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1995 in LGBT Rights

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In 1995, there were 20 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 51 changes made and 36 in the following year. A total of 425 legal changes were made in the 1990s.

  • November 23
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    Ley Orgánica núm. 10/1995, de 23 de noviembre, del Código Penal.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    Art. 22.4 criminal code. In the current penal code is considered an aggravating.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Actually the criminal code in Spain is under review in order to increase the age of consent.
  • November 14
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    There are no law specifically preventing homosexual
  • July 5
    LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
    The constitution does not prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity
  • July 4
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    British-Columbia was the first province to allow gay couples to adopt children. M v. H (Canada) rules that Constitution protects same-sex couples federally.
  • June 1
    Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent was 18 years for homosexual intercourse and 13 years for heterosexual intercourse (for girls).
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    The Penal Code passed on January 27, 1995 decriminalized consensual homosexual intercourse. Article 116 - the crime of "homosexuality" which punished homosexual intercourse when conducted forcefully, with minor people, or with persons unable to protect themselves has been completely repealed by amending the law from 2001.
  • May 25
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    There are no laws in Canada against same-sex couples adoption children.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    Homosexual couples can legally adopt children.
  • May 19
    Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    In Portugal, there are no major or excessive restrictions on the ability of transgender people to transition medically.
  • January 1
    Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (marriage rights).
    Sweden became the second country of the world after Denmark to recognize gay couples with registered partnerships, these partnerships were equal to marriage. However registered partners were not allowed to adopt before 2003.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes ambiguous.
    Article 141 of Slovenian Penal Code adopted on September 29, 1994, prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation. Imployment is not strictly mentioned.
  • (date unknown)
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
    Gender marker change requires initiating a court procedure in which the applicant must file an “assessment suit”, manufacturing proceedings between the applicant and their family. This procedure is very subjective and can result in summary dismissal of the applicant’s suit. Conditions can include a “real-life test”, requiring the applicant to have expressed their gender identity publicly for two years (often without any medical intervention) and medical testing, both psychological and physical. This procedure is based on the Supreme Court decision of 22 March 1991 which interprets the sense of belonging to a gender as “a personal good”, per Article 23 of the Civil Code (1964), meaning that a suit can be brought on this basis under Article 189 of the Code. Another Supreme Court judgment of 22 September 1995 established that parents or guardians of the applicant are the defendants in the lawsuit taken. Reports produced by Transfuzja showed that a diagnosis of “transsexualism” can be obtained through a series of tests and examinations, both psychological and physical, including head x-rays, genitalia examination and karyotype check. As there are no unified standards to diagnose a person of “transsexualism” in Poland, healthcare providers “recommend” a two-year “real life” test, during which the applicant is required to live full-time as their preferred gender, but they are not prescribed any hormonal treatment and they are still unable to change their legal status. While it is possible to receive hormonal treatment without a diagnosis, this practice can complicate legal gender recognition court procedures. In the resolution of the Court Supreme Court (ref. no. III CZP 100/77), the court found admissible gender change without surgery. In the same judgment, the court decided that it was possible to rectify the birth certificate.
  • January 1
    Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    since 1995.
  • (date unknown)
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    Single and joint adoption are permitted per N.J. Stat. §9:3-43. Second-parent adoption is permitted via case law in H.N.R, 666 A.2d 535 (N.J.Super, 1995)
  • Same-sex adoption becomes illegal.
    The 1995 Administrative Memorandum of the Nebraska Division of Children and Family Services introduced a ban on fostering and adoption by individuals identifying as "homosexual" as well as unmarried individuals.
  • January 1
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes ambiguous.
    Article 141 of Slovenian Penal Code adopted on September 29, 1994, prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation. Housing is not strictly mentioned.
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexuality is not illegal in Moldova.
  • January 1
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    Article 141 of Slovenian Penal Code adopted on September 29, 1994, strictly prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation. This protection applies to any of the human rights or fundamental freedoms recognized by the international community or determined by the constitution or laws of Slovenia.

LGBT Organizations Founded in 1995