LGBT-related Laws By Country or Territory
In modern times nine countries have no official heterosexist discrimination. They are Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, South Africa, and Spain. This full non-discrimination includes the rights of marriage and adoption. Portugal has also marriage rights for same-sex couples but this right does not include same-sex adoption. The Canadian Blood Services’ policy indefinitely defers any man who has sex with another man, even once, since 1977. In the U.S., mandated by federal law Pub.L. 103-160 (10 U.S.C. § 654), the U.S. armed forces’ policy on homosexuality in the military, commonly known as Don’t ask, don’t tell, prohibited coming out ("a statement that a member is homosexual or bisexual" or anything that would reveal sexual orientation, i.e. talking about a boyfriend, girlfriend, or attractions) because it was considered tantamount to "a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts". More than 13,500 service members were discharged from the military under the 1993 law. However, the policy was repealed by Congress in December 2010. In the Senate, repeal passed by a majority of 63–33, including six Republicans voting in favour of gays serving openly in the military. The repeal was effective September 20th, 2011. Also in the U.S., LGBT people face different laws for certain medical procedures than other groups. For example, gay men have been prohibited from giving blood since 1983, and George W. Bush's FDA guidelines barred them from being sperm donors as of 2005, even though all donated sperm is screened for sexually-transmitted diseases.
Read more about this topic: LGBT Rights
Famous quotes containing the words laws, country and/or territory:
“I would have these good people to recollect, that the laws of this country hold out to foreigners an offer of all that liberty of the press which Americans enjoy, and that, if this liberty be abridged, by whatever means it may be done, the laws and the constitution, and all together, is a mere cheat; a snare to catch the credulous and enthusiastic of every other nation; a downright imposition on the world.”
—William Cobbett (1762–1835)
“I have never been in any country where they did not do something better than we do it, think some thoughts better than we think, catch some inspiration from heights above our own.”
—Maria Mitchell (1818–1889)
“A Country is not a mere territory; the particular territory is only its foundation. The Country is the idea which rises upon that foundation; it is the sentiment of love, the sense of fellowship which binds together all the sons of that territory.”
—Giuseppe Mazzini (1805–1872)