LGBT rights in East Timor

LGBT rights in East Timor East Timor

Same-sex sexual activity legal? Legal since 1975[1]
Discrimination protections No
Family rights
Recognition of
relationships		 No

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in East Timor may face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is legal in East Timor, but same-sex couples and households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex married couples.[1]

Law regarding same-sex sexual activity

The age of consent in East-Timor is 14, per Article 177.[2]

Discrimination protections

There is no legal protection based on sexual orientation or gender identity. There was a clause against discrimination based on sexual orientation included in the original draft of the Timorese Constitution but it was voted out by 52 out of 88 MPs before the constitution took effect in 2002.[3]

However, since 2009, bias on the basis of sexual orientation is considered to be an aggravating circumstance in the case of crimes (alongside ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, etc.).[4]

Summary table

Same-sex sexual activity legal Since 1975
Equal age of consent Since 1975
Anti-discrimination laws in employment only
Anti-discrimination laws in the provision of goods and services
Anti-discrimination laws in all other areas (Incl. indirect discrimination, hate speech)
Hate crimes include sexual orientation
Same-sex marriages
Recognition of same-sex couples
Step-child adoption by same-sex couples
Joint adoption by same-sex couples
Gays and lesbians allowed to serve openly in the military
Right to change legal gender
Access to IVF for lesbians
Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples
MSMs allowed to donate blood

See also

References

  1. 1 2 State-sponsored Homophobia A world survey of laws prohibiting same sex activity between consenting adults
  2. ↑ http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/text.jsp?file_id=243617 (WIPO Lex)
  3. ↑ Sexual Orientation Clause Removed From Constitution
  4. ↑ Article 52 of the Penal Code, page 3

HIV-AIDS and Homophobia in Timor-Leste Timor Leste Red Cross excludes homosexuals from HIV-AIDS Reduction Program

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