20 - In the
United States,
PresidentJoe Biden has signed an executive order just hours after his inauguration making the government recognise more protections against discrimination on the basis of sex, to include sexuality, gender identity and sex stereotypes in line with the interpretation of sex discrimination in
Bostock v. Clayton County, reversing the changes in interpretation of anti-discrimination laws made by the previous president in regard to discrimination in housing, education, access to shelters and various other areas. It also ordered all federal agencies to review existing regulations and policies that prohibit sex discrimination, and to revise them as necessary to clarify that “sex” includes sexual orientation and gender identity.[3][4]
9 - In
Angola a new criminal code has gone into effect after the parliament passed it in January 2019 and president signed it into law in November 2020. The new penal code no longer criminalises Homosexuality and it contains full anti-discrimination protections on the basis of sexuality and gender identity.[6][7]
14 - In
New York,
commercial surrogacy has become legal for both same-sex and opposite-sex couples after being previously banned.[8]
17 - In
Bhutan, a new penal code has been signed into the law. Homosexuality is no longer a crime in Bhutan.[9]
March
11 - The
EU parliament decides that the whole territory of all EU member states is a freedom zone for LGBTQIA+ people.[10]
April
6 -
Arkansas passes
HB 1570 which bans the provision of gender-affirming healthcare to those under 18.[11]
May
10 - In The
United States of America,
PresidentJoe Biden reverses a policy enacted during the
Trump administration which previously allowed healthcare companies to deny coverage to gay and transgender people.[12]
June
7 - The
Madras High Court of
India moved to ban
conversion therapy in the country. Delivering his verdict for the case S Sushma v. Commissioner of Police, Justice
N Anand Venkatesh suggested comprehensive measures to sensitize society and various branches of the State including the Police and judiciary to remove prejudices against the LGBTQIA+ community. The court suggested that changes be made to curricula of schools and universities to educate students on understanding issues surrounding the LGBTQIA+ community.[13][14]
16 - The Mexican State of
Sinaloa legalizes same-sex marriage after past attempts to legalize it failed. The
Mexican Supreme Court ordered the state to legalize same-sex marriage in 2019. The state will officially begin to recognize same-sex relationships by the end of 2021.
July
11 - The Israeli High Court ruled that the amendment to the Surrogacy Law enacted in 2018, which discriminates against same-sex couples, will be amended by a High Court order, and will enter into force within six months.[15]
September
26 -
Swiss Voters approve Same-Sex Marriage in a nationwide referendum. A 64.1% of voters accepted the reform, and none of the 26 Swiss cantons came out against it. The most hesitant canton was
Appenzell Inner Rhoden, where 50.8% accepted the reform, while the referendum was most popular in
Basel City with 74% voting yes. [16][17]
November
5 - In
Spain, an executive order was signed to allow free IVF treatment for single women and women in same-sex relationships throughout country. A bill has been formally introduced to implement the decision permanently.[18]
10 - In
Italy, a new infrastracture law comes into force which, among other things, outlaws exposing advertisements with homophobic or transphobic messages on streets or on vehicles.
7 -
Canada makes providing, promoting or advertising
conversion therapy, to children, consenting adults and non-consenting adults, a criminal offence. The bill defines conversion therapy as the “practice, treatment or service designed to change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual, or to change a person’s gender identity to cisgender.” The law will allow courts to authorize the seizure or removal of online content advertising the practice.[21][22]