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1996 in LGBT Rights

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In 1996, there were 47 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 27 changes made and 40 in the following year. A total of 409 legal changes were made in the 1990s.

  • November 26
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Article 32 of the Constitution of Belarus defines marriage to be exclusively between a man and woman.
  • November 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Age of consent in North Macedonia is set to 14 years and is equal for everyone.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.
    There is no definition of marriage in the 1991 Constitution. Article 40: "Legal relations in marriage, family and cohabitation are regulated by law." Family Law from 1992, article 6: "Marriage is a legally regulated union of life between a husband and wife in which the interests of the spouses, the family and society are realized."
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    The Criminal Code of the Republic of Macedonia adopted on July 23, 1996 decriminalized consensual homosexual intercourse between men.
  • October 16
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    In 1996, a statute defining marriage as between one man and one woman came into effect. Part of the statue read: "A marriage between persons of the same sex which was entered into in another state or foreign jurisdiction, even if valid where entered into, shall be void in this Commonwealth."
  • August 29
    Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.
    There is a ban on same sex marriage
  • August 24
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Mississippi governor ordered an executive order to ban same sex marriage
  • July 1
    Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (marriage rights).
    On July 1, 1996, Greenland embraced Denmark's registered partnership law, granting legal recognition to same-sex couples. This move was a pivotal moment in advancing LGBTQ+ rights in Greenland, signaling a step towards greater equality and inclusion within the community.
  • June 28
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Article 51 of the Constitution of Ukraine, adopted in 1996, defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. However, things may change soon. The country’s current president Zelensky stated that Ukraine’s government may allow civil partnerships for same-sex couples in the future.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
    No protections afforded
  • June 27
    Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (marriage rights).
    Iceland has recognized same sex registered partnerships, giving them all rights and duties of marriage. A ban on same sex adoption was lifted in 2006.
  • June 1
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    Federal human rights law applies directly to only federal government employment and employers which fall under federal jurisdiction. Gender identity is only implicitly protected under interpretation of the law by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Attempts have been made to have gender identity and gender expression added as protected classes to both the Canadian Human Rights Act and Criminal Code, though none of these attempts so far has been successful. Provincial human rights acts are separate, but Supreme Court precedent exists for requiring provinces to protect the same classes as the Canadian Human Rights Act. At this time all provinces protect against employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Of the provinces only Ontario has explicit protection on the basis of both gender identity and gender expression in its human rights code, though several provide implicit protections on the basis of gender identity or "transsexualism" under the category of "sex" or "gender".
  • May 15
    Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.
    Tennessee Act of 1996 define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
  • May 8
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Several provisions within the constitution, the family law and the civil code points to the definition of a marriage as being a union between a man and a woman.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    Prohibition of "sexual orientation" discrimination was first included at Section 8 of the Interim Constitution that came into force in April 1994, and was carried through Section 9(3) of the Constitution of South Africa (1996). On the 10th of May 2024, the President gave royal assent to the Hate Crimes and Hate Speech act which further strengthened LGBT protections in South Africa. The act provides protections under grounds of albinism, ethnic or social origin, gender, HIV and AIDS status, nationality, migrant or refugee status or asylum seekers, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or sex characteristics.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    South Africa is currently the only African country to allow transgender service in their military.
  • January 26
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Campbell v. Sundquist struck down the state's Homosexual Practices Act, ruling the state's same-sex-only sodomy law violated their right to privacy under Tennessee's Constitution, which is a right that was recognized in the 1992 case of Davis v. Davis.
  • January 24
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Gender reassignment surgeries are legal in Singapore, and in 1973 the government allowed patients to change their identity cards. This change implicitly recognized marriages that included an individual that had undergone surgery. In 1996, Member of Parliament (MP) Abdullah Tarmugi made an announcement that individuals who have undergone surgery could marry someone of the opposite sex.
  • (date unknown)
    Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    In 1996, Paraguay adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
  • January 1
    Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    In 1996, Norway adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    In 1996, Latvia adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    In 1996, Venezuela adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
  • (date unknown)
    Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    In 1996, Saint Lucia adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    In 1996, South Africa adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    Since Norway adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood in 1996, trans people have the right to access gender-affirming care through the country's public healthcare system if they are over the age of 16 and have a physician's letter proving that they're transgender. Teens are given the right to puberty blockers after puberty has started. Treatment is not offered to non-binary patients. Surgeries are not recommended under 18, but some can get top surgery.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    In 1996, Moldova adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    In 1996, Iceland adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    In 1996, Netherlands adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes restricted.
    In 1996, Ghana legalized sterilization, which de facto meant legalizing sex reassignment surgery, however, medical records regarding transsexualism had to be obtained abroad.
  • January 1
    Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    Before July 2020, minors and adults alike were allowed to access gender affirming care, including hormones and puberty blockers and surgery for adults.
  • (date unknown)
    Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    In 1996, Dominican Republic adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
  • January 1
    Gender-affirming care becomes restricted.
    In 1996, Brunei adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition. Brunei doesn't allow sex reassignment surgeries but hormonal treatment isn't banned.
  • (date unknown)
    Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    In 1996, Brazil adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition. Since 2020, people above the age of 16 can have access to HRT through the Brazilian public healthcare system, with parental authorization being required for those who are under 18. Sex reassignment surgeries are also granted for trans people above 18 years old.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes restricted.
    In 1996, Andorra legalized sterilization, which de facto meant legalizing sex reassignment surgery, however, medical records regarding transsexualism had to be obtained abroad.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    In 1996, Poland adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
  • Homosexual activity becomes illegal (death penalty as punishment).
    Homosexuality became legal in every Russian federal subject in 1993, except for Chechnya. While Chechnya does not have an official law dictating what to do against LGBTQ+ people, openly LGBTQ+ people will either get arrested, or possibly killed. Chechen police will participate in "honor killings" towards anyone who demonstrates homosexual activity or activism for queer rights.
  • January 1
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Since 1996, it has been possible for someone who has gone through sex reassignment surgery to change their sex in their documents
  • (date unknown)
    Same-sex marriage becomes unregistered cohabitation.
    Unregistered cohabitation confers limited rights to unmarried couples.
  • January 1
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    Employment Discrimination illegal.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    No laws have ever existed.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    Under Icelandic Criminal Code.
  • (date unknown)
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    Outlined in BC Human Rights Code
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    Section 9(3) of the South African Constitution prohibits unfair discrimination on the grounds of sex, gender and sexual orientation. In addition, the Constitutional Court has stated that the section must also be interpreted as prohibiting discrimination against transgender people.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    Section 9(3) of the South African Constitution prohibits unfair discrimination on the grounds of sex, gender and sexual orientation. In addition, the Constitutional Court has stated that the section must also be interpreted as prohibiting discrimination against transgender people.
  • January 1
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    There is protection against discrimination at court in the criminal code.
  • (date unknown)
    Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (1-year deferral).
    The Red Cross controls blood donations in Australia and it has a ban on MSMs active in the last year

LGBT Organizations Founded in 1996