| Location Header: | Equatorial Guinea |
| Legal Status: | Legal |
| Gender Identity Expression: | No |
| Recognition Of Relationships: | No |
| Adoption: | No |
| Military: | No |
| Discrimination Protections: | No |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Equatorial Guinea face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Both male and female kinds of same-sex sexual activity are legal in Equatorial Guinea, however LGBT persons face stigmatization among the broader population, and same-sex couples and households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available as opposite-sex couples.
Although there are no laws against homosexuality in Equatorial Guinea, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) report "there is evidence that State intimidation of sexually diverse individuals persists." The criminal code in force in Equatorial Guinea is a revision of the Spanish Criminal Code that dates back to the Francoist era and is said to post-colonially carry anti-homophobic undertones that influence those perception today.[1] [2] The age of consent is set at 18, regardless of gender and/or sexual orientation.
Same-sex couples have no legal recognition.
There is no protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
The U.S. Department of State's 2010 Human Rights Report found that "there are no laws criminalizing sexual orientation; however, societal stigmatization and traditional discrimination against gay men and lesbians was strong, and the government made little effort to combat it".[3]