LGBT rights in Latvia
| LGBT rights in Latvia | |
|---|---|
Location of Latvia (dark green)
– in Europe (light green & dark grey) |
|
| Same-sex sexual activity legal? | Legal since 1992 |
| Gender identity/expression | - |
| Military service | Gays and lesbians allowed to serve openly |
| Discrimination protections | Sexual orientation protection in employment (see below) |
| Family rights | |
| Recognition of relationships |
No recognition of same-sex couples. |
|
Restrictions:
|
Same-sex marriage constitutionally banned. |
| Adoption | No joint adoption by same-sex couples |
– in Europe (light green & dark grey)
– in the European Union (light green) – [Legend]
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Latvia may face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity are legal in Latvia, but households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex couples.
The democratization process in Latvia has allowed lesbians and gays to establish organizations and infrastructural elements such as bars, clubs, stores, libraries, etc. Cultural, educational and other events can be held, and lifestyles can be freely developed. However, society has not reached a high level of tolerance. In November 2014 the foreign minister Edgars Rinkēvičs came out via Twitter.
In 1992, soon after Latvia regained independence from the Soviet Union, homosexuality was decriminalised. The age of consent is 16 regardless of gender and/or sexuality.
It is possible to surgically change gender in Latvia and to legally change identity to reflect this. The Latvian law does not state what constitutes sex change, however as a proof of sex change, such a medical certificate must be submitted to the authorities. However, in 2004 authorities denied a change of legal identity to a transperson who had undergone a partial sex change. The person, who reported having knowledge of another case in which their legal sex was changed after a partial sex change, took legal action. The Supreme court of Latvia ruled in 2008 that in the particular case legal identity should have been changed as the authority had done so in similar cases and the person, already presenting as male, might face a variety of issues having to legally identify as female. This resulted in a 2009 proposal to amend laws with inability to become parent (which could cause further legal complications) listed as sole criteria to prove gender change for persons formally diagnosed with transsexualism by group of doctors. The amendments were, however, overruled by the Saeima.
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Wikipedia