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1972 in LGBT Rights

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In 1972, there were 28 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 30 changes made and 13 in the following year. A total of 185 legal changes were made in the 1970s.

  • July 1
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Changes of gender were only legally recognised if the individual had undergone sterilisation.
  • June 17
    Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    Article 331 of Madagascar’s penal code states that the age of consent for heterosexual sex is 14, and the age of consent for homosexual sex is 21.
  • April 21
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Norway fully repealed Section 213 of the Norwegian Penal Code, legalizing homosexual activity.
  • April 5
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Lithuania was part of the Soviet Union during 1972 when the first sex change was performed and a trans man was granted legal gender recognition after completing surgery.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Georgia was part of the Soviet Union during 1972 when the first sex change was performed and a trans man was granted legal gender recognition after completing surgery.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Estonia was part of the Soviet Union during 1972 when the first sex change was performed and a trans man was granted legal gender recognition after completing surgery.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Moldova was part of the Soviet Union during 1972 when the first sex change was performed and a trans man was granted legal gender recognition after completing surgery. Moldova would not adopt its own laws on gender recognition until 2001.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Turkmenistan was part of the Soviet Union during 1972 when the first sex change was performed and a trans man was granted legal gender recognition after completing surgery.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Under Soviet law, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the regulations were not changed.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Under Soviet law, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the regulations were not changed.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Under Soviet law, trans people could change their legal gender if they had surgery. However, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the regulations were no longer in force.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Under Soviet law, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the regulations were not changed.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Under Soviet law, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the regulations were not changed.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    after the sex reassignment surgery that took place in September 17, 1970, a transgender man changed his legal gender and name. Six months after change legal gender, he became a husband.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    after the sex reassignment surgery that took place in September 17, 1970, a transgender man changed his legal gender and name. Six months after change legal gender, he became a husband.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Kyrgyzstan was part of the Soviet Union during 1972 when the first sex change was performed and a trans man was granted legal gender recognition after completing surgery.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Tajikistan was part of the Soviet Union during 1972 when the first sex change was performed and a trans man was granted legal gender recognition after completing surgery. This law has not since been revoked.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    The Soviet 1972 law allowing legal sex change after undergoing sex reassignment surgery was never repealed
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    The Soviet 1972 law allowing legal sex change after undergoing sex reassignment surgery was never repealed in Armenia. Armenia currently requires trans people to show proof of gender-affirming surgery for legal recognition. However, it is not provided for in practice.
  • March 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Nobody lives in Bouvet Island,however Norwegian law has equal consent (16) for both straight and homosexual couples.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Nobody lives here, but still legal according to Norwegian Laws.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Under Norway rules.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Age of consent equal at 16 years of age.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Under Norway rules.
  • (date unknown)
    Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    Until 2022, Sweden had no restrictions on providing gender affirming healthcare to minors.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes restricted.
    In 1972, Netherlands legalized sterilization, which de facto meant legalizing sex reassignment surgery, however, medical records regarding transsexualism had to be obtained abroad.
  • January 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Age of consent laws are equitable regardless of gender or orientation.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Oregon repealed its ban on consensual, homosexual sex in 1972. The legislation that repealed the ban was passed on July 2nd, 1971, and took effect on January 1st of the following year.

LGBT Organizations Founded in 1972

  • PFLAG FaviconPFLAG
    United States
    PFLAG is the United States' largest family and ally organization. Made up of parents, families, friends, and straight allies united with people who are LGBT, PFLAG is committed…
  • Twenty10 FaviconTwenty10
    New South Wales, Australia
    A Sydney based service working across New South Wales, providing a broad range of specialised services for young people 12-25 including housing, mental health, counselling and…
  • Persad Center FaviconPersad Center
    Pennsylvania, United States
    Persad Center, is the nation’s second oldest licensed mental health center specifically created to serve the LGBTQ+ community. Founded in 1972, Persad was created in…