Country Overview
Denmark
At a glance
Same-sex Relations for Men Legal Throughout the Country?
Same-sex Relations for Women Legal Throughout the Country?
Legal Gender Recognition Possible?
LGBTI Orgs Able to Register?
Actions Related to SOGI at the UN:
2016: Supported IE SOGI
2019: Supported IE SOGI
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Denmark is progressive on LGBTIQ issues, but gaps remain. Same-sex couples may marry and adopt, and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression is banned. Transgender people may self-determine their legal gender markers without medical intervention, and non-binary people may choose to use the gender marker ‘X’ on their passports. However, inaccessibility and prejudice in the healthcare sector remain serious issues for LGBTIQ people and trans people in particular. Denmark has a highly comprehensive sex education system that includes information on LGBTIQ issues. Public opinion is also very supportive—in a 2019 survey of Danish people, 90% agreed that there was nothing wrong with same-sex relationships. However, conversion practices and medically unnecessary surgeries on intersex children remain legal. There have been reports of attacks by police against LGBTIQ people of color, and anti-trans rhetoric is becoming an increasingly prevalent issue. Incarcerated trans and intersex people are at particular risk for violence and discrimination, and in 2022, a court upheld the placement of a trans woman in a men’s prison.
Global Impact
Sub-Saharan Africa
Outright supports LGBTIQ organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa and works with mainstream human rights organizations to respect human rights and influence positive changes in laws, policies, attitudes, and beliefs that cause discrimination against LGBTIQ people on the continent.
United Nations
Our work at the United Nations centers around advocating for the advancement of the rights of LGBTIQ people.
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Our work in Asia promotes acceptance of sexual and gender diversity at all levels of society.
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In the Middle East and North Africa, we partner with local groups in various countries as part of our international solidarity work. We also work with our local partners on different topics through capacity building, advocacy, research and holistic security.
Europe and Central Asia
Outright International partners with activists to fight for an end to human rights violations based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression in Europe and Central Asia, where most of our work involves emergency responses to harassment, discrimination, violence, and most recently, Russia’s brutal and expanded invasion of Ukraine.
Americas
Our work in the Americas continues to build on the fundamental and positive transformation of human rights protections in recent years. We partner with groups in the Caribbean that focus on ending gender-based violence and eradicating discrimination against trans people.
Pacific
Our work in the Pacific aims to increase visibility of activists, respond to human rights emergencies, and actively bridge local, regional and international activism to achieve equality and justice.
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Human Rights Research
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