January 11 – The Mexican northern state of
Coahuila, which borders Texas, passes (20–13) a bill legalizing
same-sex civil unions, under the name Pacto Civil de Solidaridad (Civil Union Pact). After a similar measure was approved in
Mexico City in November 2006.[3]
17 – The
Soulforce Equality Ride visits 32 schools in the United States that ban enrollment of openly gay students.[5]
27 – A group of 29 human rights experts including seven United Nations Special Rapporteurs and a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights releases the
Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law in Relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.[6]
April
10 – The legislature of the U.S. state of
Washington passes S5336, giving final approval to
domestic partnership legislation, which would give same-sex couples many state rights of marriage.[7]
26 – The legislature of the U.S. state of
New Hampshire passes legislation for
civil unions, which give same-sex couples many state rights of marriage.[8]
30 –
Regulations covering the provision of goods, facilities and services, outlawing discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation enter into force in Great Britain.[9]
9 – U.S. state of
Oregon bans discrimination based on sexual orientation (which is legally defined to include gender identity) in the private sector.[12]
17 –
Ted Strickland, governor of the U.S. state of
Ohio, issues an executive order banning discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in the public sector.[13]
22 – U.S. state of
Vermont bans gender identity discrimination in the private sector.[14]
31 –
Kathleen Sebelius, governor of the U.S. state of
Kansas, issues an executive order banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the public sector.[19]
September
17 – The
Maryland Court of Appeals overturns a lower court ruling in Deane & Polyak v. Conaway and rules that the Maryland constitution does not require the state to recognize or sanction same-sex marriage.[20]
November
13 –
Charles Iavarone, Supervisor of the
Town of Salina, proposes human rights legislation which included a domestic partnership registry for the town. The board's only Democrat sided with two Republicans to defeat the law.
21 –
Jennifer Granholm, governor of the U.S. state of
Michigan, issues an executive order prohibiting employment discrimination based on gender identity or expression in the public sector.[21]
29
The first foreign gay wedding is held in Hanoi, Vietnam, between a Japanese and an Irish national.
Uruguay becomes the first Latin American country to pass a national
civil union law.[22]
^Robertson, Stephen.
"Age of Consent Laws (Table)". Children & Youth in History.
Archived from the original on June 7, 2010. Retrieved February 3, 2023.