View source for LGBT rights by country or territory

'''Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)''' related laws vary greatly by country or territory &ndash; everything from legal recognition of same-sex marriage or other types of partnerships, to the death penalty as punishment for same-sex sexual activity or identity.

[[LGBT]]-related laws include but are not limited to: government recognition of same-sex relationships, LGBT adoption, sexual orientation and military service, immigration equality, anti-discrimination laws, hate crime laws regarding [[violence against LGBT people]], [[sodomy law]]s, anti-[[lesbian]]ism laws, and higher ages of consent for same-sex activity.

==History of LGBT-related laws==
Throughout history and across cultures, the regulation of sexuality reflects broader cultural norms.  Norms change in response to economic, social or political changes, including interactions with other societies.  

Most of the history of sexuality is unrecorded.  Even recorded norms do not always shed full light on actual practices, as it is sometimes the case that historical accounts are written by foreigners with cryptic political agendas.

In ancient Rome, prior to its Christianization, men of status were free to have sexual intercourse, heterosexual or homosexual, with anyone of a lower social status, provided that they remained dominant during such interaction. During the reign of Caligula, prostitution was legalized and taxed, and homosexual prostitution was seen openly in conjunction with heterosexual prostitution. The Warren Cup is a rare example of a Roman artifact that depicts homosexuality that was not destroyed by Christian authorities, although it was suppressed. A fresco from the public baths of the once buried city of Pompeii depicts a homosexual and bisexual sex act involving two adult men and one adult woman. The Etruscan civilization left behind the Tomb of the Diver, which depicts homosexual men in the afterlife. It is thought that the diver is the man who died, for whom the tomb was constructed.

Roman historical accounts describe the ancient Gauls of what is now France as being fierce in battle due to their encouragement of homosexual relationships. The historian said three men would share a bed, and not just for warmth. Homosexuality was likewise part of numerous militaries throughout the ancient and pre-modern world, to a significant degree.<ref>[http://www.bookrags.com/tandf/homosexuality-tf/ Homosexuality in Medieval France] By William A. Percy Jr.</ref>

In feudal Japan, homosexuality was recognized, between equals (bi-do), in terms of pederasty (wakashudo), and in terms of prostitution. The Samurai period was one in which homosexuality was seen as particularly positive. In Japan, the younger partner in a pederastic relationship was expected to make the first move; the opposite was true in ancient Greece. Homosexuality was later briefly criminalized due to Westernization.<ref>[http://www.gay-art-history.org/gay-history/gay-customs/japan-samurai-male-love/japan-samurai-homosexual-shudo.html The Beautiful Way of the Samurai] Native Tradition and Hellenic Echo</ref> In contemporary Japan, although this is changing, homosexuality is usually conflated with [[transgenderism]] and there is an emphasis on remaining in the closet and not seeing homosexuality as an orientation instead of simply as behavior.

The berdache [[two-spirit]] class in some Native American tribes are examples of ways in which some cultures integrated homosexuals into their society by viewing them, not with the homosexual and heterosexual dichotomy of most of the modern world, but as twin beings, possessing aspects of both sexes. In some other animist cultures of the past, the belief that homosexuals possess duality was seen as giving them a special connection to the spiritual realm and they often became shamans or medicine men.

Some people believe that the origin of punitive laws targeting homosexual relations lies with Abrahamic religions.  The first recorded Abrahamic laws against sexual intercourse between men are dated by scholars to circa 550 BC, during the Babylonian captivity of the Jewish people; they are recorded in Leviticus (though conservative scholars date Leviticus to be much older), and prescribe the death penalty.  It is unclear how rigorously that prohibition was enforced, debated concerning the narrowness of the proscription, and it should not be assumed that patterns of enforcement remained constant.

Similar prohibitions are found across Indo-European cultures in ''Lex Scantinia'' in Ancient Rome and ''NÃÃ°'' in protohistoric Germanic culture, or the Middle Assyrian Law Codes dating 1075 BC.<ref>The Middle Assyrian Law Codes (1075 BC) states: ''"If a man have intercourse with his brother-in-arms, they shall turn him into a eunuch"'', see [[Sodomy_law#History]]</ref>  Punitive laws spread as military conquest, colonialism, and missionary work spread the influence of certain interpretations of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Laws prohibiting homosexuality were also passed in communist China.  (The People's Republic of China neither adopted an Abrahamic religion nor was colonized, except for Hong Kong and Macau which were colonized with Victorian era social mores and maintain separate legal system from the rest of the PRC.)  Homosexuality was not decriminalized there until 1997.<ref>"[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-12/26/content_3970520.htm Quiet pink revolution in dark before dawn?]"</ref>

In modern times seven countries have no official heterosexist discrimination. They are Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, South Africa, and Spain. This full non-discrimination includes the rights of marriage and adoption. LGBT people in the USA face different laws for certain medical procedures than other groups. For example, gay men have been prohibited from giving blood since 1983,<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18827137/</ref><ref>http://www.gaypeopleschronicle.com/stories06/march/0317062.htm</ref> and George W. Bush's FDA guidelines barred them from being sperm donors as of 2005, even though all donated sperm is screened for sexually-transmitted diseases and even the most promiscuous heterosexual men are not barred from donating.<ref>[http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/6-7-2005-71220.asp FDA Recommends Barring Gay Men From Being Sperm Donors] By Linda Orlando</ref>

==LGBT-related laws by country or territory==
{{LGBT rights table Africa |world=yes}} 
{{LGBT rights table Americas |world=yes}}
{{LGBT rights table Asia |world=yes}} 
{{LGBT rights table Europe |world=yes}}
{{LGBT rights table Oceania |world=yes}}

==See also==
* [[Civil union]]
* [[Heterosexism]]
* [[Homophobia]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
<!--NOTE: Sodomylaws.org is not listed here as it is out-of-date for some regions. Do not use it as your only source for a country's legal status-->
* [http://www.ilga.org/ International Lesbian and Gay Association]
**[http://www.ilga.org/map/LGBTI_rights.jpg Map on LGBTI rights around the world] â€” 2008 version
**[http://www.ilga.org/statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2008.pdf State-sponsored Homophobia] â€” 2008 edition of worldwide survey of homosexuality laws
**[http://www.ilga.org/statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2009.pdf State-sponsored Homophobia] â€” 2009 edition of worldwide survey of homosexuality laws
* [http://www.amnestyusa.org/lgbt-human-rights/country-information/page.do?id=1106576 Amnesty International USA: LGBT legal status around the world] â€” interactive map
* [http://www.gaylawnet.com/laws/laws.htm GayLawNet: Laws] â€” information by country
* [http://www.iglhrc.org/site/iglhrc/ International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission]
**[http://www.iglhrc.org/site/iglhrc/section.php?id=1 Regional Information] â€” press releases, etc. on updates of various countries
**[http://www.iglhrc.org/site/iglhrc/content.php?type=1&id=78 Resource links] â€” for researching legal information

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[[Category:LGBT]]