2016 in LGBT rights

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 2016.

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Events

January

• 1 – Civil unions and step-child adoption by same-sex couples become legal in Estonia.[1]
• 2 – Through the Foundation, Jennifer Pritzker gives a $2 million donation to create the world’s first endowed academic chair of transgender studies, at the University of Victoria in British Columbia; Aaron Devor is chosen as the inaugural chair.[2]
• 4 – Jackie Biskupski becomes the first openly gay Mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah.
• 18 – Montana Governor Steve Bullock issues an executive order prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender identity in public employment.[3]
• 20 – New York State Division of Human Rights §466.13 prohibiting harassment and discrimination on the basis of gender identity, transgender status, or gender dysphoria when it comes to public and private employment, loans, schools, and public accommodations go into effect in the state of New York.[4][5]
• The Evangelical Church in the Rhineland votes to allow same-sex marriages in its churches.[6]

February

• 2
  • The Lewisburg City Council unanimously passes Ordinance 254, an ordinance which banned sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in public and private employment and public accommodations.[7]
  • The Supreme Court of India decides to review criminalization of homosexuality under Section 377 of the IPC.
• 10 – Step-child and joint adoption by same-sex couples become legal in Portugal [8]
• 22 – The Charlotte City Council passes, by a 7–4 vote, an amendment with a non-discrimination ordinance prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in public accommodations, passenger vehicle for hire, and city contractors. It took effect on 1 April.[9]
• 25 – The Italian Senate approves a Civil Union bill in a 173–71 vote.[10]

March

• 23 – North Carolina General Assembly passes the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act. That same day, HB 2 is signed into law by Governor Pat McCrory.[11]

April

• 1 – Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Greenland. The first same-sex couples were married on that day.[12]
• 7 – The Constitutional Court of Colombia votes 6–3 in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage. The ruling had immediate effect and required civil notaries to marry any same-sex couples who sought to marry.
• - The Protestant Church in Baden votes to allow same-sex marriages in its churches.[13]
• - The Evangelical Church in Berlin, Brandenburg and Silesian Upper Lusatia votes to allow blessing of same-sex marriages in its churches.[14]

May

• 11 – The Chamber of Deputies of Italy approves the Civil Union bill in a 372–51 vote.[15]
• 12
  • Same-sex sexual activity is decriminalized in Nauru.[16][17]
  • Same-sex marriage becomes legal in the Mexican state of Jalisco[18] following the Congress of Jalisco complying with the Mexican Supreme Court ruling by amending the state civil code.
• 17 – Same-sex sexual activity is officially decriminalized in Seychelles.[19]
• 20 – Same-sex marriage becomes legal in the Mexican state of Campeche.[20]
• 28 – The Conservative Party of Canada votes 1,036–462 to change the party's political platform from defining marriage as "a union between one man and one woman" to a neutral stance.

June

• 28 - Czech Constitutional Court struck down a ban which forbade people living in registered partnerships from adopting children as individuals.[21] However, joint adoption and stepchild adoption still remain illegal.

July

• 1 – A bill banning the use of conversion therapy on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity takes effect in the state of Vermont.[22]
• 8 - A bill that prohibits discrimination based on gender identity in public accommodations in Massachusetts is signed into law by governor Charlie Baker.[23]
• 16 - The General Synod of Anglican Church in Canada voted in favour of same-sex marriage.[24]
• 22 – Same-sex marriage becomes legal in the United Kingdom Crown dependency of Isle of Man.[25]

August

• 10 – Same-sex sexual activity is officially decriminalized by high court decision in Belize.[26]
• 15 - Health Canada relaxed blood donation restrictions of Men who have sex with men, reducing the deferral period from 5 years to one year.[27]

September

• 1 – Northern Ireland lifts its lifetime ban on gay men donating blood.[28]

October

• 1 - A policy that lifts the ban on transgender troops from serving openly goes into effect in the United States.[29]
• 13 – Same-sex marriage becomes legal in the British Overseas Territory of the British Antarctic Territory.[30][31]

December

• 6 - A bill that bans sexual orientation and gender identity conversion therapy on minors is passed by the legislature of Malta.[32]
• 14 - Pittsburgh becomes the first city in Pennsylvania to ban conversion therapy on minors after the city council passes a bill by a vote of 9-0.[33]
• 15 - Same-sex marriage becomes legal in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. The first same-sex marriage is performed the following day.[34][35]

References

1. "Estonia: Gay civil partnerships now legal but couples told to wait". 2 January 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
2. "Jennifer Pritzker's Foundation Gives $2 Million for Transgender Studies at Canadian University". Tablet Magazine. 21 January 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
3. Campaign, Human Rights. "MT Governor Signs Executive Order Protecting LGBT State Employees – Human Rights Campaign". Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
4. 466.13 NYCRR Discrimintation GenderIdentity
5. "New York Finalizes Ban On Transgender Discrimination". Retrieved 1 December 2016.
6. EKIR.de: (german), January 2016
7. Kline, Jared. "Lewisburg passes non-discrimination ordinance". Retrieved 1 December 2016.
8. "Portugal parliament overturns presidential veto on gay adoption". Gay Star News. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
9. "Citywide Newsroom > Citywide newsroom". Retrieved 1 December 2016.
10. Kirchgaessner, Stephanie (25 February 2016). "Italian senate passes watered-down bill recognising same-sex civil unions". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
11. webmasters, NC General Assembly. "North Carolina General Assembly – House Bill 2 Information/History (2016 Second Extra Session)". Retrieved 1 December 2016.
12. "Same sex couples can now officially marry in Greenland". Retrieved 1 December 2016.
13. Badische Zeitung.de: Landeskirche genehmigt gleichgeschlechtliche Trauungen (German), April 2016.
14. Tagesspiegel.de:
15. Povoledo, Elisabetta (11 May 2016). "Italy Approves Same-Sex Civil Unions". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
16. "Nauru decriminalises homosexuality". 27 May 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
17. "RONLAW – Nauru's Online Legal Database – Crimes Act 2016 in force". Archived from the original on 7 June 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
18. "Mexicans march against president's proposal to allow gay marriage". Reuters. 12 September 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
19. Duffy, Nick (18 May 2016). "Seychelles repeals colonial-era law banning gay sex". Pink News. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
20. ReporDig5 (20 May 2016). "Entra en vigor la Ley de Matrimonios Igualitarios". Telemar Campeche TV. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
21. "Czech court strikes down ban on gay people adopting children - PinkNews · PinkNews". www.pinknews.co.uk. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
22. O'Toole, Kevin (25 May 2016). "Gov. Shumlin signs law banning conversion therapy in Vermont". NEWS10 ABC. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
23. "Massachusetts governor signs sweeping transgender rights bill". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
24. CBC:Anglicans to allow same-sex marriage after vote recount
25. "Gay marriage bill on course to be law – Manx Radio". 9 July 2016. Archived from the original on 9 July 2016. Retrieved 2016-07-31.
26. "Supreme Court rules Section 53 unconstitutional". 10 August 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
27. Canada, Health (20 June 2016). "Statement from the Minister of Health on one year blood donor deferral period for MSM". gcnws. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
28. McDonald, Henry (2 June 2016). "Northern Ireland to lift ban on gay men donating blood". the Guardian. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
29. "Military lifts transgender ban". mcclatchydc. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
30. The Marriage Ordinance 2016
31. "Review of British Antarctic Territory legislation: changes to the marriage and registration ordinances – Publications – GOV.UK". Retrieved 1 December 2016.
32. "Malta just became the first country in Europe to ban 'gay cure' therapy · PinkNews". 6 December 2016. Archived from the original on 6 December 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
33. Monitor, The Christian Science (14 December 2016). "Pittsburgh becomes the latest city to approve a ban on conversion therapy". The Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
34. "Civil Marriage Amendment Act 2016 [No. 22 of 2016]" (PDF). 1 November 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 December 2016.
35. "GBC - Gibraltar News - GBC TV and Radio Gibraltar". 17 December 2016. Archived from the original on 17 December 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2017.

External links

• Media related to LGBT history in 2016 at Wikimedia Commons