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2019 in LGBT Rights

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In 2019, there were 119 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 120 changes made and 114 in the following year. A total of 1292 legal changes were made in the 2010s.

  • December 27
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, no restrictions.
    Since 2019, the Law that Recognises and Protects the Right to Gender Identity (Law No. 21,120) allows transgender people over the age of 14 to legally change their name and gender on all official documents. For persons over 18 years of age, the change is requested by submitting a request to the Civil Registry and Identification Service. Article 4(c) of the law stipulates that it will not be a requirement to have undergone any type of intervention or appearance-modifying treatment. In 1974, Marcia Alejandra Torres became the first person in Chile to legally change her name and gender on the birth certificate after undergo sex reassignment surgery.
  • December 7
    Intersex infant surgery becomes full ban.
    On December 7th, 2019, The Massachusetts Medical Society endorsed a resolution affirming the principle that surgical procedures on intersex children should be postponed until they reach an age of autonomy, capable of making such determinations themselves. Medical and surgical interventions on intersex infants are not allowed, except during emergency circumstances where it is necessary.
  • December 5
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 allows for transgender individuals to change their gender marker to either "male" or "female" only after showing proof of their gender confirmation surgery issued by a medical officer to the District Magistrate. This provision contradicts the Supreme Court decision in 2014. This contradiction has been challenged as unconstitutional in the Indian Supreme Court. As of June 2020, a second petition alleging unconstitutionality has been entered, and will be heard along with the first. Overall, the petitions challenge Sections 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the Act, claiming that they also contradict the Constitution of India. This case is still pending a decision. Under section 6 of Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, a trans person may apply to be issued a certificate of identity that certifies that they are transgender (denoted as "Transgender"). Upon receiving this certificate, the applicants have the right to be recorded as transgender in all official documents.
  • December
    Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (1-year deferral).
    In December 2019, a deferral period of one year was put in place. On May 20, 2022, Austria voted to lift the ban entirely and instead vet donors according to the risk of their sexual behavior. The new law is expected to take effect in the Fall.
  • November 26
    Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    The Transgender Persons Act, 2019 mandates that the government ensures medical facilities provide care to transgender persons (including for gender-affirmative procedures) and review medical curricula to address the health needs of transgender persons.
  • November 13
    Legal recognition of non-binary gender becomes recognized.
    Massachusetts residents can self-identify as non-binary with an X gender marker on their driver's license, IDs and birth certificate.
  • November
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, no restrictions.
    Surgery is not required to change the gender marker on IDs such as State ID or a driver's license.
  • Conversion therapy becomes banned.
    Prince Edward Island banned conversion therapy in November of 2019. Later on, Canada banned it federally in 2022.
  • October 29
    Legal recognition of non-binary gender becomes recognized.
    New Mexico allows gender neutral gender options
  • October 15
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Equal except for the region of Aceh (Homosexuality is illegal there)
  • October 7
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    The Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act (MRHA) was amended in 2019 to include protections for individuals from the LGBTQ community. In 2021, Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam stated that “LGBTQ persons, non-LGBTQ persons, we are all equal. We are not any lesser by reason of our sexual preferences.”
  • October 1
    Same-sex marriage becomes foreign same-sex marriages recognized only.
    Currently, same-sex couples can receive spousal coverage under the National Health Insurance Service. Diplomatic same-sex marriages are also recognized.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes foreign same-sex marriages recognized only.
    South Korea also recognizes same-sex relationships in the lens of national health insurance.
  • Legal recognition of non-binary gender becomes recognized.
    Maryland residents can self-identify their gender (with an X gender marker as one of the options) on their driver's license or state IDs.
  • September 20
    Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (1-year deferral).
    MSMs can now donate blood, but with a 1-year deferral. Deferral may be trimmed down to 4 months.
  • September 6
    Right to change legal gender becomes illegal.
    There is no longer a right to change one’s legal gender.
  • August 27
    Conversion therapy becomes banned.
    The governor has signed into law a bill banning conversion therapy, which took effect 90 days after it was signed on May 29, 2019
  • August 16
    Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
    Same-sex marriage in Aguascalientes turned legal in accordance with a ruling from the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation on 2 April 2019 that the state's ban on same-sex marriage violated Articles 1 and 4 of the Constitution of Mexico. The ruling came into effect upon publication in the Official Gazette of the Federation on 16 August 2019, legalizing same-sex marriage in Aguascalientes.
  • August 2
    Conversion therapy becomes banned.
    On August 2, 2019, North Carolina governor signed an executive order to prohibit the use of state funds for conversion therapy on minors with the aim of changing their sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • July 10
    Blood donations by MSMs becomes legal.
    The ban on MSM for donating blood was lifted.
  • July 9
    Legal recognition of non-binary gender becomes recognized.
    Nova Scotia residents can ask for an X on their birth certificate or driver's license, or they can opt to remove the gender marker altogether, free of charge.
  • July 8
    Conversion therapy becomes varies by region.
    Some municipalities in Alberta, including Calgary, banned the practice, but not the province as a whole. St. Albert became the first municipality to ban it in 2019.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
    Civil marriage between same-sex couples is already a right acquired in Ecuador. On the night of July 8, 2019, sentences 10-18-CN / 19 and 11-18-CN / 19 of the Constitutional Court were published in the Official Gazette.
  • July 5
    Equal age of consent becomes n/a.
    Homosexual activity is illegal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    Article 402 of the Penal Code outlines moral offences, including "sexual relations between persons of the same sex", punishable by imprisonment of up to six months and a fine of up to 5 million CFA francs.
  • June 21
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Under federal legislation.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Under federal legislation.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Under federal legislation.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Federally regulated.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Age of consent equalized to age 16.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Under federal legislation.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Under federal legislation.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Under federal legislation.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Under federal legislation.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Under federal legislation.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Equal age of consent at 16. Previously, anal sex was set at 18.
  • June 18
    Gender-affirming care becomes legal.
    The Act on Gender Autonomy No. 80/2019 grants every person the right gender affirming care. Children aged under 16 require parental consent.
  • Intersex infant surgery becomes full ban.
    The Act on Gender Autonomy No. 80/2019 strictly prohibits surgery on intersex infants, and requires public bodies to allow a neutral gender to be registered. The act further states that any such surgery can only be performed with the individual's consent.
  • Legal recognition of non-binary gender becomes recognized.
    The new law also allows people to register a third gender option 'X' as their legal gender.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, no restrictions.
    A new law has been passed that allows Icelandic people to change their registered gender without medical interventions.
  • June 15
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, no restrictions.
    New Mexican born residents can request to change their legal gender marker. Surgery is not required.
  • June 13
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    Under federal regulation.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    Under federal regulation.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    Under federal regulation.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    Under federal regulation.
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    When renting a property, the owner cannot refuse a tenant on the basis of ethnicity, religion, social status or sexual orientation or any social group someone belongs to. It is written in the Federal Constitution, discrimination is a crime.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    The Supreme Federal Court criminalised LGBT discrimination nationwide, and now, according to the new law, it is considered a "crime of racism".
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    Under federal regulation.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    After the Supreme Federal Court's ruling, LGBT discrimination in employment is also a crime. Employees who are victims of discrimination usually receive compensation for moral damages caused by the aggressors.
  • June 11
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Botswana's High Court has ruled in favour of decriminalising homosexuality in a landmark decision for campaigners.
  • June 4
    Legal recognition of non-binary gender becomes recognized.
    The Canadian federal government now allows individuals to put "X" on their passport to indicate an unspecified gender. Other IDs are under provincial/territorial jurisdiction. Only Nunavut currently has no legal recognition for non-binary identities.
  • June 3
    Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (less than 6-month deferral).
    Following the Canadian Blood Services guidelines.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (less than 6-month deferral).
    Following the Canadian Blood Services guidelines.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (less than 6-month deferral).
    Following the Canadian Blood Services guidelines.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (less than 6-month deferral).
    Following the Canadian Blood Services guidelines.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (less than 6-month deferral).
    Following Canadian Blood Services guidelines.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (less than 6-month deferral).
    Following Canadian Blood Services guidelines.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (less than 6-month deferral).
    Following Canadian Blood Services guidelines.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (less than 6-month deferral).
    Following the Canadian Blood Services guidelines.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (less than 6-month deferral).
    Following the Canadian Blood Services Guidelines.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (less than 6-month deferral).
    Following Canadian Blood Services guidelines, change pending.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (less than 6-month deferral).
    Blood donations in Ontario are managed by Canadian Blood Services and thus follow its guidelines.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (less than 6-month deferral).
    Health Canada mandates a 3-month deferral across the nation.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (less than 6-month deferral).
    Banned with 3 months deferral
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (less than 6-month deferral).
    MSMs were previously put on indefinite deferral until the 2013 announcement by Canadian Blood Services, then further reduced to 3 months in 2019.
  • June
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    Article 4 of the Declaration of Citizen Rights of 1974 (one of the documents that are part of the Constitution of San Marino) was amended to explicitly include “sexual orientation” as a prohibited ground of discrimination, after a national referendum in June 2019. No law explicity mention sexual orientation protection from discrimination in employment.
  • May 31
    Conversion therapy becomes banned.
    Conversion Therapy is banned for people under the age of 18. It is also considered a "deceptive trade practice" to advertise such services.
  • May 24
    Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
    On 24 May 2017, the Constitutional Court ruled that the constitutional right to equality and freedom of marriage guarantees same-sex couples the right to marry under the Constitution of the Republic of China. The ruling (Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 748) gave the Legislative Yuan two years to bring the marriage laws into compliance, after which registration of such marriages would come into force automatically. On 20 February 2019, a draft bill entitled the Enforcement Act of Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 748 was released. The draft bill would grant same-sex married couples almost all the rights available to heterosexual married couples under the Civil Code, with the exception that it only allows adoption of a child genetically related to one of them. The Executive Yuan passed it the following day, sending it to the Legislative Yuan for fast-tracked review. The bill was passed on 17 May, signed by the President on 22 May and took effect on 24 May 2019 (the last day possible under the Court's ruling). Taiwan was the first Asian country to approve gay marriage legislation.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes second parent adoption only.
    The same-sex marriage law (that passed the Legislative Yuan in May 2019) grants married same-sex couples the right to adopt children genetically related to one of the partners.
  • May 22
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    The 2019 Law on Prevention and Protection against Discrimination prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Employment, among other areas.
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    The 2019 Law on Prevention and Protection against Discrimination prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Housing, among other areas.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    On May 16, 2019, the Parliament of North Macedonia adopted a new (short-lived) Law on Prevention and Protection from Discrimination, which prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in all areas.
  • May 21
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes varies by region.
    Alabama Public Television banned an episode of “Arthur” (entitled “Mr Ratburn and the Special Someone”) because Mike McKenzie (director of programming for the station) deemed the episode “inappropriate” for young viewers. It is unknown about other American states’ censorship laws regarding LGBTQIA+ issues.
  • April 22
    Intersex infant surgery becomes varies by region.
    Surgery on intersex infants is only banned (excluding life-saving situations) in the state of Tamil-Nadu.
  • Legal recognition of non-binary gender becomes recognized.
    Nevada-born residents can request an X gender marker on their birth certificates. Residents can ask for an X on IDs and driver's licenses.
  • April 18
    Intersex infant surgery becomes not banned.
    In April 2019, the Grand Council of the Canton of Geneva adopted two motions (no. 2491 and no. 2541) aimed at banning non-vital surgical procedures on intersex children at cantonal level. In March 2022, the Federal Council was considering another motion (22.3355) which urges the Federal Council to present a bill to prohibit any irreversible and non-consensual surgical or hormonal interventions on the sexual characteristics of intersex children. This measure also allows interventions that are necessary to avoid a life-threatening situation or a danger to the child's health.
  • April 11
    Serving openly in military becomes lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.
    New policy goes into effect barring individuals with a "condition" known as "gender dysphoria."
  • April 8
    Conversion therapy becomes banned.
    Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed HR 140, a bill that bans gay conversion therapy on minors, into law on April 8, 2019.
  • April 3
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    On April 3rd, 2019, Brunei integrated more strict laws based off of Islam into its common law. The country immediately received heavy criticism, and some of Brunei’s buildings in other countries such as the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, and The Dorchester in London were boycotted. Due to international pressure, the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, placed a moratorium on the new law regarding homosexual acts, which allowed a maximum punishment of death by stoning. The moratorium is able to be dismantled at any moment by the Sultan due to his high level of power, but he has not done so yet.
  • March 30
    Serving openly in military becomes don't ask, don't tell.
    In 2019 a military tribunal acquited four personnel who accused of sodomy. The judge ruled that the law does not specify what acts are "contrary to nature". They were however dismissed from their posts.
  • March 29
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    The Gender Equality Act introduced in 2019 prohibits direct or indirect discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
  • March 27
    Conversion therapy becomes banned.
    It was banned since 2019 by executive order due to the mental issues people suffered from these conversion therapies .
  • March 25
    Legal recognition of non-binary gender becomes ambiguous.
    Not currently available for birth certificates, but initially available for driver's licenses and state IDs.
  • March 12
    Legal recognition of non-binary gender becomes recognized.
    X gender markers available on driver's licenses. However, since January 2020, state agencies can’t use non-binary gender marker.
  • February 15
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    The Law 13/2019, of 15 February, for equal treatment and non-discrimination, provides protection for LGBT people, among others, in numerous areas including employment, education, health care, social services, housing, public establishments, etc. Article 4(2) states: «No one may be discriminated against on the basis of birth, nationality or lack of nationality, racial origin or ethnicity, sex or female gender, religion, philosophical, political or trade union opinion, language, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other personal or social condition or circumstance.»
  • February 14
    Same-sex marriage becomes ambiguous.
    Legalized in Zacatecas (14 February 2019), Cuauhtémoc (1 March 2019), Villanueva (1 May 2019), Miguel Auza (5 July 2019), Freshnillo (3 July 2020) cities.
  • February 1
    Legal recognition of non-binary gender becomes recognized.
    New Jersey-born residents can ask for an X as their gender marker on their birth certificate as well as IDs.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (less than 6-month deferral).
    In February 2019, the Sanquin blood bank, which is responsible for the collection, processing, and distribution of blood and blood products, shortened the deferral period down to 4 months.
  • January 25
    Conversion therapy becomes banned.
    New York prohibits conversion therapy, especially towards those aged
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    The NY State Senate passed a bill called The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, it was signed in Jan 2019 but did not take effect until February 2019. This law prohibits any and ALL work-place discrimination.
  • January 24
    Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.
    Angola does not recognize same-sex marriage.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Legalized after an act of parliament
  • January 4
    Conversion therapy becomes banned.
    Banned after 2018, court ruling, however, as of 2022 there is a pending bill to overturn that law.
  • January 1
    Gender-affirming care becomes legal, but restricted for minors.
    In 2019, Mali passed a law allowing medical gender transitions for adults. However, there is no specific reference to minors in this legislation. Therefore, it is unclear whether gender medical transitions are legal or not for minors in Mali.
  • (date unknown)
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, no restrictions.
    New Hampshire residence are able to get gender marker X on both their drivers licenses and their birth certificates. Minors are able to get gender X on their drivers licenses as well with parental consent.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, no restrictions.
    Minors 16 and over, and Adults are able to get an drivers license as of 2019. Birth Certificates and other governmental documents are be abled to be changed as well.
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    illegal since 2019
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    illegal since 2019
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    illegal since 2019
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    illegal since 2019
  • Legal recognition of non-binary gender becomes recognized.
    Non-binary gender is legally recognized in Tasmania.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, no restrictions.
    After a court order, Kansas now legally allows its transgender residents to update their gender marker on their birth certificates if they were born in the state. No surgery is required.
  • Legal recognition of non-binary gender becomes recognized.
    New Brunswick residents can ask to change their gender marker to an X on their birth certificate or driver's license free of charge.
  • January 1
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    The Equality Act 2017, which became law in 2019, provided comprehensive protection from discrimination.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    The Equality Act 2017, which became law in 2019, provided comprehensive protection from discrimination.
  • (date unknown)
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes state-enforced.
    In 2019, the Uganda Communications Commission adopted the Standards for General Broadcast Programming in Uganda. Article 6(5) determines that “information, themes or subplots on lifestyles such as homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexualism, transsexualism, transvestism, paedophilia and incest” should not “promote, justify or glamorize” them. Further, explicit dialogue or information concerning the above topics should not be broadcasted. In addition, Article 8.6 states that sex education programmes should not encourage or promote “unnatural sex acts”.
  • Censorship of LGBT issues becomes varies by region.
    The Palestinian Police Authorities in the West Bank banned the activities of queer and feminist rights organization Al Qaws as requested by residents in report of 'suspicious' activities, however, this law was later retired following internacional backlash. On the Gaza strip, there is no information about the topic.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes varies by region.
    Marriage equality in Northern Ireland was brought into line with the rest of the UK via the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019.
  • January 1
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
    Requires at least 1 year of hormone therapy. A person must have medical documentation that includes a psychiatrist's report after one year of monitoring, as well as endocrinologist's report after hormonal therapy.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes legal.
    Gay and lesbian couples in Austria have been able to legally wed since 2019.
  • (date unknown)
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    Sexual orientation and gender identity are protected since the The Gender Equality Act (2019).
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    Section 8 of the National Housing Policy (2019) states it was developed under the premise that everyone has a right to housing, regardless of their sexual orientation.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    The Labour Code passed in 2019 in Sao Tome and Principe confers the right to equality in employment to persons regardless of sexual orientation.
  • January 1
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    Article 4 of the Declaration of Citizen Rights of 1974 (one of the documents that are part of the Constitution of San Marino) was amended to explicitly include “sexual orientation” as a prohibited ground of discrimination, after a national referendum in June 2019. No law explicity mention sexual orientation protection from discrimination in employment.
  • (date unknown)
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    Section 106(1) of the Gender Equality Act (2019) prohibits gender discrimination in the employment sphere. Section 106(2) states that this also includes “multiple discrimination” and “intersectional discrimination”, both of which are defined at Section 102 to include sexual orientation as a protected ground.
  • January
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    In January 2019, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that North Macedonia's requirement that transgender people undergo sex reassignment surgery before their gender marker on ID documents can be changed is a violation of human rights. The judgment held that deficiencies in North Macedonia's laws concerning modifying gender on official identification documents infringed the private life of transgender Macedonians. This means that at the moment, there is no way to change one's legal gender in North Macedonia, even after surgery.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    Article 4 of the Declaration of Citizen Rights of 1974 (one of the documents that are part of the Constitution of San Marino) was amended to explicitly include “sexual orientation” as a prohibited ground of discrimination, after a national referendum in June 2019.
  • (date unknown)
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    Constitutional protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity have been instituted.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
    Discrimination and hate speech against LGBTQIA+ persons is banned completely in Botswana.

LGBT Organizations Founded in 2019

  • Queer Youth Group FaviconQueer Youth Group
    Global
    Queer Youth Group is a loose affiliation of young activists (16-30) who identify in identities of Queer, MOGAI or any cultural terms that is non-cis-hetero. Queer Youth Group…
  • Queer Youth Group FaviconQueer Youth Group
    Global
    Queer Youth Group is a loose affiliation of young activists (16-30) who identify in identities of Queer, MOGAI or any cultural terms that is non-cis-hetero. Queer Youth Group…
  • Stop Bullshit FaviconStop Bullshit
    Poland
    Stop Bullshit (Polish: Stop Bzdurom) was a queer anarchist collective in Warsaw with the goal of fighting homophobia and transphobia, founded in May 2019 by Małgorzata "Margot"…
  • 17 Mayıs Derneği (May 17 Association) Favicon17 Mayıs Derneği (May 17 Association)
    Turkey
    Who We Are? Founded on September 2, 2019 in Ankara, May 17 aims to strengthen the LGBTI+ community and its activism. Be it on a societal or an individual level, we fight…
  • GLOW OUT FaviconGLOW OUT
    New York, United States
    Glow out is dedicated to ensure families and youth and adults of LGBTQ to have fun and enjoy pride as it should be.
  • Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities FaviconEswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities
    Eswatini
    A human rights community based advocacy organization with the goal to advance the protection of human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and intersex persons in the…