What legal changes can the global queer community expect in the near future?

Last year, the Latvian parliament announced that it would legally recognize same-sex couples. The law comes into effect on July 1, allowing partners the right to visit each other in the hospital and providing some tax and social security benefits.

On the same day, rules regarding blood donors in the Czech Republic change. Regardless of sexual orientation, queer individuals will be allowed to donate blood. Equality in the Czech Republic doesn't end there. A mandatory surgical operation will no longer be required to change one's assigned gender. The Republic's Constitutional Court has ruled to annul the law requiring a gender confirmation surgery, including sterilization, for officially changing one's gender. The law will take effect on July 1, 2025.

In the same year, on January 1, the rights of same-sex couples in the country will be further enhanced, granting them the right to adopt children, removing restrictions on joint property, and allowing them to receive a pension in case of the loss of a family head.

Meanwhile, Liechtenstein will legalize same-sex marriage, becoming the 22nd country in Europe to support marriage equality.

On November 1 of this year, Germany will remove all barriers to changing one's assigned gender, allowing citizens to simply declare their gender at the registry office. The government has also recognized the "non-binary" gender with the new law.

In the United States, transphobic laws are being enacted one after another. Idaho state prohibits changing the assigned gender on any official document and bans healthcare support for transgender individuals. The state also refuses to recognize the "non-binary" gender, asserting that there are only two genders. These legal changes come into effect on July 1.

Starting next month, Wyoming state will ban trans-specific healthcare services for underage transgender individuals, and West Virginia state has announced that it will remove the non-binary gender designation from birth certificates and official documents.

Author: Alex Shah