LGBT+ in Sweden: A Beacon of Equality and Acceptance
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It’s important to showcase societies where the rights of all individuals are respected. Sweden is considered one of the most liberal countries regarding LGBT rights. On the occasion of May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOT 2020), I’m sharing the situation of LGBT+ people here, where I live.
Sweden was the first country in the world to remove homosexuality from the list of diseases—it did so in 1979. Homosexual acts have been legal in Sweden since July 1, 1944.
In 1995, Sweden legalized registered partnerships for same-sex couples, granting them most (exactly 91%) of the rights enjoyed by married couples. On May 1, 2009, the law allowing same-sex marriages came into effect.
On February 1, 2003, Sweden allowed same-sex couples to adopt children without any restrictions. The same right applies to any single person regardless of their sexual orientation. On July 1, 2005, a law granting lesbian couples access to artificial insemination in public hospitals came into force.
On July 1, 1972, Sweden became the first country in the world to allow legal gender change for transgender individuals and provided them with free hormone therapy.
Research conducted in 2006 on behalf of the European Union showed that 71% of Swedes support the legalization of same-sex marriages, and 51% support granting adoption rights to homosexual people.
The Swedish Protestant Church is one of the most open churches in the world towards homosexual couples. It started blessing homosexual couples in 1997. In 2005, it decided to perform same-sex weddings, which has been practiced since 2008. The Swedish Church actively supports LGBT rights, and during Pride Week celebrations, "drop-in weddings" are offered in churches, allowing couples to marry without prior appointment. Alongside the Protestant Church, the Satanists, an official religious group in Sweden, fight for equal rights for all people and promote a rationalist and scientific approach to life.
Swedish law guarantees a general prohibition of discrimination, including on the grounds of sexual orientation. This is enshrined in the constitution, the penal code (which prohibits homophobic speech, known as hate speech), and the labor code. Swedish legal regulations grant individuals the right to apply for political asylum due to persecution based on their sexual orientation or gender identity in their home country.
