Current situation for LGBT* people in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia

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LithuaniaLatviaEstonia
Male to Male RelationshipsPunishments for male to male relationshipsNo lawNo lawNo law
When was the law removed?199319921992
Male to Male relationshipsLegalLegalLegal
Freedom of association and expressionFreedom of associationYesYesYes
Freedom of expressionMore specific: The “anti-propaganda” law qualifies any information which “undermines traditional family values or promotes creation of family other than stipulated in the Constitution and the Civil Code” as detrimental to the minors. According to the law, it is illegal to transmit any positive information about LGBT* topic to anyone under 18 years in order to avoid the promotion of any idea of family other than the traditional one. Three cases of censorship have taken place since the promulgation promulgation of the law in 2010.Yes (with an exception of the Education Law that requires teachers to hold “morality” standards in the education “according to the constitutionally protected values, especually those of marriage and family”. Although the law is intepretable, it potencially can restrict freedom of expression in education system.)Yes
Name of law (chapter, section…)Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information (2010)Education Law (section 10.1)
Public demonstrations by sexual minorities permittedYesYesYes
LGBTI Families/ParentingAdoption by couplesNoNoNot available
Legal recognition of parental role of a non-biological parentNoNoNo, however, the new Registered Partnership Act permits the court to allow access of a third person to a child in the interests of the child.
Adoption by individualsYes (only in exceptional cases)YesYes, legally available, but may be difficult in practice.
Second Parent AdoptionNoNoYes, the Registered Partnership Act currently allows this but this may be changed in the near future.
Anti discrimination lawsLaws banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in social servicesYesNoNo
Incitement to hatred based on sexual orientation prohibitedYesNoYes
Laws prohibiting discrimination on the ground of sexual orientationYesNoYes
Hate crimes based on sexual orientation considered an aggravating circumstanceYesNoNo
Laws prohibiting discrimination on the ground of gender identityNoNoYes
Laws prohibiting discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation in employmentYesYesYes
Transgenderism classified as an illnessYesYesYes
Female to Female RelationshipsFemale to Female relationshipsLegalLegalLegal
Lesbians can receive donor insemination services and fertility treatmentsNoYesYes
Same Sex Marriage and Substitutes for MarriageMarriage and Substitutes for marriageNoNoYes
Legal RecognitionNoNoYes (of registered partnerships, but there is lack of practice at the moment)
Blood donationBlood donation by men who have sex with men or women who have sex with women permittedNoYesNot permitted for men, permitted for women.
Law mentionsNo law (enforced through practice)No law (enforced through practice)
Age of ConsentAge of consentEqual for heterosexuals and homosexuals (i.e. 16 years of age)Equal (i.e. 16 years of age)Equal for heterosexuals and homosexuals (i.e. 14 years of age)
Armed ForcesProhibition on entry into the country by LGB peopleNoNoNo
Asylum and ImmigrationLGBTI foreigners can ask asylum to the countryYes (no asylum was granted on the grounds of belonging to LGBT “social group”)YesYes (asylum has been granted at least twice)
Gender identityPossibility to change your gender on official documentsMore specific: Article 2.27 of the Civil Code allows any non-married person to change legal gender if this is medically possible. The second paragraph states, however, that the procedures for changing gender should be led according to a separate law. The Parliament and the Government of Lithuania refuses to take any actions on adopting such a law after it lost the case L v. Lithuania in the European Court of Human Rights in 2007. Since then the gender change became possible only with a court’s decision. However, there is no administrative procedure yet in place.Yes (although the law is unclear and the process largely depends on interpretation and good will of civil servants)Yes
Possibility to have sex reassignment surgeryNoYes (not covered by medical insurance or free healthcare)Yes (not covered by medical insurance)
HIV / AidsForeigners with HIV can be expelledNoNoNo
Foreigners with HIV can be banned from entryNoNoNo
What estimated percentage of the population is HIV+?0.08%0.35 %0.72%