Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✖ Banned
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✔ Legal, no restrictions
    Gender-Affirming Care
    Unknown
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    Unknown
    Discrimination
    ✖ Illegal in some contexts
    Employment Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✖ Single only
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    Unknown
    Military
    ✔ Legal
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    Ambiguous
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
💬 Join Equaldex's LGBTQ+ Discord to discuss LGBT rights and chat!

Public Opinion

Cook Islands is lacking public opinion data.

Help expand our understanding of the public's view on LGBTQ+ issues in Cook Islands by sharing a link to a survey from a reputable organization.

Suggest Public Opinion Data

Have you lived in or visited Cook Islands?

Share your experience of being LGBTQ+ in Cook Islands.

Take Survey

History

Homosexual activity in Cook Islands

?

Homosexual activity in Cook Islands is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 1, 2023
Legal
Under the Crimes (Sexual Offences) Amendment Bill any clauses that make consensual sexual acts between men illegal will be removed from the Crimes Act and will come into force on 1 June.
Report error  ·  Log
Until Jun 1, 2023
Male illegal, female legal
Men can receive up to 7 years in prison. (Decriminalization pending)
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Cook Islands

?

Same-sex marriage in Cook Islands is banned.

Current status
Since Aug 16, 2000
Banned
Same-sex marriage is outlawed by the Marriage Amendment Act 2000. In 2007, the law was amended to state that "no person shall be permitted to marry another person who is of the same gender as him or herself".
Sources:
old.ilga.org/Statehomophobi…
web.archive.org/web/2022060…//www3.paclii.org/ck/legis/num_act/maa2007165/
Report error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT issues in Cook Islands

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Cook Islands is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
In Cook Islands, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Report error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Cook Islands

?

Right to change legal gender in Cook Islands is legal, no restrictions.

Current status
Legal, no restrictions
Report error  ·  Log

Gender-affirming care in Cook Islands

?

Gender-affirming care in Cook Islands is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Cook Islands

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Cook Islands is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

LGBT discrimination in Cook Islands

?

LGBT discrimination in Cook Islands is illegal in some contexts.

Current status
Since Jul 1, 2013
Illegal in some contexts
only in employment.
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Cook Islands

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Cook Islands is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since Jul 1, 2013
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Under the Cook Island Criminal Code.
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Cook Islands

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Cook Islands is no protections.

Current status
No protections
Only in Employment.
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Cook Islands

?

Same-sex adoption in Cook Islands is single only.

Current status
Single only
No laws in place.
Report error  ·  Log

Intersex infant surgery in Cook Islands

?

Intersex infant surgery in Cook Islands is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Serving openly in military in Cook Islands

?

Serving openly in military in Cook Islands is legal.

Current status
Since Feb 1, 1994
Legal
New Zealand responsible for defence.
Report error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Cook Islands

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Cook Islands is legal.

Current status
Legal
Unknown.
Report error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Cook Islands

?

Conversion therapy in Cook Islands is ambiguous.

Current status
Ambiguous
Unknown.
Report error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Cook Islands

?

Equal age of consent in Cook Islands is equal.

Current status
Equal
when Homosexuality bill passed.
Report error  ·  Log