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2002 in LGBT Rights

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In 2002, there were 45 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 76 changes made and 108 in the following year. A total of 714 legal changes were made in the 2000s.

  • November 29
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    Illegal as per the Discrimination Law Amendment Act 2002 religious exemptions apply unfortunately.
  • November 7
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    IVF treatment is available for lesbian couples too.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    IVF treatment is available for lesbian couples too.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    IVF treatment for Lesbian couples is possible.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    As in the UK, IVF treatment is available for lesbian couples too.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    IVF treatment is available for lesbian couples too.
  • September 10
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    Legal under the case of Du Toit v Minister of Welfare and Population Development, later made official through the Consolidated Children's Act of 2010
  • September 4
    Same-sex adoption becomes illegal.
    Family Law adopted on July 25, 2002 recognized two categories of adoption: "incomplete adoption" and "full adoption". In the first case, adoptive parents could be both individuals and married partners (Articles 150-155). In the second case, adoptive parents are married partners only (Articles 156-160).
  • September 1
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    According to the laws of Mongolia
  • Conversion therapy becomes not banned.
    Conversion therapy is not criminalized in the country, and is not encouraged by any public services.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    From 2001,Same sex acts and realtionships are legal in Mongolia
  • July 27
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    Before the adoption of the Anti-Discrimination law in 2009, several laws prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation: - broadcasting law (2002), article 21; - law on public information (2003), aticle 38; - labour law (2005), article 18; - law on higher education (2005), article 8. Also, the 2006 Constitution prohibits discrimination in general but it does not mention sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • July 11
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    The revised Criminal Code equalised the age of consent to 17, after pressure from the EU.
  • June 24
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    The age of consent between people with maximum 5 years of difference is 14. Sexual contact between coetaneous is never punishable.
  • June 21
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (death penalty as punishment).
    In Kaduna, along with Yobe, the definition of sodomy is vague. In these states, "sodomy" is committed by "[w]hoever has anal coitus with any man". The punishment for sodomy in Kaduna under the Sharia Penal Code Law 2002, is stoning to death (rajm). The punishment for lesbianism ("[w]hoever, being a woman, engages another woman in carnal intercourse through her sexual organ or by means of stimulation or sexual excitement of one another.") is ta'azir, which means "any punishment not provided for by way of hadd or qisas". "Hadd" means "punishment that is fixed by Islamic law". "Qisas" includes "punishments inflicted upon offenders by way of retaliation for causing death/injuries to a person"
  • June 8
    Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (marriage rights).
    Quebec legalized civil unions on June 8th, 2002. Those unions gave gay couples the same rights as straight ones without changing the definition of marriage.
  • June 6
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
  • June 1
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Consensual same-sex sexual activity is legal in Transnistria, despite many foreign sources saying that it is illegal. Article 131 of the Criminal Code of Transnistria that came into force in June 2002, states that committing sodomy, lesbianism and sexual intercourse with a person under the age of sixteen is illegal. However, the article does not state that committing 'sodomy and lesbianism' above 16 is illegal. All the other articles related to sex crimes, such as sexual assault and coercion to perform sexual acts, have listed '(heterosexual) sexual intercourse, sodomy and lesbianism' in the same category. There are no other articles in the Criminal Code of Transnistria that have laws that are separated in penalizing same-sex sexual activity, or committing 'sodomy and lesbianism.'
  • March 12
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    Single people, regardless of their sexual orientation, may adopt children, and same-sex couples in a free union are permitted to adopt in Bolivia, according to Article 84 of the Child and Adolescent Code.
  • March 1
    Same-sex adoption becomes illegal.
    Same-sex couples or even homosexuals are not allowed to adopt in Kenya. Chapter 141, Section 158 of Kenya's The Children Act states: "An adoption order shall not be made if the applicant or, in the case of joint applicants, both or any of them [...] is a homosexual."
  • February 28
    Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.
    There is no definition of marriage in Republika Srpska 1992 Constitution. Article 36: "Marriage and marriage & family relations are regulated by law" The Family Laws of 2002 and 2023 have the same definition of marriage in articles 4: "Marriage is a union of life between husband and wife regulated by law."
  • February 13
    Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    Serving as openly homosexual was never illegal in the military penal code. This provision was strengthened with the anti-discrimination provision proposed in 2010
  • January 15
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    Law 14170 of January 15, 2002. Determines the imposition of penalties for companies who practice discriminatory act against a person because of their sexual orientation.
  • January 6
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    The age of consent of 14 years is equal for everyone.
  • January 1
    Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    In 2002, Belarus 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 2002, Portugal 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 2002, Austria 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 2002, China adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Equal since 2002
  • January 1
    Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (indefinite deferral).
    One of the many countries were lgbt people cannot donate.
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
    It is still illegal for males.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    Under the amendment to the Newfoundland and Labrador Adoption Act.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes no protections.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes varies by region.
    Sex between consenting adults (18 years of age by the Law on Child Protection, No. 23/2002) of the same sex or gender is not criminalized in the Indonesian Penal Code. Same-sex sexual activity in Indonesia is legal (not criminalized), with the exception of the Aceh province.
  • (date unknown)
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    Any individual may petition for single parent or joint adoption. Second-parent adoption is permitted via case law referenced below.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
    As male homosexuality is illegal, no protection is available to any members of the LGBTQ+ community.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • January 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Equal age of consent set at 14 since a Constitutional Court ruling in 2002.
  • (date unknown)
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Arkansas will amend after receipt of a court order verifying that they have undergone sex-reassignment surgery and that their names have been changed.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In Arkansas in 2002 there was a state supreme court hearing about homosexual activities (sodomy), about a 1977 law that forbid the acts. It was overturned, and it is now currently legal. Supreme Court ruled in 2003 that homosexual acts are legal, and any imprisonment with the 1977 law would be released.
  • January
    Right to change legal gender becomes illegal.
    No legislation at present, but government has said it will legislate and there has been a landmark court prompting the government to seek legislation surrounding the issue. This legislation has yet to be carried out.
  • Serving openly in military becomes lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.
    Taiwan allows gay and lesbian soldiers provided they maintain military discipline standards.
  • (date unknown)
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    The Fijian Marriage Act of 1968 was adjusted in 2002 to explicitly state that "marriage in this registry (or place) which is in law the voluntary union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others." Additionally, previous Fijian Prime Ministers have been opposed to same-sex marriage.
  • Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.
    Men can receive 3 to 14 years of imprisonment under Criminal Code 1974. The legislation lists homosexuality under "Unnatural Offenses" and "Indecent Practices Between Males."

LGBT Organizations Founded in 2002