LGBT rights by country or territory

Laws affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or territory—
everything from legal recognition of same-sex marriage or other types of partnerships, to the death penalty as
punishment for same-sex romantic/sexual activity or identity.

LGBT rights are human rights[1] and civil rights.[2] LGBT rights laws include, but are not limited to, the following:
government recognition of same-sex relationships (such as via same-sex marriage or civil unions), LGBT adoption,
recognition of LGBT parenting, anti-bullying legislation and student non-discrimination laws to protect LGBT children
and/or students, immigration equality laws, anti-discrimination laws for employment and housing, hate crime laws
providing enhanced criminal penalties for prejudice-motivated violence against LGBT people, equal age of
consent laws, and laws related to sexual orientation and military service.

Anti-LGBT laws include, but are not limited to, the following: sodomy laws penalizing consensual same-sex sexual
activity with fines, jail terms, or the death penalty, anti-'lesbianism' laws, and higher ages of consent for same-sex
activity.

In 2011, the United Nations Human Rights Council passed its first resolution recognizing LGBT rights, which was
followed up with a report from the UN Human Rights Commission documenting violations of the rights of LGBT
people, including hate crime, criminalization of homosexuality, and discrimination. Following up on the report, the UN
Human Rights Commission urged all countries which had not yet done so to enact laws protecting basic LGBT rights.

A sodomy law is a law that defines certain sexual acts as crimes.

LGBT adoption

LGBT adoption is the adoption of children by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons. This may be

in the form of a joint adoption by a same-sex couple, adoption by one partner of a same-sex couple of the other's
biological child (step-parent adoption) and adoption by a single LGBT person.

Adoption by same-sex couples is legal in 14 countries and in some territories. Opponents of LGBT adoption question
whether same-sex couples have the ability to be adequate parents (see LGBT parenting). Since constitutions and
statutes usually fail to address the adoption rights of LGBT persons, judicial decisions often determine whether they
can serve as parents either individually or as couples.
Objections to and support for LGBT adoption
Adoption of children by LGBT people is an issue of active debate. In the United States, for example,
legislation to stop the practice has been introduced in many jurisdictions; such efforts have largely been
defeated. There is agreement between the debating parties, however, that the welfare of children alone
should dictate policy.[1] Supporters of LGBT adoption suggest that many children are in need of homes
and claim that since parenting ability is unrelated to sexual orientation, the law should allow them to adopt
children.[1]Opponents, on the other hand, suggest that the alleged greater prevalence of depression, drug
use, promiscuity and suicide among homosexuals (and alleged greater prevalence of domestic violence)
might affect children [3] or that the absence of male and female role models during a child's development
could cause maladjustment.[4] Catholic Answers, a Catholic religious group, in its 2004 report on gay
marriage addressed parenting by homosexual partners via adoption or artificial insemination. It pointed to
studies finding higher than average abuse rates among heterosexual stepparent families compared with
families headed by biological parents.[5][6] The American Psychological Association, however, notes that
an ongoing longitudinal study found that none of the lesbian mothers had abused their children. It states
that fears of a heightened risk of sexual abuse by gay parents are not supported by research. [7]

Several professional organizations have made statements in defense of adoption by same-sex couples.
The American Psychological Association has supported adoption by same-sex couples, citing social
prejudice as harming the psychological health of lesbians and gays while noting there is no evidence that
their parenting causes harm.[8][9][10] TheAmerican Medical Association has issued a similar position
supporting same-sex adoption, stating that lack of formal recognition can cause health-care disparities for
children of same-sex parents.[11]

Britain's last Catholic adoption society announced that it would stop finding homes for children if forced by
legislation to place children with same-sex couples.[12] The Muslim Council of Britain also sided with
Catholic adoption agencies on this issue. [13] Catholic Charities of Boston also ended its founding mission
of adoption work rather than comply with state laws conflicting with its religious practices. [