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LGBTIQ family recognition milestones since 1990: A comprehensive global timeline
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Publish Date
February 13, 2025
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Since 1990, the recognition of LGBTIQ families has made remarkable strides worldwide. From the World Health Organization’s removal of homosexuality as a mental disorder to the legalization of same-sex marriage and adoption in multiple countries, each milestone represents a hard-fought victory for human rights. While significant progress has been made, the journey continues as advocates push for broader protections, equal rights, and full recognition for all families.
A comprehensive global timeline of LGBTIQ family recognition milestones since 1990:
1990s
In 1990, the WHO removed homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases, marking a pivotal shift in global attitudes.
In 1993, Norway approved a registered partnerships bill, becoming the second country in the world (after Denmark in 1989) to provide legal recognition for same-sex couples.
In 1993, Vermont and Massachusetts pioneered same-sex couple adoption in the United States. British Columbia became the first Canadian province to allow gay couples to adopt children in 1995.
In 1994, South Africa became the first country in the world to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in its post-apartheid constitution, paving the way for broader family recognition in subsequent years.
In 1995, British Columbia became the first Canadian province to allow gay couples to adopt children.
In 1996, Hungary became the first Eastern European country to recognize unregistered cohabitation for same-sex couples, granting them limited rights in inheritance and pensions. However, it did not provide joint adoption, automatic rights to shared housing, or tax benefits available to married couples.
In 1998, the Netherlands introduced registered partnerships, granting same-sex and opposite-sex couples nearly the same rights as marriage. However, it did not initially allow joint adoption or automatic access to certain family-related benefits.
In 1999, France approved the Pacte Civil de Solidarité, granting legal recognition to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples. It provided tax benefits, joint health insurance, and simplified inheritance rights but did not allow joint adoption or automatic spousal nationality.
2000s
In 2000, Vermont became the first U.S. state to recognize civil unions between same-sex couples, offering a legal framework for their relationships.
In 2001, the Netherlands made history as the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage, setting a global precedent for marriage equality.
In 2002, the UK passed the Adoption and Children Act, granting same-sex couples equal adoption rights.
In 2003, a judicial ruling in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, recognized the right of same-sex couples to adopt children, marking significant progress in Latin America.
In 2004, Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to recognize marriage equality, initiating a snowballing of marriage equality across states that would eventually force the U.S. Supreme Court to issue a nationwide ruling.
In 2006, South Africa became the first African country, and the fifth country in the world, to legalize same-sex marriage after its Constitutional Court ruled that denying this right was a “harsh if oblique statement by the law that same-sex couples are outsiders” that violated rights to equal protection, non-discrimination, and dignity.
In 2007, Mexico City became the first jurisdiction in Mexico to legalize civil unions for same-sex couples, laying the groundwork for later marriage equality nationwide.
In 2008, the UK recognized same-sex couples as legal parents of children conceived through assisted reproduction.
2010s
In 2010, Argentina became the first country in the Americas to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide, including equal adoption rights for same-sex couples.
In 2011, the U.S. State Department updated passport applications to use "Parent 1" and "Parent 2" instead of "Mother" and "Father," reflecting greater inclusivity for diverse families.
In 2012, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, in Atala Riffo and Daughters v. Chile, affirmed that sexual orientation cannot be used to restrict parental rights. This was the first time the Court recognized sexual orientation as a protected category under the American Convention on Human Rights.
In 2012, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that Costa Rica’s ban on in vitro fertilization (IVF) violated provisions of the American Convention on Human Rights, including the right to privacy, the right to liberty, the right to personal integrity, and the right to form a family, and the right to non-discrimination.
In 2014, the Netherlands reformed its gender recognition laws, eliminating the previous requirement that transgender individuals undergo sterilization before obtaining legal gender recognition. This change allowed trans people to retain their reproductive rights and have biological children while being legally recognized.
In 2015, Ireland became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage through a popular vote. While governments should not subject basic human rights to public referenda, the result showcased a societal shift toward greater acceptance.
In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality, extending joint and second-parent adoption rights to same-sex couples nationwide.
In 2017, Taiwan’s constitutional court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage, which was legalized in 2019. Taiwan became the first country in Asia to achieve this milestone.
In 2017, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in A.P., Garçon and Nicot v. France that requiring transgender people to undergo sterilization to obtain legal gender recognition violated human rights.
In 2017, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued Advisory Opinion OC-24/17, affirming that same-sex couples have the right to family recognition under the American Convention on Human Rights. The Court stated that states must guarantee the same rights and protections available to different-sex couples.
In 2019, Austria and Ecuador legalized same-sex marriage, highlighting continued progress in Europe and Latin America.
2020s
In 2021, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in A.M. and Others v. Russia that restricting a transgender woman’s parental rights and depriving her of contact with her children due to her gender transition violated her right to private and family life.
In 2021, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in X and Y v. Romania that the country had violated the rights of a transgender father by refusing to update his gender marker on official documents, including his children’s birth certificates. The Court emphasized that this lack of recognition created serious legal and social obstacles for trans parents and their families.
In 2022, Slovenia's Constitutional Court ruled that bans on same-sex marriage and joint adoption violated the constitutional right to equal treatment. The decision took immediate effect, making Slovenia the first Eastern European country to legalize both same-sex marriage and adoption.
On September 25, 2022, Cuba held and approved a national referendum on a new Family Code, which included provisions legalizing same-sex marriage and adoption.
In 2024, Japan made judicial strides toward marriage equality with two key rulings: the Sapporo High Court in March and the Tokyo High Court in October, both declaring the same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional. However, Japan’s legal system requires the National Diet (Parliament) to legislate changes.
In 2024, Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal upheld rulings granting equal inheritance rights and access to subsidized housing benefits for same-sex married couples.
In January 2025, Thailand became the first Southeast Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage.
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