San Salvador is governed by federal El Salvador law. Learn more
    Homosexuality
    ⚢
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ⚭
    ✖ Banned
    Censorship
    ✖ State-enforced
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Illegal
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✔ Legal
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ Illegal in some contexts
    Employment Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✖ Single only
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    Unknown
    Military
    ✖ Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal with restrictions
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
💬 Join Equaldex's LGBTQ+ Discord to discuss LGBT rights and chat!

Public Opinion

San Salvador is lacking public opinion data.

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

Suggest Public Opinion Data

Have you lived in or visited San Salvador?

Share your experience of being LGBTQ+ in San Salvador.

Take Survey

History

Homosexual activity in San Salvador

?

Homosexual activity in San Salvador is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 15, 1974
Legal
The penal code does not mention homosexuality explicitly and thus is assumed to be legal
Details
Sources:
oas.org/juridico/MLA/sp/slv…
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in San Salvador

?

Same-sex marriage in San Salvador is banned.

Current status
Banned
Article 90 of the Family Code establishes that it is a cause for absolute nullity of marriage when the parties are of the same sex.
Details
Sources:
oas.org/dil/esp/codigo_de_f…
Report error  ·  Log
Jan 1, 2018–Sep 6, 2018
Foreign same-sex marriages recognized only
Gay Marriage and Gay Union legalization pending.
Details
Sources:
quora.com/How-many-countrie…
Report error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT issues in San Salvador

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in San Salvador is state-enforced.

Current status
Since Feb 28, 2024
State-enforced
On February 28, 2024, the Minister of Education indicated that "any usage of gender ideology has been thrown out of public schools", which means it is no longer possible to teach about LGBT topics in schools.
Details
Sources:
elpais.hn/ministro-de-educa…
Report error  ·  Log
Until Feb 28, 2024
No censorship
In El Salvador, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Details
Sources:
elpais.hn/ministro-de-educa…
Report error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in San Salvador

?

Right to change legal gender in San Salvador is illegal.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2017
Illegal
transgender people can change their name. sex change not legal.
Details
Sources:
nodal.am/2017/05/salvador-l…
Report error  ·  Log
Until Jan 1, 2017
Ambiguous
Human Rights activists are still fighting for this, but there are no laws applied
Details
Sources:
Fraternidad Gay sin Fronteras (NG)
Report error  ·  Log

Gender-affirming care in San Salvador

?

Gender-affirming care in San Salvador is legal.

Current status
Since 1997
Legal
In 1997, El Salvador adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
Details
Sources:
ourworldindata.org/grapher/…
Report error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in San Salvador

?

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

Current status
Not legally recognized
El Salvador does not legally recognize non-binary identities.
Details
Sources:
nodal.am/2017/05/salvador-l…
pinknews.co.uk/2020/11/25/n…
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in San Salvador

?

LGBT discrimination in San Salvador is illegal in some contexts.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2009
Illegal in some contexts
The current legal measures against LGBT discrimination are only limited to the public administration.
Protection against LGBT discrimination in:
Health: Ministerial Agreement No. 202 (2009), Law 307 (2016).
Public empleoyment: Decree No. 56 (2010).
Clinical practice for students: Law 227 (2019)
Education: Law 431 (2022).

Hate crime law includes sexual orientation and gender identity.
Details
Sources:
database.ilga.org/el-salvad…
database.ilga.org/api/downl…
jurisprudencia.gob.sv/busqu…
washingtonblade.com/2015/09…
web.archive.org/web/2018050…//www.asamblea.gob.sv/sites/default/files/documents/decretos/C0AB56F8-AF37-4F25-AD90-08AE401C0BA7.pdf (pages 34, 44)
Report error  ·  Log
Jan 1, 2009–2015
Illegal in some contexts
The current legal measures against LGBT discrimination are only limited to the public administration.
Protection against LGBT discrimination in:
Health: Ministerial Agreement No. 202 (2009), Law 307 (2016).
Public empleoyment: Decree No. 56 (2010).
Clinical practice for students: Law 227 (2019)
Education: Law 431 (2022).
Details
Sources:
database.ilga.org/api/downl…
ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/ELE…
jurisprudencia.gob.sv/busqu…
unasa.edu.sv/sg/sg/legislac…
web.archive.org/web/2022061…//rrhh.salud.gob.sv/files/webfiles/regulacion/ley_derecho_pacientes.pdf
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in San Salvador

?

LGBT employment discrimination in San Salvador is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Illegal to discriminate on govt. offices, by presidential decree, but not punishable
Details
Sources:
Fraternidad Gay sin Fronteras (NGO)
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in San Salvador

?

LGBT housing discrimination in San Salvador is no protections.

Current status
No protections
There are no legal protections against LGBT discrimination in housing.
Details
Sources:
database.ilga.org/el-salvad…
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in San Salvador

?

Same-sex adoption in San Salvador is single only.

Current status
Single only
Legal for single only
Details
Sources:
Fraternidad Gay sin Fronteras (NGO)
Report error  ·  Log
Apr 1, 2015–Sep 14, 2018
Single only
Legalization pending. Required by 2018 IACHR Ruling.
Details
Report error  ·  Log

Intersex infant surgery in San Salvador

?

Intersex infant surgery in San Salvador is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Serving openly in military in San Salvador

?

Serving openly in military in San Salvador is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.

Current status
Since Sep 1, 2018
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
Legal for LGB but not for transgender
Details
Sources:
Fraternidad Gay sin Fronteras (NGO)
Report error  ·  Log
Jun 15, 1974–Sep 1, 2018
Legal
No restrictions for lgbt serving.
Details
Report error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in San Salvador

?

Blood donations by MSMs in San Salvador is legal with restrictions.

Current status
Legal with restrictions
Gay and bisexual men are allowed to donate blood. Blood donation policy prohibits those who "engage in risky behaviours" from donating (people with multiple sex partners, for instance).
Details
Sources:
transparencia.gob.sv/instit…
Report error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in San Salvador

?

Conversion therapy in San Salvador is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Not banned
Details
Sources:
gatoencerrado.news/2022/06/…
Report error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in San Salvador

?

Equal age of consent in San Salvador is equal.

Current status
Since Jun 15, 1974
Equal
Details
Report error  ·  Log
Equality Index ?
40 / 100
Legal Rights
47 / 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 San Salvador to help improve its accuracy.
#346
Interest Rank based on Equaldex traffic ?

Top Contributors

San Salvador LGBT Organizations

There are no organizations listed in San Salvador. Suggest one

Share Region

Compare San Salvador

40
El Salvador Flag

Compare with
Cabañas, El Salvador

40
El Salvador Flag

Compare with
San Vicente, El Salvador

40
El Salvador Flag

Compare with
Cuscatlán, El Salvador

40
El Salvador Flag

Compare with
La Unión, El Salvador

40
El Salvador Flag

Compare with
La Libertad, El Salvador

40
El Salvador Flag

Compare with
Santa Ana, El Salvador

40
El Salvador Flag

Compare with
Sonsonate, El Salvador

40
El Salvador Flag

Compare with
Chalatenango, El Salvador

Common queries:
  • Is it illegal to be gay in San Salvador?
  • Is homosexuality legal in San Salvador?
  • Is gay marriage legal in San Salvador?

LGBT Rights in

40
Cabañas Flag

LGBT Rights in
Cabañas

40
San Vicente Flag

LGBT Rights in
San Vicente

40
Cuscatlán Flag

LGBT Rights in
Cuscatlán

40
La Unión Flag

LGBT Rights in
La Unión

40
La Libertad Flag

LGBT Rights in
La Libertad

40
Santa Ana Flag

LGBT Rights in
Santa Ana

40
Sonsonate Flag

LGBT Rights in
Sonsonate

40
Chalatenango Flag

LGBT Rights in
Chalatenango

40
Usulután Flag

LGBT Rights in
Usulután

40
San Miguel Flag

LGBT Rights in
San Miguel

40
La Paz Flag

LGBT Rights in
La Paz

40
Ahuachapán Flag

LGBT Rights in
Ahuachapán

40
Morazán Flag

LGBT Rights in
Morazán