LGBT Rights in Jersey

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

💬 Join Equaldex's LGBTQ+ Discord to discuss LGBT rights and chat!

Public Opinion

Recent surveys in Jersey indicate a moderate level of acceptance for LGBTQ+ rights in specific areas, however, this is based on a limited number of data points.

Do you believe that couples, regardless of gender, should be able to get married?

(Government of Jersey, 2014)

60%

Yes

39%

No

Jersey is lacking public opinion data.

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

Suggest Public Opinion Data

Have you lived in or visited Jersey?

Share your experience of being LGBTQ+ in Jersey.

Take Survey

History

Homosexual activity in Jersey

?

Homosexual activity in Jersey is legal.

Current status

Since Jul 24, 1990

Legal

In 1990, Jersey legalized homosexual sex with The Sexual Offences Law (1990). The age of consent for homosexual sex and heterosexual sex wasn’t equalized until more than 16 years later.

Same-sex marriage in Jersey

?

Same-sex marriage in Jersey is legal.

Current status

Since Jul 1, 2018

Legal

The States Assembly passed a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry on 1 February 2018. Royal assent was granted on 23 May 2018, and the law took effect on 1 July.

Jan 6, 2012–Jul 1, 2018

Civil unions (marriage rights)

After the Civil Partnership (Jersey) Law (2012) became registered by the Royal Court on January 6th, 2012, Jersey began offering civil unions. The civil unions offer many of the rights and responsibilities of marriage to same-sex couples who register for the union.

Censorship of LGBT issues in Jersey

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Jersey is no censorship.

Current status

No censorship

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

Right to change legal gender in Jersey

?

Right to change legal gender in Jersey is legal, no restrictions.

Current status

Since May 21, 2010

Legal, no restrictions

Changing gender is legal in Jersey however the individual must acquire a gender recognition certificate from the government of Jersey. They need to provide reasoning to the court and evidence.

Gender-affirming care in Jersey

?

Gender-affirming care in Jersey is legal, but restricted for minors.

Current status

Since Jan 1, 2014

Legal, but restricted for minors

In Jersey, gender affirming surgery is performed off-island. If the individual decides to have the surgery through public funding, they must do it through an NHS transgender clinic in the UK, which has recently banned gender affirming treatment for children.

Alternately they can choose to do the surgery privately and they can do this in any country.

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Jersey

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Jersey is not legally recognized.

Current status

Since Jul 19, 2015

Recognized

The government of Jersey’s social security department now recognises the Mx. title for correspondence. Passports are restricted to binary gender and so are birth certificates.

Current status

May 21, 2010–2026

Not legally recognized

Section 8, 2(a) and 2(b) of the Gender Recognition (Jersey) Law 2010, as amended, allows the acquisition of a binary gender (male or female). There is no further provision for acquiring a non-binary gender.

LGBT discrimination in Jersey

?

LGBT discrimination in Jersey is illegal.

Current status

Since Sep 1, 2015

Illegal

In June of 2015, Jersey passed an anti-discrimination law that protects people on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment and pregnancy and maternity. The law went into effect on September 1st, 2015.

LGBT employment discrimination in Jersey

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Jersey is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status

Since Sep 1, 2015

Sexual orientation and gender identity

The Discrimination (Sex and Related Characteristics) (Jersey) Regulations 2015 provide protections against employment discrimination for all people regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.

LGBT housing discrimination in Jersey

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Jersey is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status

Since Jan 1, 2013

Sexual orientation and gender identity

Under the discrimination law (2013) it is illegal to discriminate based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity- but there is an exception made for communal same sex accommodation settings

Same-sex adoption in Jersey

?

Same-sex adoption in Jersey is legal.

Current status

Since Jun 23, 2015

Legal

Same sex adoption was legalised for unmarried couples in 2015

Jan 1, 2012–Jun 23, 2015

Married couples only

Jersey allowed same sex couples to adopt if they had a civil partnership

Intersex infant surgery in Jersey

?

Intersex infant surgery in Jersey is unknown.

Current status

Unknown

Serving openly in military in Jersey

?

Serving openly in military in Jersey is legal.

Current status

Since Jan 12, 2000

Legal

The island's militia, the Jersey Field Squadron, is part of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers reserve unit of the British Army and follows the rules set by the UK Ministry of Defence.

Blood donations by MSMs in Jersey

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Jersey is legal.

Current status

Since Jun 14, 2021

Legal

The Channel Islands have passed a new law in keeping with the UK, saying that MSMs will not be asked if they have sex with men or not, and instead everyone donating blood will be asked the same set of questions about sexual activity regardless of sexuality and a risk assessment will be carried.

Nov 1, 2011–Jun 14, 2021

Banned (1-year deferral)

In 2011, The Island of Jersey began allowing the donation of blood by gay men so long as they had not had sex with another man in the past year.

Jan 1, 1985–Nov 1, 2011

Banned (indefinite deferral)

The UK banned gay men from donating blood in 1985 due to fear over the aids epidemic. This ban applied to Jersey law.

Conversion therapy in Jersey

?

Conversion therapy in Jersey is not banned.

Current status

Not banned

Jersey has not banned conversion therapy. People have written to the government asking them to but no action has been taken.

Equal age of consent in Jersey

?

Equal age of consent in Jersey is equal.

Current status

Since Jul 5, 2006

Equal

Deputies in Jerseys State Assembly voted to equalize the age of consent for homosexual sex to heterosexual sex

Jul 24, 1990–Jul 5, 2006

Unequal

When homosexuality was decriminalized, the age of consent for homosexual sex was 21. The age of consent was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1995.

Until Jul 24, 1990

N/A

Before July 24th, 1990, the age of consent for homosexual sex was irrelevant, because it was illegal.

Equality Index ?

76 / 100

Legal Rights

93 / 100

Public Opinion

60 / 100

Top Contributors

Adjsnss 11 contributions
Unknownmiles 10 contributions
beeurd 4 contributions
Rootwo 3 contributions

Jersey LGBT Organizations

There are no organizations listed in Jersey. Suggest one

Share Region

LGBT Jersey Flag

LGBT Jersey Flag

Compare Jersey

Compare with

Åland,

Compare with

Guernsey

Common queries:

Is it illegal to be gay in Jersey?
Is homosexuality legal in Jersey?
Is gay marriage legal in Jersey?

LGBT Rights in Northern Europe

LGBT Rights in

Åland

LGBT Rights in

Guernsey