2018 in LGBT rights explained

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 2018.

Events

January

• 10 - The Inter-American Court of Human Rights rules that Latin American governments have to allow same-sex marriages in their countries. The court decision sets a binding precedent in Barbados, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Suriname.^[1]

April

• 12 - Trinidad and Tobago's High Court decriminalizes same-sex sexual activity.^{[2] [3]}
• 18 - The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria allows the blessing of same-sex marriages.^[4]
• 27 - The Evangelical Church of Hesse Electorate-Waldeck allows the blessing of same-sex marriages.^[5]

May

• 7 - The United Methodist Church (UMC) allows LGBT clergy and same-sex marriages in their churches.^[6]
• 9 - The General Synod of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia allows the blessing of same-sex marriages.^[7]
• 21 - The Church of Scotland votes in favour of drafting a new church law to allow same-sex marriages. The new laws would give ministers the option of performing same-sex marriages and a final vote is expected for 2021.^[8]

June

• 1 - The General Synod of Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil votes to change its marriage canon to allow same-sex couples to get married.^[9]
• 1 - Same-sex marriage is no longer legal in Bermuda.
• 5 - The European Court of Justice (ECJ) rules that EU member states should recognise same-sex marriages for the purpose of residency if at least one partner is an EU citizen. Slovakia announces that they will comply with this ruling, recognising marriages performed abroad.^[10]
• 6 - The Supreme Court of Bermuda strikes down the ban on same-sex marriage, five days after the ban goes into effect. A stay is implemented, allowing the Government time to respond.^{[11] [12]}
• 19 - Transgender identity no longer is classified as a mental disorder in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD).^[13] Now, instead, it is classified as a sexual health condition; this classification continues to enable healthcare systems to provide healthcare needs related to gender.^[14]
• 29 - A Sofia court allows a French-Australian same-sex couple the right to reside in Bulgaria.^[15]

July

• 1 - Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Jersey.^[16]
• 13 - The Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia votes to create official marriage rites for same-sex couples.^[17]
• 18 - The Romanian Constitutional Court complies with the June ECJ ruling, and allows the main plaintiffs in the case the right to reside in Romania.^[18]
• 22 - The National Assembly of Cuba approves a draft constitution which recognizes same-sex marriage, though the proposal will need to go to a referendum at a later date in 2019.^{[19] [20]}

August

• 9 - The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court in Costa Rica declares Articles 14 and 242 of the Family Code, as well as Article 4 of the 2013 Law of Young People unconstitutional and gives the Legislative Assembly 18 months to amend the laws accordingly. If the Assembly does not comply, same-sex marriage will become legal automatically once that deadline passes.^{[21] [22]}

September

• 6 - The Indian Supreme Court decriminalizes homosexuality, striking down the part of Section 377 that criminalized oral sex and anal sex.^{[23] [24]}

November

• 15 - Parliament in San Marino allowed civil unions and stepchild adoptions for homosexual couples^[25]
• 22 - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oldenburg allowed blessings of same-sex marriages in their churches.^[26]
• 29 - Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau allowed blessings of same-sex marriages in their churches.^{[27] [28]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Gaystarnews.com: A court has just ordered these 16 countries to make same-sex marriage legal . 11 April 2018 . 10 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180110175551/https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/court-just-ordered-16-countries-make-sex-marriage-legal/ . dead .
2. News: Court rules 'Buggery Law' unconstitutional. 12 April 2018. 103FM. 12 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180412162221/http://103fm.tt/court-rules-buggery-law-unconstitutional/. 12 April 2018. San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago.
3. Web site: Morgan. Joe. Trinidad and Tobago's High Court decriminalizes gay sex. Gay Star News. 12 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180412164145/https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/trinidad-tobago-gay-sex-ruling/. 12 April 2018. London, England. 12 April 2018.
4. Web site: Bayrischer Rundfunk.de: Landessynode beschließt Segnung von homosexuellen Paaren (german) . 19 April 2018 . 19 April 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180419073449/https://www.br.de/nachrichten/landessynode-beschliesst-segnung-homosexueller-paare-100.html . dead .
5. Web site: Evangelical Church of Hesse Electorate-Waldeck.de: Traugesetz gilt in Kurhessen-Waldeck künftig auch für gleichgeschlechtliche Paare (German) . 10 May 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180509220745/http://www.ekkw.de/synode/24611.htm . 9 May 2018 . dead .
6. https://www.advocate.com/religion/2018/5/05/methodist-bishops-back-choice-lgbt-clergy-same-sex-marriage Advocate.com: Methodists bishops back choice LGBT clergy and same-sex marriages
7. https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/05/anglican-church-will-bless-same-sex-relationships.html NewsHub.com: Anglican Church will bless same-sex relationships
8. Web site: Church of Scotland to draft new same-sex marriage laws. Press Association. 2018-05-19. the Guardian. en. 2018-05-21.
9. News: IEAB synod adopts same-sex marriage canon. 2018-06-01. Anglican Ink 2018 ©. 2018-06-02. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180605031906/http://anglican.ink/article/ieab-synod-adopts-aame-sex-marriage-canon. 5 June 2018. dead. dmy-all.
10. https://spectator.sme.sk/c/20843250/same-sex-married-couples-have-the-right-to-stay-in-slovakia.html Same-sex married couples have the right to stay in Slovakia
11. Web site: Court rules in favour of same-sex marriage. Royal Gazette. 6 June 2018.
12. https://www.thedailybeast.com/bermuda-supreme-court-strikes-down-gay-marriage-ban Daily Beast: Bermuda Supreme Court Strikes Down Gay Marriage Ban
13. Book: Green, Jamison . Becoming a Visible Man . limited . Vanderbilt University Press . May 2004 . 79 . 0-8265-1457-X .
14. News: Kacala . Alexander . Being Trans Is (Finally) No Longer Classified as a Mental Disorder by the WHO . 19 June 2018 . Hornet . 18 June 2018 . 19 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180619035935/https://hornet.com/stories/transgender-mental-disorder/ . dead .
15. https://www.voanews.com/a/bulgarian-court-backs-same-sex-couple-s-eu-residence-rights/4467521.html Bulgarian Court Backs Same-sex Couple's EU Residence Rights
16. https://statesassembly.gov.je/Pages/Propositions.aspx?infoid=A1B0C43F-4192-4BFE-9FC1-53AAEC8F5208 Additional information for P.87/2018
17. News: Sandeman . John . 13 July 2018 . Uniting Church to hold same sex marriages . Eternity . Australia . 13 July 2018 .
18. Web site: The EU Court of Justice rules that EU free movement law should apply to same-sex couples. International Federation for Human Rights. en. 2020-01-18.
19. Web site: Cuba's new constitution paves way for same-sex marriage. The Guardian. 23 July 2018.
20. https://www.efe.com/efe/english/world/cuba-s-national-assembly-concludes-debate-on-constitutional-reforms/50000262-3698805 Cuba's National Assembly concludes debate on constitutional reforms
21. News: Sala IV da 18 meses para que entre en vigencia el matrimonio homosexual . La Nación. Chinchilla. Sofía. 9 August 2018. 9 August 2018.
22. News: Sala IV da 18 meses para aprobar matrimonio igualitario o aplicará lo dicho por Corte IDH. delfino.cr. Luis Manuel. Madrigal Mena. August 8, 2018. August 8, 2018.
23. News: SC decriminalises homosexuality, says history owes LGBTQ community an apology. Rajagopal. Krishnadas. 2018-09-06. The Hindu. 2018-09-08. en-IN. 0971-751X.
24. News: SC decriminalises Section 377, calls 2013 ruling 'arbitrary and retrograde' - Times of India ►. The Times of India. 2018-09-08.
25. https://www.queer.de/detail.php?article_id=32362 Queer.de San Marino: Parlament beschließt Lebenspartnerschaften
26. https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersachsen/oldenburg_ostfriesland/Oldenburgische-Kirche-beschliesst-Trauung-fuer-alle,synode290.html NDR.de: Oldenburgische Kirche beschließt Trauuung für alle
27. https://www.rtl.de/cms/evangelische-kirche-haushalt-und-trauung-fuer-alle-4257443.html Rtl.de: Evangelische Kirche Hessen-Nassau, Haushalt und "Trauung für alle"
28. https://www.queer.de/detail.php?article_id=32451 Queer.de: Evangelische Landeskirchen beraten über Akzeptanz von Homo-Paaren