14 – The Constitutional Court of
Austria has ruled that same-sex couples have the same right as opposite-sex couples to adopt children.[4]
18 – Irish Minister for Health
Leo Varadkar comes out during an interview on morning radio, becoming the country's first openly gay government minister.[5]
23 –
Arkansas Governor
Asa Hutchinson allowed a bill to become law that prevents any cities and counties in the state from expanding anti-discrimination ordinances beyond what the state already prohibits by refusing to sign or veto the legislation. The state's anti-discrimination laws do not include sexual orientation or gender identity.[7]
12 –
Utah Governor
Gary Herbert signed a bill into law that amends existing anti-discrimination laws for housing and employment to include sexual orientation and gender identity.[10]
April
1 – Maltese parliament accepts the Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics (GIGESC) Bill, bringing the country to the forefront of progressive gender legislation.[11][12]
13 – Chilean President
Michelle Bachelet signed a law that recognizes civil unions between same-sex couples.[13]
May
12 – Voters in the city of
Eureka Springs, Arkansas, upheld an ordinance that bans sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations.[14]
14 – The city council in
Laramie, Wyoming, voted 7–2 in favor of a measure that bans sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations.[15]
23 – Voters in the Republic of
Ireland approved an
amendment to their
constitution to legalize marriage for gay and lesbian couples. It is the first country in the world to legalize the practice by a popular vote.[16]
5 – In the U.S. territory of
Guam, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood issued a ruling that found the territory's marriage law banning same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.[18]
12 – In the Mexican state of
Chihuahua, the governor
César Duarte Jáquez announced that his administration would no longer prevent same-sex couples from marrying.[19]
29 – Homosexuality was officially decriminalized in the African country of
Mozambique.[22]
29 – At the 78th General Convention of the
Episcopal Church, a resolution removing the definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman was passed by the House of Bishops with 129 in favor, 26 against, and 5 abstaining.[23]
29 – After the Supreme Court legalized
same-sex marriage nationally in the US, the office of the presiding bishop in
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America released a letter informing members that each congregation is free to marry gay and lesbian couples or to choose not to do so.[24]
July
13 –
The Pentagon announced that it will allow transgender personnel to serve openly in the
US military, starting in 2016.[25]
28 – The Dutch Health Minister announced that
the Netherlands would lift the lifetime ban on gay and bisexual men
donating blood to replace it with a 12-month deferral period.[32]
November
4
The French Health Minister has announced that from spring 2016, gay and bisexual men will be able to
donate blood following a one-year deferral.[33]
The Constitutional Court of
Colombia ruled 6–2 in favour of full adoption rights for same-sex couples.[34]
12 – The
Ukrainian parliament approved an anti-discrimination law banning discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in the workplace.[35]
18 – The
Portuguese Parliament approved a bill that would provide full adoption rights,[38] but President Anibal Cavaco Silva, who leaves office on 9 March, rejected a bill that had been passed by the country's parliament[39]