- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✖ Legal, but banned 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
- ✖ Parental approval required
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
Public Opinion
Recent studies in Scotland show a discernible level of opposition to LGBTQ+ rights among the population.
Perception of LGBTQ+ People
Survey results from 6 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited Scotland.
Overall
Perceived Safety**Survey results represent personal perceptions of safety and may not be indicative of current actual conditions.
Equal Treatment
Visibility & Representation
Culture
Services
History
Homosexual activity in Scotland is legal.
Same-sex marriage in Scotland is legal.
Establishes belief ceremonies, such as humanist ceremonies as a "third form of marriage", alongside religious and civil events.
Allowing transgender people to stay married, rather than having to get divorced, when obtaining a Gender Recognition Certificate.
Amended guidance on the teaching of the issue in schools.
The first same-sex marriages were allowed to take place December 16, 2014.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Scotland is no censorship.
Right to change legal gender in Scotland is legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
The law includes the following requirements for obtaining such certificate: (1) a "gender dysphoria" diagnosis, proved through two reports (one by a registered medical practitioner or psychologist specialised in gender dysphoria, and another one made by a registered medical practitioner); (2) having lived in the “acquired gender” for two years before filing the application, proved through different means (such as a statutory declaration or documents where their gender identity is stated -i.e. pay slips, benefit documentation, bank statements, utility bills); (3) a statutory declaration showing intention "to continue to live in the acquired gender until death"; (4) spousal consent, if the applicant is married or in a civil partnership (partner must consent to the marriage or partnership continuing after the issue of the full gender recognition certificate).
Gender-affirming care in Scotland is legal, but banned for minors.
This measure is set to last from June 3rd until September 3rd, but could be extended.
This measure is set to last from June 3rd until September 3rd, but could be extended.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Scotland is not legally recognized.
LGBT discrimination in Scotland is illegal.
The Act simplifies, strengthens and harmonises the current legislation to provide Britain with a new discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society.
Also covering LGBT discrimination would be the Human Rights Act, which is a fundamental piece of the legislation underpinning the Scottish Parliament. In 2024, Scotland revised its hate crime law to explicitly include gender identity and sexual orientation.
LGBT employment discrimination in Scotland is sexual orientation and gender identity.
LGBT housing discrimination in Scotland is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Same-sex adoption in Scotland is legal.
Intersex infant surgery in Scotland is parental approval required.
Serving openly in military in Scotland is legal.
Conversion therapy in Scotland is not banned.
Equal age of consent in Scotland is equal.