Country Overview
Sweden
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?
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In Sweden, LGBTIQ people enjoy many of the same rights as other people. Same-sex couples can marry and adopt, and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression is banned. A new gender identity law passed in 2024, which allows trans people to change their legal gender markers on the basis of self-determination, comes into effect on July 1, 2025. A 2023 survey showed that 96 percent of people in Sweden are “totally comfortable with” lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, while 95 percent feel the same about trans and intersex people. There are several LGBTIQ Pride events throughout Sweden each year.
Some conservative political groups and politicians have espoused anti-LGBTIQ rhetoric. Some LGBTIQ youth are bullied and subjected to conversion practices. LGBTIQ refugees may face undue obstacles in their asylum processes. Trans-specific health services are often inaccessible and have long wait times. In 2022, the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare published new guidelines on gender-affirming health care for trans people under 18, recommending it only be allowed in research settings or exceptional cases.
*Outright research indicates that the bodily autonomy of intersex people is not respected and protected in this country.
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.
United Nations
Our work at the United Nations centers around advocating for the advancement of the rights of LGBTIQ people.
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In the Southwest Asia 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.
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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.
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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.
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