.ca/en/health-canada/…
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May 22, 2013–Jun 20, 2016
Banned (5-year deferral)
Following the Canadian Blood Services guidelines.
Details
Sources:
canada.ca/en/news/archive/2…
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1977–May 22, 2013
Banned (indefinite deferral)
Following Canadian Blood Services guidelines.
Details
Sources:
canada.ca/en/news/archive/2…
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Conversion therapy in Nova Scotia

?

Conversion therapy in Nova Scotia is banned.

Current status
Since Sep 25, 2018
Banned
Nova Scotia banned conversion therapy on September 25th 2018, making it the third province in Canada to ban it.

Canada banned it federally in 2022.
Details
Sources:
cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-sco…
npr.org/2021/12/09/10627202…
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Until Sep 25, 2018
Not banned
Before September 2018, conversion therapy was not banned in Nova Scotia.
Details
Sources:
cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-sco…
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Equal age of consent in Nova Scotia

?

Equal age of consent in Nova Scotia is equal.

Current status
Since Jun 21, 2019
Equal
Under federal legislation.
Details
Sources:
parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/4…
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Until Jun 21, 2019
Unequal
Under federal legislation. General age of consent was at 16, while anal sex was at 18.
Details
Sources:
laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng…
thestar.com/life/health_wel…
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Equality Index ?
95 / 100
Legal Rights
95 / 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 Nova Scotia to help improve its accuracy.
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