LGBT rights in the post-Soviet states
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the former Soviet Union face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents.
LGBT rights in the former Soviet Union | |
|---|---|
Former Soviet Union | |
| Status | Legal (illegal for males in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) |
| Gender identity | Legal in Estonia |
| Military | Legal in Armenia (varies), Belarus (varies), Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine (varies) |
| Discrimination protections | Legal in Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova and Ukraine |
| Family rights | |
| Recognition of relationships | In Estonia and Latvia Same-sex marriage legal in Estonia |
| Adoption | Legal in Estonia |
1 January 2016, in Estonia, same-sex couples had recognition called a cohabitation agreement, that gave the same legal protections available to opposite-sex couples. On June 20 2023, Estonia was the first former Soviet Union state, that legalized same-sex marriage and joint adoption for gay couples. Among the post-Soviet states, Estonia is considered to be the most liberal when it comes to LGBT rights.
Since June 1, 2022, Latvia also have cohabitation agreement (without marriage and adoption). 11 January 2019, the Supreme Court of Lithuania ruled that same-sex spouses must be granted residence permits, while a cohabitation agreement is pending.