In 1998, there were 33 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 28 changes made and 40 in the following year. A total of 492 legal changes were made in the 1990s.
- November 23Homosexual activity becomes legal.Powell v. The State, Supreme Court of Georgia (1998).
- November 13
- October 9Homosexual activity becomes legal.Male homosexuality was legalized in South Africa in 1998. Female homosexuality has never been illegal.
- September 26Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (indefinite deferral).Following Canadian Blood Services guidelines.
- September 1Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.The Family Code states that "correction of civil status records when changing gender is allowed only upon the conclusion of the health authorities". However, there are many reports of healthcare professionals being unwilling to do so.
- Homosexual activity becomes legal.
- August 20
- July 1Homosexual activity becomes illegal (up to life in prison as punishment).Section 16 of the Sexual Offences Special Provisions Act (1998) amended Section 154 of the Code to aggravate the penalty for "carnal knowledge against the order of nature”, raising it to "imprisonment for life and in any case to imprisonment for a term of not less than 30 years".
- June 24Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
- June 5
- May 21Equal age of consent becomes unequal.Age of consent for homosexual couples set at 18 versus 16 for heterosexual couples.
- Homosexual activity becomes legal.Homosexuality legalised following the European Court of Human Rights case of Modinos v. Cyprus.
- May 20LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.General law on HIV/AIDS protects LGBT people from discrimination in some contexts.
- May 8
- April 22Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).Imprisonment of up to 5 years for "gross indecency”.
- April 2
- (date unknown)Right to change legal gender becomes illegal.In Venezuela, the law currently does not allow gender marker change in identification documents. Article 146 of the Civil Registry Law nominally allows the change of name based on gender but requests by transgender people are denied by the Civil Registry. In 2017, the Supreme Tribunal declared the right to gender change following medical, psychiatric and psychological examinations. With this, the judicial sector of Venezuela has been able to recognize some cases of gender change, but no proper mechanism is in place for the greater population of Venezuela. Until 1998, Venezuela was among the first countries to legally recognise trans people but all means of recognition ended under the new constitution under Hugo Chavez.
- Equal age of consent becomes equal.The age of consent started being equal when homosexuality was legalized
- Homosexual activity becomes legal.Homosexuality in Zhambyl Oblysy is legal since it was legalized countrywide in 1998
- Same-sex adoption becomes single only.Single LGBT individuals may adopt children, but same-sex couples may not adopt jointly or by way of second parent adoption.
- January 1
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.Discrimination is illegal for both sexual orientation and gender identity
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.Discrimination is illegal for both sexual orientation and gender identity.
- (date unknown)LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.This state explicitly bans housing discrimination based upon sexual orientation only. Additionally, the Human Rights Campaign states, "The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires grantees and participants of HUD programs to comply with local and state non-discrimination laws that include sexual orientation and gender identity. HUD also prohibits inquiries regarding the sexual orientation or gender identity of a prospective tenant or applicant for assisted housing in every state (March 2012)."
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.State law provides protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation only. Additionally, public state employees are granted some benefits solely based upon marriage, same-sex partners are eligible to receive these benefits.
- Same-sex marriage becomes banned.Since homosexual activity is illegal in Tonga, same-sex marriage is not legal.
- January 1LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.There are several provision that bans discrimination against the basis of sexual orientations and gender identities. A court ruling has also stated that the general anti-discrimination law in the constitution extends its coverage to sexual orientation and gender identities as well.
- (date unknown)Homosexual activity becomes legal.
LGBT Organizations Founded in 1998
Equality California
Equality California is the largest statewide LGBT advocacy organization in California working to secure full and lasting equality for and acceptance of LGBT people.Out & Equal
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates educates and empowers organizations, human resources professionals, employee resource groups, and individual employees through programs and…The Trevor Project
~~ Mission ~~ The mission of The Trevor Project is to end suicide among gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning young people. The organization works to fulfill…JFLAG
J-FLAG is the first human rights organisation in the history of Jamaica to serve the needs of LGBT peoples and over time it became the first port of call for the media, resulting…Deutsche Gesellschaft für Transidentität und Intersexualität e.V.
The dgti (German Association for Transidentity and Intersexuality) is an association representing transgender, intersex and non-binary people. It is well known for issuing an…LEGABIBO
LEGABIBO’s (Lesbians, gays, and bisexuals of Botswana) fight for change is in its DNA. They have fought for justice and the realisation of human rights for LGBTIQ+ people in…Taiwan Tongzi Hotline Association
The Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association is the oldest and largest LGBTQ+ association in Taiwan. It offers many services for the LGBTQ+ community, such as support groups for…