2022 in LGBT rights explained

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 2022.

Events

January

• 1 – In Switzerland, a law allowing simple gender change without a sex reassignment surgery goes into effect.^[1]
• 7 – In Canada, a ban on conversion therapy goes into effect.^{[2] [3]}
• 10 – In Greece, the 45-year total ban on blood donation by men who have sex with men is eliminated. No deferral period is required for donation.^[4]
• 11 – In Israel, a court ruling legalizing commercial surrogacy for gay male couples goes into effect after The Knesset fails to take action in the allotted six-month time period.^{[5] [6]}
• 22 – In India, the State Government of Tamil Nadu amended the States' Subordinate Police Officers' Conduct Rules, explicitly prohibiting police officers from harassing the LGBTQIA+ community and individuals working for their welfare, making it the first Indian state to enforce penalties against police officers for such actions.^[7]

February

• 14 – Israel's Health Ministry announces a ban on conversion therapy by medical professionals, including punitive measures for violators.^[8]
• 15 – In New Zealand, Parliament passes a ban on conversion therapy on person under age of 18 years or lacking decision-making capacity. Additionally, it bans conversion practice that causes serious harm for all age groups.^{[9] [10]}
• 17 – Kuwait's Constitutional Court struck down a contentious law that has long been used to criminalize transgender people by forbidding the "imitation of the opposite sex."^{[11] [12] [13]}
• 17 – India's Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment announces that gender-affirming healthcare will be covered by insurance in the nation.^[14]

March

• 1 – In Colombia, the Constitutional Court of Colombia ruled in favor to allow non-binary people to have their gender legally recognized.
• 10 – In Chile, same-sex marriage comes into effect.^[15]
• 16 – In France, the deferral period on blood donations for men who have sex with men is eliminated.^[16]
• 31 – In Ireland, the deferral period on blood donations for men who have sex with men as well as their female partners is reduced from one year to four months.^[17]
• 31 – The United States announces an overhaul of TSA protocols to implement gender-neutral screening at checkpoints.^[18]

April

• 11 – In the United States, passports are issued with a non-binary "X" gender option for the first time.^[19]

May

• 1 – In Lithuania, the deferral period on blood donations for men who have sex with men is eliminated.^[20]
• 20 – In Austria, the deferral period on blood donations for men who have sex with men is eliminated.

July

• 1 – In Switzerland, same-sex marriages come into effect.^[21]
• 6 – Antigua and Barbuda legalizes same-sex behaviour.^[22]
• 8 – The Constitutional Court published a decision, that found statutory same-sex marriage ban in Slovenia was unconstitutional, and gave Parliament 6 months to remedy the situation, even though the ruling has to be executed immediately in Slovenia.^{[23] [24]}
• 19 - To prevent the loss of the right to same-sex marriage, the United States House of Representatives passes in a 267-157 vote the Respect for Marriage Act, which, once made law, would repeal DOMA and protect both same-sex and interracial marriages.^[25]
• 21 – The General Council of Andorra allowed same-sex marriages in Andorra. The law comes into effect on 17 February 2023.

August

• 16 – In India, Supreme Court expanded the definition of family to include "queer relationships" in a landmark decision. The Court held that atypical families are deserving of equal protection under law guaranteed in the Article 14 of the Indian Constitution and benefits available under social welfare legislation.^{[26] [27]}
• 24 – In Chile, a law that equalizes the age of consent enters into force.^[28]
• 30 – In Saint Kitts and Nevis same-sex activity is no longer illegal.^[29]

September

• 2 – In India, the National Medical Commission declared providing conversion therapy as "professional misconduct". It empowered the State Medical Councils to take disciplinary action against medical professionals if they provide "conversion therapy".^{[30] [31]}
• 25 – In Cuba, as a result of the 2022 referendum, same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption, among other matters, become legal.^[32]

October

• 1 – In Latvia, the first civil unions for same-sex couples were allowed by Latvian courts.^[33]
• 4 – Slovenia legalises same-sex marriage. The parliamentary vote came after a supreme-court decision from July 8, which declared it a constitutional right.^[34]
• 11 - On 11 October 2022, the Congress of the State of Mexico voted 49-12 with six abstentions to pass a bill legalizing same-sex marriage and concubinage in State of Mexico.^{[35] [36]} It was published on 1 November 2022, and took effect the next day.^[37]
• 19/27 - A same-sex marriage bill was introduced to Congress of Mexican state Tabasco on 12 October 2022 by Deputy José de Jesús Hernández Díaz (MORENA). It was approved by a Congress committee on 17 October with 4 votes in favour and 2 abstentions,^[38] and a final vote was scheduled for Wednesday, 19 October. Congress passed the bill on 19 October by 23 votes to 5 with seven abstentions.^[39] The law was signed by Governor Carlos Manuel Merino Campos, and published in the official state journal on 26 October, taking effect the next day.^[32]
• 26 – Same-sex marriage is legalised in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.^[40]

November

• 29
  • Singapore's Parliament repealed a ban on consexual sex between men in a 96-3 vote.^[41] The law was removed from the books on 27 December 2022, after President Halimah Yacob gave assent to the bill repealing the law.^[42]
  • The United States Senate passed an amended version of the Respect for Marriage Act in a 61-36 vote.^[43]

December

• In Russia, a bill making it a crime to spread "gay propaganda" to anyone, regardless of age, was signed into law by President Vladimir Putin.
• 8 - The United States House of Representatives approved the United States Senate's amendment to the Respect for Marriage Act with 258 votes in favor, 169 against and 1 abstention.^[44]
• 12 - Barbados legalized same-sex acts by a high court decision.^[45]
• 13 - United States President Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act, officially codifying into federal law the right to marriage for same-sex couples.^[46]
• 22
  • The Scottish Parliament passed with 86 votes in favor and 39 against the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which allows all transgender people 16 or older to legally change their gender by simply signing a declaration, without the need for prior psychological counseling with a therapist.^[47]
  • Spain's Congress of Deputies, with 180 votes in favor and 150 against, passed the so-called ley trans, a bill which allows all transgender people 16 or older to legally change their gender by simply signing a declaration, without the need for prior psychological counseling with a therapist, and transgender people aged 12 to 16 to legally change their gender under certain conditions.^[48]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Switzerland to allow simple gender identity change next year. 2022-02-21. www.jurist.org. 27 December 2021 . en-US.
2. Web site: Aiello. Rachel. 2022-01-07. Conversion therapy is now illegal in Canada. 2022-02-21. CTVNews. en.
3. News: Hauser. Christine. 2022-01-06. Canada Bans 'Conversion Therapy'. en-US. The New York Times. 2022-02-21. 0362-4331.
4. Web site: 2022-01-11 . Greece Lifts Ban on Gay Men Donating Blood . 2022-03-23 . GreekReporter.com . en-US.
5. Web site: 2022-01-04. Israel will open surrogacy to same-sex couples as of next week. 2022-02-21. Los Angeles Times. en-US.
6. Web site: 2022-01-04. Israel to open surrogacy to same-sex couples as of next week. 2022-02-21. San Diego Union-Tribune. en.
7. Web site: 2022-02-18 . Tamil Nadu becomes the first state to punish cops for harassing LGBTQIA+ community – The Leaflet . 2023-07-19 . theleaflet.in . en-US.
8. Web site: Winer. Stuart. Health Ministry bans 'conversion therapy' by medical professionals. 2022-02-20. The Times of Israel. en-US.
9. News: Treisman. Rachel. 2022-02-16. New Zealand just became the latest country to outlaw conversion therapy. en. NPR. 2022-02-21.
10. Web site: Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill 56-2 (2021), Government Bill – New Zealand Legislation. 2022-02-24. www.legislation.govt.nz.
11. News: 2022-02-16. Kuwait overturns law criminalising 'imitation of opposite sex'. en-GB. BBC News. 2022-02-20.
12. Web site: . Kuwait court overturns law criminalizing transgender people. 2022-02-20. ABC News. en.
13. News: Yee. Vivian. 2022-02-16. Kuwait Overturns Law Used to Prosecute Transgender People. en-US. The New York Times. 2022-02-20. 0362-4331.
14. Web site: Pandit. Ambika. 11 February 2022. Centre to roll out transgender scheme tomorrow. 2022-02-20. The Times of India. en.
15. News: Romo. Vanessa. 2021-12-07. Chile's Congress approves same-sex marriage by an overwhelming majority. en. NPR. 2022-02-15.
16. Web site: Bollinger. Alex. France ends ban on gay & bisexual male blood donors. 2022-02-21. LGBTQ Nation. 18 January 2022 .
17. News: Beau . Donelly . New blood donation rule 'ends discriminatory ban' on gay and bisexual men . . en . 2022-03-23 . 0140-0460.
18. Web site: TSA announces measures to implement gender-neutral screening at its checkpoints Transportation Security Administration . 2022-03-31 . www.tsa.gov.
19. News: Hernandez . Joe . 2021-10-27 . The U.S. issues the first passport with a nonbinary gender 'X' option . en . NPR . 2022-03-31.
20. Web site: 2021-12-15 . Sveikatos apsaugos ministerija ruošiasi leisti homoseksualiems asmenims aukoti kraujo . 2022-03-23 . lrt.lt . lt.
21. Web site: Switzerland to allow same-sex weddings starting July 2022. 17 November 2021 . 2022-02-15. NBC News. en.
22. Web site: Karibikstaat Antigua und Barbuda legalisiert Homosexualität. 2022-07-06. Queer.de. de.
23. https://www.rtvslo.si/slovenija/prepoved-posvajanja-otrok-istospolnim-parom-ni-ustavna-mesec-zakon-je-ze-v-pripravi/633638 Rtvslo.si: Prepoved posvajanja otrok istospolnim parom ni ustavna. Mesec: Zakon je že v pripravi.
24. https://www.queer.de/detail.php?article_id=42557 Queer.de: Sloweniens Verfassungsgericht öffnet die Ehe (German)
25. Web site: House passes bill to protect same-sex marriage in effort to counter Supreme Court . Clare . Foran . Kristin . Wilson . July 19, 2022 . July 19, 2022 . .
26. News: Schmall . Emily . Kumar . Hari . 2022-08-30 . India's Supreme Court Widens Definition of 'Family' . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-09-23 . 0362-4331.
27. Deepika Singh versus Central Administrative Tribunal & Ors.. Supreme Court of India. Civil Appeal No 5308 of 2022. 16 August 2022. https://main.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2021/12450/12450_2021_3_28_37306_Judgement_16-Aug-2022.pdf.
28. Web site: Modifica el código penal para reforzar la protección penal a la infancia y a otras personas que indica . Diario Oficial de la Republica de Chile . 24 August 2022.
29. Web site: Caribbean court strikes down colonial-era gay sex ban in Saint Kitts and Nevis . 30 August 2022 .
30. News: Perappadan . Bindu Shajan . 2022-09-02 . 'Conversion therapy' is misconduct, declares National Medical Commission . en-IN . The Hindu . 2022-09-25 . 0971-751X.
31. Web site: September 6, 2022 . NMC warns doctors over conversion therapy to LGBTQ Mumbai News - Times of India . 2022-09-25 . The Times of India . en.
32. Web site: September 26, 2022 . Cuba Family Code: Country votes to legalise same-sex marriage . September 26, 2022 . BBC News.
33. https://www.baltictimes.com/court_recognizes_another_same-sex_couple_as_legitimate_family/ BalticTimes: Court recognizes same-sex couples as legitimate family
34. https://www.queer.de/detail.php?article_id=43413 Queer.de: Slowenies Parlament stimmt für die Eheöffnung (german)
35. Legislatura Edomex . Legismex . 1579899954394697728 . 11 October 2022 . Aprueba la #LXILegislaturaEdomex el #MatrimonioIgualitario ️ ✔️Las reformas también reconocen el concubinato igualitario. ✔️El matrimonio igualitario es una institución pública, por medio de la cual dos personas de manera libre deciden compartir una vida. https://t.co/SK0XUBoXCP . The #LXILegislaturaEdomex approves the #Equal Marriage ️ ✔️ The reforms also recognize equal concubinage. ✔️ Equal marriage is a public institution, through which two people freely decide to share a life. . es . 26 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221028154404/https://twitter.com/Legismex/status/1579899954394697728 . 28 October 2022 . live.
36. Web site: Edomex le da el 'sí' al matrimonio igualitario. Eulalio Victoria . 11 October 2022 . El Financiero . 13 October 2022 .
37. Web site: Periodico Oficial del Estado de Mexico .
38. Web site: Tabasco aprueba en comisiones el matrimonio igualitario. HidrocálidoDigital.com. es. 17 October 2022.
39. Web site: El Congreso de Tabasco aprobó el matrimonio igualitario. infobae. 19 October 2022. es.
40. https://www.milenio.com/estados/aprueban-matrimonio-igualitario-en-todo-mexico Milenio.com: ¡Histórico! Aprueban matrimonio igualitario en todo México
41. https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/29/asia/singapore-gay-sex-ban-intl-wellness/index.html CNN.com: Singapore repeals gay sex ban but limits prospect of legalizing same-sex marriage
42. Web site: Goh . Yi Han . 2023-01-03 . S377A officially repealed after President Halimah gives assent to Bill The Straits Times . 2023-01-03 . www.straitstimes.com . en.
43. News: U.S. Senate passes same-sex marriage protection bill. Reuters . 30 November 2022. 24 December 2022 . Warburton . Moira . Slattery . Gram . Slattery . Gram .
44. News: Wang . Amy . 8 December 2022 . House passes landmark legislation to protect same-sex, interracial marriages . Washington Post . 8 December 2022.
45. https://www.outtraveler.com/news/2022/12/13/top-barbados-court-strikes-down-anti-lgbtq-laws Outtraveler.com: Barbados high court striktes down Anti-LGBTQ laws
46. News: Joe Biden signs into law same-sex marriage bill. Le Monde.fr . 13 December 2022. 24 December 2022.
47. News: Scottish government hails 'historic day' as MSPs pass gender recognition bill. The Guardian . 22 December 2022. 24 December 2022 . Brooks . Libby .
48. News: Spain approves divisive transgender bill. BBC News . 22 December 2022 .