In 2006, there were 62 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 78 changes made and 52 in the following year. A total of 715 legal changes were made in the 2000s.
- December 15LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
- December 14LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.This act makes discrimination illegal in most contexts. However it failed to address hate crime law
- November 30Same-sex marriage becomes legal.As of 2006, South Africa made it legal to have a gay marriage as well as any other form of marriage in the act. As of 2020, there was an amendment to the bill, stating that same-sex marriage is a sole reason to get married. South Africa was the fifth country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage, and remains the only African country to have enacted such rights.
- November 28LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.Article 1 of the Law on Equality (2006) prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation. Article 2 states that the protection applies to the public and private sectors with regard to housing. It does not include gender identity among its protected grounds.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.Employment discrimination is illegal
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.Article 454 to 457 of the Luxembourgian Penal code prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender.
- November 21Same-sex marriage becomes foreign same-sex marriages recognized only.
- November 9
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.only banned on sexual orientation
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.The labour law was amended to protect LGBTQ+ population in some aspects of the labour market.
- November 8LGBT housing discrimination becomes ambiguous.The Constitution of Serbia prohibits discrimination on any ground. However, it does not explicitly mention sexual orientation or gender identity.
- Same-sex marriage becomes banned.There is a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages in Serbia. Article 62 of the Serbian Constitution reads: "Marriage is concluded on the basis of the freely given consent of man and woman..." Other forms of recognition, such as civil unions or domestic partnerships are not explicitly mentioned nor prohibited. The law on same-sex unions has been pending since 2021.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.Changing your legal gender does not require surgery, however, it does require proof of some form of medical treatment for a period of two years.
- November 7Same-sex marriage becomes banned.The state election in 2006 amended the constitution to include clauses that defined marriage as being between a man and a woman.
- November 1
- October 31Same-sex marriage becomes foreign same-sex marriages recognized only.Peru just registered a gay marriage that occurred in Argentina, meaning the country does recognise foreign SSM.
- October 1Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (6-month deferral).Men cannot donate blood before May 2014, at the time it was a high risk for HIV and AIDS. They have since nulled the bill. A newer one has passed
- September 28LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.This state explicitly bans housing discrimination based upon sexual orientation and gender identification. 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)."
- September 1Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (marriage rights).In Guernsey, same sex couples could have a “union civile” (French for civil union). This gave same sex couples rights for inheritance, taxation, benefits, and next-of-kin issues. At the time, Guernsey was closer aligned with the established Church of England and the term “marriage” was viewed as a protected and sacred term in the Bible.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
- August 18LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.Section 1 of the General Act on Equal Treatment (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz, AGG) prohibits discrimination on housing.
- July 23Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (limited rights).Same-Sex Partnership Registration Act was adopted on June 22, 2005. The law covered only property rights, the obligation to support a socially weaker partner and some inheritance rights. A bill to legalize same-sex marriage had been approved by Parliament on March 3, 2015. However, it was rejected in a referendum on December 20, 2015.
- July 18Equal age of consent becomes equal.
- July 11Homosexual activity becomes ambiguous.On July 11th, 2006, the Fijian High Commissioner confirmed that gay people having consensual sex would not be arrested. However, Article 175 (a) had not been repealed yet. This Article states that any person who has carnal knowledge (sexual intercourse) of any person against the order of nature is guilty of a felony, and is liable to imprisonment for fourteen years, with or without corporal punishment.
- July 5Equal age of consent becomes equal.Deputies in Jerseys State Assembly voted to equalize the age of consent for homosexual sex to heterosexual sex
- July 1Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (limited rights).The Czech Registered Partnerships have been condemned for not having equal rights to marriage like in some other countries with civil unions. Differences between marriage and registered partnership are: different procedural questions (the ceremony is not the same), no automatic name change, no community property of spouses is created, and no parental rights (no joint-adoption form institutions, no step-parent adoption) etc.
- June 29LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.National law was amended in 2006 when the Treaty of Amsterdam was signed - giving all people the same rights under law. The Federal Constitutional Court of Germany clarified in 1 BvR 2019/16 that the general right of personality (Article 2 (1) in conjunction with Article 1 (1) of the Basic Law) protects gender identity. It also protects the gender identity of non-binary people. Article 3 (3) of the Basic Law includes non-binary people on the protection against discrimination on ground of their gender.
- June 27
- June 22Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.There is and has been no law outlining requirements for changing legal gender. However the supreme court has allowed such procedure with en banc ruling from 2006. The requirements are governed by the guidelines set by the supreme court. These guidelines have included abusive or discriminatory requirements, such being at least 19 years old themselves, as well as being unmarried, diagnosed with “transsexualism” and having undergone hormone therapy and been sterilized.
- June 13Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (1-year deferral).Federal regulations ban MSMs from donating blood, but it has been legal in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires since July 2013. A bill that would strike down the federal ban in other regions was passed by the lower house of Congress, but it was never considered by the Senate.
- June 8LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.Covers sexual orientation and gender identity in regard to employment, housing, and public accomodations
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.State law provides for protections against employment discrimination in regards to both sexual orientation and gender identification.
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.This state explicitly bans housing discrimination based upon sexual orientation and gender identification. 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)."
- April 21Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
- February 18Same-sex marriage becomes banned.The 2006 amendments to the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo explicitly prohibit same-sex marriage. Article 40 in the Dem. Rep. of Congo's constitution states "Every individual has the right to marry the person of their choice, of the opposite sex."
- February 16Same-sex adoption becomes single only.Joint and stepchild adoption are not legal, but there are no restrictions against single LGBT individuals.
- Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.Aricle 14 of the Kosovo Family Law adopted on January 20, 2006: "Marriage is a legally registered community of two persons of different sexes..." Constitution from 2008 does not have definition of marriage. Article 28: "Based on free will, everyone enjoys the right to marry and the right to have a family as provided by law. Marriage and divorce are regulated by law and are based on the equality of spouses". Bearing in mind the fact that the Constitution prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, the President of the Constitutional Court said in 2014 that Kosovo de jure allows same-sex marriage but that due to political reasons the issue is unclear.
- (date unknown)Gender-affirming care becomes legal.In 2006, North Macedonia adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
- January 1
- Serving openly in military becomes legal.Under federal law.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.Article 131 of the Labour Code protects the category of sexual orientation from discrimination in employment since 2006.
- (date unknown)Equal age of consent becomes equal.
- January 1LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.No protections are afforded to LGBTQ people in housing.
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.Sexual orientation protection in Article 131 of the Labour code for employment.
- (date unknown)LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.Legal protection against discirmination in employment.based on sexual orientation since 2006 The National Anti-Bullying Policy and Strategy for Primary, Secondary Schools and Professional Centres (2018) includes specific sections referred to homophobic bullying (Section 2.1.2(iii), Section 2.2, paragraph 4, and Section 4.3). On 18 September 2024, the Seychelles National Assembly passed the Penal Code (Amendment) Act 2024. It bans hate-motivated offences by introducing the element of hate as an aggravating factor to any underlying offences. The hate crimes and hate speech provisions specifically include sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.
- January 1Equal age of consent becomes equal.
- (date unknown)LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.State law provides for protections against employment discrimination in regards to both sexual orientation and gender identification.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.State law provides for protections against employment discrimination in regards to both sexual orientation and gender identification.
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.Requires notarized statement from attending physician or person in charge of an institution that sex has been changed via surgery, along with a name change order. No options for non-surgical and non-binary trans people. No intersex gender marker.
- January 1Serving openly in military becomes legal.In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is no regulation that would prohibit LGBT persons from participating in the Armed Forces of BiH. Article 28 of the Law on Service in the Armed Forces of BiH prohibits discrimination in the army on any basis. However, sexual orientation and gender identity are not particularly emphasized grounds.
- (date unknown)Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.To change their gender marker, trans people in North Dakota have to have their sex changed with "anatomically correct genitalia for the identified sex as certified by a medical provider".
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.Due to Germany being a Federal Republic many states have had anti-discrimination laws as early as 1992. But by signing the Treaty of Amsterdam (EU) Germany amended its national anti-discrimination laws to include sexual orientation.
- Equal age of consent becomes equal.
- Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.Fine and up to 10 years in prison (decriminalization pending)
LGBT Organizations Founded in 2006
Affirmation Scotland
Affirmation Scotland is a network in The Church of Scotland of LGBT Christians, their friends and supporters.Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK)
The Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK) is focused on promoting recognition, acceptance and defend the interests and rights of LGBTI organizations and their members…One Iowa
One Iowa is the stateIniciat
GlobalFreedom Sudan
Freedom Sudan is the only LGBT organization in Sudan. Freedom Sudan was formed in secret and all activities are carried out secretly.Project 515
Project 515 was founded in 2006 with a single, achievable mission to create a state where marriage laws did not discriminate against LGBT persons. Minnesota had at least 515…Arus Pelangi
To help the LGBT community in IndonesiaRussian LGBT Network
GlobalThe Russian LGBT Network is a non-governmental LGBT rights organization working for the social acceptance of and protection of the rights of LGBT people in Russia. Founded in…Russian LGBT Network is a conglomerate of LGBTQ+ related human rights organizations all across Russia. It was formed by "Sphere", a St. Petersburg-based NGO, in 2006. https://en…interACT
Advocates for Informed Choice, also known as interACT, is the world’s largest intersex advocacy group for members ages 13-29. A successor to the Intersex Society of North…Pembe Hayat Derneği
Pembe Hayat LGBTI+ Solidarity Association, the first transgender rights association in Turkey, was founded in Ankara on June 30, 2006. Pembe Hayat LGBTI+ Solidarity…