1. Legality of same-sex sexual activity

2. Recognition of same-sex relationships

3. Adoption and family planning

4. Military status

5. Discrimination protections and hate crime laws

6. Gender identity and expression

7. Conversion therapy

8. Health and blood donation

9. Living conditions

10. Public opinion

11. Summary table

12. See also

13. References

Norway, like most of Scandinavia, is very liberal in regards to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) rights. In 1981, Norway became one of the first countries in the world to enact an anti-discrimination law explicitly including sexual orientation. Same-sex marriage, adoption, and IVF/assisted insemination treatments for lesbian couples have been legal since 2009. In 2016, Norway became the fourth country in Europe to pass a law allowing the change of legal gender for transgender people solely based on self-determination.

Legality of same-sex sexual activity

Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 1972.^[1] At the same time of legalization, the age of consent became equal regardless of gender and/or sexual orientation, at 16.^[2]

Recognition of same-sex relationships

Gender-neutral marriage has been legally recognized since 1 January 2009 in Norway.^[3]

A bill was proposed on 18 November 2004 by two MPs from the Socialist Left Party to abolish the existing civil union laws, and make marriage laws gender-neutral. The move was withdrawn and replaced by a request that the cabinet further investigate the issue. The conservative cabinet of that time did not look into the issue. However, the second cabinet Stoltenberg announced a common, unified marriage act as part of its foundation document, the Soria Moria statement. A public hearing was opened on 16 May 2007.

On 29 May 2008, the Associated Press reported that two Norwegian opposition parties had come out in favour of the new bill, assuring its passage when at 11 June vote. Prior to this, there were some disagreements with members of the current three-party governing coalition on whether the bill had enough votes to pass.

The first parliamentary hearing, including the vote, was held on 11 June 2008 approving by 84 votes to 41 a bill that will allow same-sex couples to marry. This came after the Norwegian Government proposed a marriage law on 14 March 2008, that would give lesbian and gay couples the same rights as heterosexuals, including religious weddings (if the church so chooses), adoption and assisted pregnancies. The new legislation amended the definition of civil marriage to make it gender-neutral. Norway's upper legislative chamber (Lagtinget) passed the bill in a 23–17 vote. The King of Norway granted royal assent thereafter. The law took effect on 1 January 2009.

Prior to the gender-neutral marriage law, a civil partnership law had been in effect since 1993. Partnerskapsloven, as it was known in Norwegian, granted many marriage rights to same-sex couples, only without calling it marriage. In 1991, unregistered same-sex cohabitation was recognized by the Government for the granting of limited rights, such as being considered as next of kin for medical decisions, and in the event of wrongful death of one partner the other partner was entitled to compensation.^[4]

In 2014, the Church of Norway's National Council voted down a proposal to perform same-sex marriages in the church.^[5]

In 2015, the Church of Norway voted to allow same-sex marriages to take place in its churches.^[6] The decision was ratified at the annual conference on 11 April 2016.^[7][8][9]

Adoption and family planning

Married and committed same-sex couples are permitted to adopt under Norwegian law. Stepchild adoption has been allowed for registered partners since 2002.^[10] Full adoption rights were granted to same-sex couples in 2009. For lesbians, artificial insemination is available.

Additionally, pursuant to the law which legalized same-sex marriage, when a woman who is married to or in a stable co-habiting relationship with another woman becomes pregnant through artificial insemination, the other partner will have all the rights and duties of parenthood "from the moment of conception".

Military status

Lesbian, gay and bisexual people can serve openly in the Armed Forces. They have had full rights and anti-discrimination protections since 1979.^[11][12] Transgender persons may serve openly as well.^[13]

Discrimination protections and hate crime laws

In 1981, Norway became the first country in the world to enact a law to prevent discrimination against LGBT people by amending Paragraph 349a of its Penal Code, prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in the provision of goods or services and in access to public gatherings. In the same year, Paragraph 135a of the Penal Code was amended to prohibit hate speech directed at LGBT people.^[14] The country has banned discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment since 1998. Norway also has a law explicitly prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity and expression since 2013.^[15] Norway is also one few countries in the world to also protect intersex people and explicitly states it in its anti-discrimination law.^[16]

Gender identity and expression

On 18 March 2016, the Government introduced a bill to allow legal gender change without any form of psychiatric or psychological evaluation, diagnosis or any kind of medical intervention, by people aged at least 16. Minors aged between 6 and 16 also could have that possibility with parental consent.^[17][18][19] The bill was approved by a vote of 79-13 by Parliament on 6 June.^[20][21] It was promulgated on 17 June and took effect on 1 July 2016.^[19][22] One month after the law took effect, 190 people had already applied to change their gender.^[23]

Conversion therapy

In 2000, the Norwegian Psychiatric Association overwhelmingly voted for the position statement that "homosexuality is no disorder or illness, and can therefore not be subject to treatment. A 'treatment' with the only aim of changing sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual must be regarded as ethical malpractice, and should have no place in the health system".^[24]

Health and blood donation

In June 2016, the Norwegian Directorate for Health and Social Affairs announced it would try to change a ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood and enact a one year deferral period instead.^[25] On 1 June 2017, the new 1 year deferral period was implemented. Since that date, gay and bisexual men can donate blood in Norway, similarly to most of Western Europe.^[26]

In October 2016, Norway's Minister of Health and Care Services Bent Høie made the announcement that the HIV-prevention drug, PrEP, will be offered free of charge as part of Norway's National Health Service. Norway was the first country in the world to do this.^[27][28][29]

Living conditions

Norway is very gay-friendly.^[30] The most open and inclusive community can be found in the capital, Oslo, where many gay-friendly events and venues are located including the Raballder Sports Cup and the Oslo Pride Festival.^[31] Other events include the Scandinavian Ski Pride held in Hemsedal, Gay Week held in Trondheim and the Parodi Grand Prix in Bergen.^[32]

In 2015, media reported that there were calls to have a taxi station moved from near the entrance to Oslo's oldest gay pub. Several Muslims claimed that pictures had been taken of them entering the pub by taxi drivers parked at the station; some of these pictures were later distributed widely within Muslim communities.^[33]

On 1 September 2016, King Harald V of Norway delivered an impassioned speech in favor of LGBT rights.^[34][35] By 7 September, his speech had received nearly 80,000 likes on Facebook and viewed more than three million times:

Public opinion

Five different polls conducted by Gallup Europe, Sentio, Synovate MMI, Norstat and YouGov in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013 concluded that 61%, 63%, 66%, 58%, 70% and 78%, respectively, of the Norwegian population supported gender-neutral marriage laws.^[36][37]

In May 2015, PlanetRomeo, an LGBT social network, published its first Gay Happiness Index (GHI). Gay men from over 120 countries were asked about how they feel about society’s view on homosexuality, how do they experience the way they are treated by other people and how satisfied are they with their lives. Norway was ranked second, just above Denmark and below Iceland, with a GHI score of 77.^[38]

Summary table

See also

• Same-sex marriage in Norway
• Politics of Norway
• LGBT rights in Europe
• Gaysir
• National Association for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender People

References

• Tilt Renewables
• Tilt, Richard
• Tilt shot
• Tilt tray
• Tilt tray (disambiguation)
• Tilt-tray sorter
• Tilt-tray sorters
• Tilt (wagon)
• Tilung
• TILV
• Tilwick Meadow
• Til You're Mine
• Tilža parish
• Tim (1979 film)
• Tim Aaron
• Tim Adleman
• Tima Dzebo
• Timaea bivittatella
• Timaea costella
• Tim Aeby
• Timaeus of Tauromenium
• Tima Faingaanuku
• Tima Fainga'anuku
• Tim Agbaje
• Tima (genus)