LGBT Rights in Punakha District

Punakha is governed by federal Bhutan law. Learn more
    Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✖ Unrecognized
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✖ Restricted
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✖ Single only
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    Unknown
    Military
    ✔ Legal
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion

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History

Homosexual activity in Punakha

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Homosexual activity in Punakha is legal.

Current status
Since Feb 17, 2021
Legal
Same-sex sexual activity was decriminalized in Bhutan on February 17, 2021.
Aug 11, 2004–Feb 17, 2021
Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
Offence of "unnatural" sex is considered a petty misdemeanor in article 213 & 214.
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Same-sex marriage in Punakha

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Same-sex marriage in Punakha is unrecognized.

Current status
Since Aug 11, 2004
Unrecognized
Proposed on Legalizing Gay marriage by the King of Bhutan.

Censorship of LGBT issues in Punakha

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Censorship of LGBT issues in Punakha is no censorship.

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

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Right to change legal gender in Punakha is legal, but requires medical diagnosis.

Current status
Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
Trans people can change their legal gender if they have a psychiatrist's certificate confirming gender dysphoria and a support letter from a civil society organization.

Gender-affirming care in Punakha

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Gender-affirming care in Punakha is restricted.

Current status
Restricted
There is no explicit right for trans people to access gender-affirming care in Bhutan.
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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Punakha

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

Current status
Not legally recognized
No legal recognition.
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LGBT discrimination in Punakha

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LGBT discrimination in Punakha is no protections.

Current status
No protections
No protection exists for sexual orientation and gender identity under the current constitution.
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LGBT employment discrimination in Punakha

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LGBT employment discrimination in Punakha is no protections.

Current status
No protections
There are no laws in Bhutan protecting LGBT people from employment discrimination.
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LGBT housing discrimination in Punakha

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LGBT housing discrimination in Punakha is no protections.

Current status
No protections
There are no laws in Bhutan protecting LGBT people from housing discrimination.
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Same-sex adoption in Punakha

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Same-sex adoption in Punakha is single only.

Current status
Single only
No laws in place for same sex couples.
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Intersex infant surgery in Punakha

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Intersex infant surgery in Punakha is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Serving openly in military in Punakha

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Serving openly in military in Punakha is legal.

Current status
Legal
No laws restricting or discharging of lgbt people. As well very little discrimination and violence.
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Blood donations by MSMs in Punakha

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Blood donations by MSMs in Punakha is legal.

Current status
Legal
There are no blood donation restrictions for MSMs in Bhutan.
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Conversion therapy in Punakha

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Conversion therapy in Punakha is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Unknown.
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Equal age of consent in Punakha

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Equal age of consent in Punakha is equal.

Current status
Since Feb 17, 2021
Equal
The Penal Code Amendment Act of Bhutan 2021 decriminalised homosexual activity. The age of consent for all people is 18.
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Until Feb 17, 2021
N/A
Until February of 2021, homosexual sex was illegal, so there was no age of consent.
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