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lesbian A lesbian is a homosexual woman or girl. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with female homosexu ...
,
gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late ...
,
bisexual Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior toward both males and females. It may also be defined as the attraction to more than one gender, to people of both the same and different gender, or the attraction t ...
,
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
, and queer (
LGBTQ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, Gay men, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (sexuality and gender), questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, Asexuality, asexual, ...
) rights are some of the most extensive in the world. In 2023,
ILGA-Europe ILGA-Europe is the European region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA World). It is an advocacy group promoting the interests of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people, at the Eur ...
ranked Denmark as the third most LGBTQ-supportive country in Europe. Polls consistently show that same-sex marriage support is nearly universal amongst the Danish population. In Denmark, same-sex sexual activity was legalized in 1933, and since 1977, the
age of consent The age of consent is the age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to Human sexual activity, sexual acts. Consequently, an adult who engages in sexual activity with a person younger than the age of consent is un ...
has been equally set to 15, regardless of
sexual orientation Sexual orientation is an enduring personal pattern of romantic attraction or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. Patterns ar ...
or
gender Gender is the range of social, psychological, cultural, and behavioral aspects of being a man (or boy), woman (or girl), or third gender. Although gender often corresponds to sex, a transgender person may identify with a gender other tha ...
. Denmark was the first country in the world to grant legal recognition to same-sex unions in the form of registered partnerships in 1989. On 7 June 2012, the law was replaced by a new same-sex marriage law, which came into effect on 15 June 2012.The Copenhagen Post, 7 June 2012: ''Gay marriage legalised''
Retrieved 2012-09-19
Discrimination on the grounds of
sexual orientation Sexual orientation is an enduring personal pattern of romantic attraction or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. Patterns ar ...
was entirely prohibited in 1996. Denmark has allowed same-sex couples to jointly adopt since 2010, while previously allowing stepchild adoptions and limited co-guardianship rights for non-biological parents. LGBTQ people are also allowed to serve openly in the Danish military. Like its
Scandinavia Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...
n neighbours, Denmark has been described as one of the most LGBTQ-accepting countries in the world, with recent polls indicating that a large majority of Danes support same-sex marriage and adoption for LGBTQ couples.
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
has frequently been referred to by publishers as one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world, famous for its annual
Pride parade A pride parade (also known as pride event, pride festival, pride march, or pride protest) is an event celebrating lesbian, Gay men, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) social and self-acceptance, achievements, LGBT rights by country o ...
. Denmark's oldest LGBTQ organization, LGBT+ Danmark, was founded in 1948, under the name ''Kredsen af 1948'' (Circle of 1948).


Legality of same-sex sexual activity

King Christian V Christian V (15 April 1646 – 25 August 1699) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1670 until his death in 1699. Well-regarded by the common people, he was the first king anointed at Frederiksborg Castle chapel as absolute monarch since the de ...
's '' Danish Code'' from 1683 outlawed crimes against nature (), a collective term for a group of sexual acts including
sodomy Sodomy (), also called buggery in British English, principally refers to either anal sex (but occasionally also oral sex) between people, or any Human sexual activity, sexual activity between a human and another animal (Zoophilia, bestiality). I ...
and bestiality; the prescribed punishment was that of burning at the stake. Although the ''Penal Code of 1866'' removed the death penalty, crimes against nature remained illegal and were punishable by imprisonment. The '' Penal Code of 1930'', which came into effect in 1933, decriminalized same-sex sexual activity between persons over the age of 18. Since 1977 the
age of consent The age of consent is the age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to Human sexual activity, sexual acts. Consequently, an adult who engages in sexual activity with a person younger than the age of consent is un ...
has been 15, regardless of
sexual orientation Sexual orientation is an enduring personal pattern of romantic attraction or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. Patterns ar ...
or
gender Gender is the range of social, psychological, cultural, and behavioral aspects of being a man (or boy), woman (or girl), or third gender. Although gender often corresponds to sex, a transgender person may identify with a gender other tha ...
.


Recognition of same-sex relationships

Registered partnerships () were created by a law enacted on 7 June 1989, the world's first such law, and came into force on 1 October 1989. Registered partnerships had almost all the same qualities as
marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
; all legal and fiscal rights and obligations were similar to those of opposite-sex marriage, with the major exception being that regulations by international treaties did not apply unless all signatories agree. Since 15 June 2012, entering into registered partnerships is no longer possible.
Same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
became legal in Denmark on 15 June 2012, after the
Danish Parliament The Folketing ( , ), also known as the Parliament of Denmark or the Danish Parliament in English, is the unicameral national legislature (parliament) of the Kingdom of Denmark — Denmark proper together with the Faroe Islands and Greenland. E ...
voted on 7 June in favour of a gender-neutral marriage law, including marriages in the
Church of Denmark The Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Denmark or National Church ( , or unofficially ; ), sometimes called the Church of Denmark, is the established, state-supported church in Denmark. The supreme secular authority of the church is composed of ...
. The Danish Government originally proposed a same-sex marriage bill in Parliament on 14 March 2012. Parliament passed the
bill Bill(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States) * Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature * Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer * Bill, a bird or animal's beak Pl ...
by 85 votes to 24 on 7 June, and
royal assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in othe ...
by Queen
Margrethe II Margrethe II (; Margrethe Alexandrine Þórhildur Ingrid, born 16 April 1940) is a member of the Danish royal family who reigned as Queen of Denmark from 14 January 1972 until her abdication on 14 January 2024. Having reigned for exactly ...
was granted five days later. The law entered into force on 15 June 2012, making Denmark one of the first countries in the world to legalise same-sex marriage.'The bill as proposed by the minister of Social Affairs and Integration'
"Folketinget", 14 March 2012.


Adoption and family planning

Since 1999, a person in a same-sex registered partnership has been able to adopt his or her partner's biological children (known as stepchild adoption). Adoption by LGBT parents was previously only permitted in certain restricted situations, notably when a previous connection existed between the adopting parent and the child, such as being a family member or a foster child. On 2 June 2006, the
Danish Parliament The Folketing ( , ), also known as the Parliament of Denmark or the Danish Parliament in English, is the unicameral national legislature (parliament) of the Kingdom of Denmark — Denmark proper together with the Faroe Islands and Greenland. E ...
voted to repeal a law that banned lesbian couples from accessing
artificial insemination Artificial insemination is the deliberate introduction of sperm into a female's cervix or uterine cavity for the purpose of achieving a pregnancy through in vivo fertilization by means other than sexual intercourse. It is a fertility treatment ...
. In addition, when a lesbian couple has a child via
in vitro fertilization In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a process of fertilisation in which an egg is combined with sperm in vitro ("in glass"). The process involves monitoring and stimulating the ovulatory process, then removing an ovum or ova (egg or eggs) from ...
, the non-biological parent has been written onto the birth certificate as the other natural parent since 2013. Since 1 July 2010, same-sex couples may apply jointly for adoption. On 20 July 2014, a gay male couple became the first gay couple to adopt a foreign child, when they adopted a nine-month-old girl from
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
. According to statistics released by the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, 84 families had same-sex parents in 2013. That number had increased to 659 by mid-2018. In the Capital Region, the number grew from 42 to 293. According to 2019 statistics, about 27% of same-sex couples in Denmark were raising a child, whereas that figure was 43% for heterosexual couples.


Military service

Openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender soldiers serve without hindrance in all branches of the
Danish Defence The Danish Defence (; ; ; ) is the unified armed forces of the Kingdom of Denmark charged with the defence of Denmark and its self-governing territories Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The military also promote Denmark's wider interests, support ...
. Discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender soldiers in recruitment, placement and promotion is prohibited in Denmark. There are prominent openly gay military leaders in the Defence and there are no reported cases of threats to gays, morale, or national security. A 2010 study indicated that
gay men Gay men are male homosexuals. Some bisexual men, bisexual and homoromantic men may dually identify as ''gay'' and a number of gay men also identify as ''queer''. Historic terminology for gay men has included ''Sexual inversion (sexology), in ...
in the Danish Defence show strength and are respected.


Discrimination protections and hate crime laws

Danish law prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression, among other categories.State-sponsored Homophobia A world survey of laws criminalising same-sex sexual acts between consenting adults
The ''Act on Prohibition of Unequal Treatment in the Labor Market'' (), adopted in 1996, defines "discrimination" as follows: Gender identity or expression is not explicitly listed, but a 2015 court ruling, in which a transgender woman filed suit against her former employer for alleged discrimination, held that gender identity or expression is included in the law. In 2008, the ''Act on the Board of Equal Treatment'' () was passed, establishing the Board of Equal Treatment. Under the Act, the Board "shall consider complaints of differential treatment on the grounds of gender, race, colour, religion or belief, political opinion, sexual orientation, age, disability, or national, social or ethnic origin". In addition, Denmark possesses
hate crime Hate crime (also known as bias crime) in criminal law involves a standard offence (such as an assault, murder) with an added element of bias against a victim (individual or group of individuals) because of their physical appearance or perceived ...
legislation, following amendments to the Penal Code in 2004, which provides additional penalties for crimes committed against people because of their sexual orientation. According to a report published in August 2019, 89% of LGBT respondents reported not being discriminated against or harassed in the workplace, 78% were overall satisfied with their jobs and 69% reported being open about their sexual orientation to colleagues. Only 9% felt they could not be open about their sexual orientation, and 8% stated they had been the victim of discrimination and harassment.


Transgender rights

The ''Act on Sterilisation and Castration'' (), adopted in June 1929, was one of the first gender change laws in the world. Danish transgender woman
Lili Elbe Lili Ilse Elvenes (28 December 1882 – 13 September 1931), better known as Lili Elbe, was a Danish painter, transgender woman, and one of the earliest recipients of gender-affirming surgery (then called sex reassignment surgery). Elbe was a p ...
, who inspired the 2015 movie ''
The Danish Girl ''The Danish Girl'' is a novel by American writer David Ebershoff, published in 2000 by the Viking Press in the United States and Allen & Unwin in Australia. The novel is a fictionalized account of the life of Lili Elbe, one of the first tra ...
'', was one of the first identifiable recipients of sex reassignment surgery. She transitioned in
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
in 1930, and later had her sex and name legally changed on her Danish passport. The first person to successfully undertake a legal gender change in Denmark, which required undergoing
sex reassignment surgery Gender-affirming surgery (GAS) is a surgical procedure, or series of procedures, that alters a person's physical appearance and sexual characteristics to resemble those associated with their gender identity. The phrase is most often associat ...
, was American
Christine Jorgensen Christine Jorgensen (; May 30, 1926 – May 3, 1989) was an American actress, singer, recording artist, and transgender activist. A trans woman, she was the first person to become widely known in the United States for having Sex reassignment ...
in the early 1950s. She underwent an
orchiectomy Orchiectomy (also named orchidectomy) is a surgery, surgical procedure in which one or both testicles are removed. The surgery can be performed for various reasons: *treatment for testicular cancer *as part of gender-affirming surgery for trans ...
and a
penectomy Penectomy is penis removal through surgery, generally for medical or personal reasons. Medical reasons Cancer, for example, sometimes necessitates removal of part or all of the penis. The amount of penis removed depends on the severity of the ...
in Copenhagen in 1951 and 1952, respectively. In February 2013, a Guatemalan woman became the first transgender person to be granted asylum in Denmark because of persecution in her native country. However, she was put in a facility for men, where she had been sexually assaulted several times and was initially refused. Authorities reopened the case when she proved her life would be in danger if she returned to Guatemala. In June 2014, the Danish Parliament voted 59–52 to remove the requirement of a mental disorder diagnosis and surgery with irreversible sterilization during the process of a legal sex change. Since 1 September 2014, Danes over 18 years of age who wish to apply for a legal sex change can do so by stating that they want to change their documentation, followed by a six-month-long "reflection period" to confirm the request. Pending a decision by the
World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...
(WHO) to remove
gender identity disorder Gender dysphoria (GD) is the distress a person experiences due to inconsistency between their gender identitytheir personal sense of their own genderand their sex assignment, sex assigned at birth. The term replaced the previous diagnostic lab ...
(GID) from its list of mental illnesses, Denmark initially postponed a unilateral change. Citing a lack of progress at the WHO, the Danish Parliament decided to remove GID from the National Board of Health's list of mental illnesses in 2016. The change came into effect on 1 January 2017. It was the second country to do this, after
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
which did so in 2010. In June 2018, the WHO replaced the diagnosis of GID with gender incongruence and reclassified it as a sexual health condition. Besides male and female,
Danish passport A Danish passport () is an identity document issued to citizens of the Kingdom of Denmark The Danish Realm, officially the Kingdom of Denmark, or simply Denmark, is a sovereign state consisting of a collection of constituent territories ...
s are available with an "X" sex descriptor.


Access to healthcare

Danish guidelines published in 2023 recommend the use of puberty blockers on transgender patients at either Tanner stage two or three, as a means of buying time for patients to consider their gender more fully before making a decision.


Children

If a child under the age of ten shows adequate signs of gender dysphoria, their parents are given advisory information.


Adolescents

If a child over the age of ten shows adequate signs of gender dysphoria, they are then required to undergo at least five investigative interviews, along with a psychiatric evaluation, and informational sessions regarding hormone therapy. As part of the investigation, school and municipal records are pulled. Patients at tanner stages II and III are allowed to be administered puberty blockers in order to prevent permanent developments while further exploration is undertaken. Mental illness is not necessarily a barrier to treatment, however if the doctor believes the dysphoria could be an aspect of said mental illness - in particular psychosis and autism, then it can be. Other contraindications that can serve as barriers to treatment include a history of abuse, self harm, and suicidal ideations. From the age of 15, the patient can consent to hormone treatment without parental involvement. Surgical options are not offered until the age of 18.


Adult

Wait times for hormone therapy in Denmark are generally around 11-16 months, and wait times for bottom surgery in Denmark last 4-6 years. This leads many trans adults to seek healthcare abroad. Access to treatment requires several psychological sessions, during which patients report being required to present in a way reflecting stereotypical gender roles (i.e. trans men having to give ‘male’ answers).


Sex education

Denmark has one of the most comprehensive sex education lessons in the world, which includes information on safe sex, prevention against sexually transmitted infections, abortion, contraception, puberty, sexual relationships, family life, gender and sexuality, and diversity. Sex education lessons are mandatory in all primary and secondary public schools, and also deal with other health issues, including drug use and alcohol. In 1981, ''Gå-Ud-Gruppen'' ("The Outreach Group") set up supplementary sex education lessons giving information about same-sex relationships to senior classes in state schools. In 2008, the Danish Family Planning Association introduced a new online nationwide campaign for sex education. By 2009, 88,300 pupils were participating.


Blood donation

In May 2014, six Danish political parties called on Health Minister Nick Hækkerup to lift a ban on blood donations from
men who have sex with men Men who have sex with men (MSM) are men who engage in sexual activity with other men, regardless of their sexual orientation or sexual identity. The term was created by epidemiologists in the 1990s, to better study and communicate the spre ...
(MSM). In August 2016, it was reported that a majority of MPs in Parliament supported lifting the ban. The
Danish People's Party The Danish People's Party (DPP; , DF) is a nationalist and right-wing populist political party in Denmark. It was formed in 1995 by former members of the Progress Party (FrP). The party saw a period of significant growth after its founding a ...
, the
Social Democrats Social democracy is a social, economic, and political philosophy within socialism that supports political and economic democracy and a gradualist, reformist, and democratic approach toward achieving social equality. In modern practice, s ...
and The Alternative all expressed support for a proposal put forward by MP
Morten Østergaard Morten Østergaard (born 17 June 1976) is a Danish politician who served as Denmark's Minister for Economic and Interior Affairs from 2 September 2014 to 28 June 2015. Leader of the Danish Social Liberal Party from September 2014 to October 2020, ...
to permit blood donations by MSMs. In March 2020, Denmark implemented a policy allowing gay and bisexual men to donate blood provided they have not had sex in four months. The deferral period will be waived off if the individual is in a stable monogamous relationship. In July 2024, the deferral was amended to no longer discriminate between heterosexual and homosexual anal sex.


LGBT rights movement in Denmark

Danish LGBT advocacy groups include LGBT+ Danmark, founded in 1948 under the name ''Kredsen af 1948'' (Circle of 1948) and later changing its name to ''Forbundet af 1948'' (Federation of 1948). The group officially registered as an association under the name ''Landsforeningen for homofile'' (National Association for Homosexuals) in 1969. The organisation's founder was Axel Axgil. Axel and his partner Eigil Axgil were the first same-sex couple to enter into a registered partnership in Denmark, and therefore the first in the world, in 1989. The first gay demonstration in Denmark occurred in 1971 to mark the second anniversary of the
Stonewall riots The Stonewall riots (also known as the Stonewall uprising, Stonewall rebellion, Stonewall revolution, or simply Stonewall) were a series of spontaneous riots and demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of ...
. From the 1970s onwards, numerous gay bars and clubs opened, and societal acceptance began to grow. In 1974, several members of the Federation of 1948, along with members of the Red Stocking Movement, split to form their own organization, the Lesbian Movement (''Lesbisk Bevægelse''). Other groups include
Lambda Lambda (; uppercase , lowercase ; , ''lám(b)da'') is the eleventh letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiced alveolar lateral approximant . In the system of Greek numerals, lambda has a value of 30. Lambda is derived from the Phoen ...
, based in
Odense Odense ( , , ) is the third largest city in Denmark (after Copenhagen and Aarhus) and the largest city on the island of Funen. As of 1 January 2025, the city proper had a population of 185,480 while Odense Municipality had a population of 210, ...
, as well as Q-Factor, ''Bigruppen'' and Dunst.
Copenhagen Pride Copenhagen Pride is Denmark's largest annual Human Rights festival, focused on LGBTQ issues. It involves the entire capital Copenhagen and is held in August. A colourful and festive occasion, it combines political issues with concerts, films and a ...
is an annual pride event held in August in
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
. It was first held in 1996 under the name Mermaid Pride, in reference to ''
The Little Mermaid "The Little Mermaid" (), sometimes translated in English as "The Little Sea Maid", is a fairy tale written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. Originally published in 1837 as part of a collection of fairy tales for children, the story foll ...
''. About 25,000 people marched in the 2017 Copenhagen Pride parade, and a further 300,000 people attended and watched the event. In 2018, about 40,000 people took part in the event, with thousands more attending. Among these was Prime Minister
Lars Løkke Rasmussen Lars Løkke Rasmussen (; born 15 May 1964) is a Danish politician who has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2022. He previously served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 2009 to 2011 and again from 2015 to 2019. He was Leader of the Ve ...
. Apart from Copenhagen Pride, other LGBT events include Aarhus Pride, MIX Copenhagen, a film festival, and the Diversity Party Odense (''Mangfoldighedsfest Odense'') which was first held in 2017.


Public opinion

A December 2006
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
member poll by Angus Reid Global Monitor showed Danish support for same-sex marriage at 69%, in third place behind the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
(82%) and
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
(71%). According to a 2013
YouGov YouGov plc is a international Internet-based market research and data analytics firm headquartered in the UK with operations in Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. History 2000–2010 Stephan Shakespeare and Nadhim ...
poll, 59% of respondents thought that same-sex couples should be allowed to adopt children, while 79% believed same-sex couples should be allowed to marry. The 2015
Eurobarometer Eurobarometer is a series of public opinion statistical survey, surveys conducted regularly on behalf of the European Commission and other Institutions of the European Union, EU institutions since 1974. These surveys address a wide variety of to ...
found that 87% of Danes thought same-sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe, 90% thought lesbian, gay and bisexual people should have the same rights as heterosexuals, and 88% agreed that "there is nothing wrong" about a sexual relationship between two people of the same sex. The 2019 Eurobarometer found that 89% of Danes thought same-sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe, and 90% agreed that "there is nothing wrong in a sexual relationship between two persons of the same sex". The 2023 Eurobarometer found that 93% of Danes thought same-sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe, and 93% agreed that "there is nothing wrong in a sexual relationship between two persons of the same sex".


Timeline


17th century

*1668:
Nicholas Culpeper Nicholas Culpeper (18 October 1616 – 10 January 1654) was an English botanist, herbalist, physician and astrologer.Patrick Curry: "Culpeper, Nicholas (1616–1654)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (Oxford, UK: OUP, 2004) His boo ...
and Abdiah Cole publish
Thomas Bartholin Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...
's ''Anatomia,'' a book which briefly mentions lesbianism. Bartholin uses the phrases ''confricatrices rubster'' and ''contemptus vivorum'', to describe female homosexuality. He cites historical examples of lesbianism, such as
Sappho Sappho (; ''Sapphṓ'' ; Aeolic Greek ''Psápphō''; ) was an Ancient Greek poet from Eresos or Mytilene on the island of Lesbos. Sappho is known for her lyric poetry, written to be sung while accompanied by music. In ancient times, Sapph ...
, Philaenis, and the
Book of Romans A book is a structured presentation of recorded information, primarily verbal and graphical, through a medium. Originally physical, electronic books and audiobooks are now existent. Physical books are objects that contain printed material, mo ...
. * 1683: The Kingdoms of Denmark and Norway criminalizes "relations against nature", making it punishable by death.


20th century

* 1933:
Homosexuality Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or Human sexual activity, sexual behavior between people of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexu ...
in
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
is decriminalised. *1948: Forbundet af 1948 (English: ''League of 1948''), a homosexual group, is formed. *1977: Denmark equalizes the age of consent. *1985: Forbundet af 1948 becomes the Danish National Association of Gays and Lesbians (''Landsforeningen for Bøsser og Lesbiske'' or ''LBL''). * 1989: Denmark is the first country in the world to enact
registered partnership A civil union (also known as a civil partnership) is a legally recognized arrangement similar to marriage, primarily created to provide legal recognition for same-sex couples. Civil unions grant some or all of the rights of marriage, with chi ...
laws (like a
civil union A civil union (also known as a civil partnership) is a legally recognized arrangement similar to marriage, primarily created to provide legal recognition for same-sex couples. Civil unions grant some or all of the rights of marriage, with ch ...
) for same-sex couples, with most of the same rights as marriage (excluding the right of adoption prior to 2010, and the right to marriage in a church); activists Axel and Eigil Axgil and 10 other Danish couples are unofficially married by Tom Ahlberg, the deputy mayor of
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
, in the
city hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...
, accompanied by worldwide media attention.


21st century

*2010: Same-sex couple adoption legislation is passed. * 2012:
Same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
is passed into law. * 2014: Denmark becomes the first European country to remove the Gender Identity Disorder diagnosis as a necessary requirement in the gender recognition process. * 2016:
Greenland Greenland is an autonomous territory in the Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark. It is by far the largest geographically of three constituent parts of the kingdom; the other two are metropolitan Denmark and the Faroe Islands. Citizens of Greenlan ...
passes same-sex marriage. * 2017: Denmark becomes the first country in the world to officially remove transgender identities from its list of mental health disorders.
Same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
is passed in the
Faroe Islands The Faroe Islands ( ) (alt. the Faroes) are an archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean and an autonomous territory of the Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark. Located between Iceland, Norway, and the United Kingdom, the islands have a populat ...
.


Summary table


See also

* Human rights in Denmark * LGBT Danmark * LGBT rights in the Faroe Islands *
LGBT rights in Greenland Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights in Greenland are some of the most extensive in the Americas and the world, relatively similar to those in Denmark proper in Europe. Same-sex sexual activity is legal, with an equ ...
*
LGBT rights in Europe Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights are widely diverse in Europe per country. 22 of the 38 countries that have legalised same-sex marriage worldwide are situated in Europe. A further ten European countries have legalise ...
*
LGBT rights in the European Union The rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people are protected under the European Union's (EU) treaties and law. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in all EU member states and discrimination in employment has been banne ...
*
LGBT rights in the Americas Laws governing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) rights are complex and diverse in the Americas, and acceptance of LGBTQ persons varies widely. Same-sex marriages are currently legal in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colo ...
*
LGBT rights by country or territory Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Not ...
* Aarhus Pride *
Copenhagen Pride Copenhagen Pride is Denmark's largest annual Human Rights festival, focused on LGBTQ issues. It involves the entire capital Copenhagen and is held in August. A colourful and festive occasion, it combines political issues with concerts, films and a ...
* Aabenraa Pride * Nuuk Pride


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lgbt Rights in Denmark 1933 in law