LGBT rights in Andorra

LGBTQ rights in Andorra
Location of  Andorra  (green) in Europe  (dark grey)  – [ Legend ]
Status	Legal since 1791 [1] [2]
Military	Has no army
Discrimination protections	Sexual orientation and gender identity protections
Family rights
Recognition of relationships	Stable unions since 2005; Civil unions 2014–2023; Same-sex marriage since 2023
Adoption	Full adoption rights since 2014

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Andorra have advanced significantly in the 21st century, and are now considered generally progressive. ^{[3] [4]} Civil unions, which grant all the benefits of marriage (including adoption), have been recognized since 2014, and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is constitutionally banned. The General Council passed a bill on 21 July 2022 that would legalize same-sex marriage in 2023, and convert all civil unions into civil marriage. In September 2023, Xavier Espot Zamora, the Prime Minister of Andorra, officially came out as homosexual. ^[5]

Law regarding same-sex sexual activity

A law prohibiting same-sex sexual activity was abolished in 1791. ^[1] As such, Andorra is, alongside France (which has also never criminalised homosexual conduct between adults since 1791), the nation in which homosexuality has been legal for the longest.

Age of consent

The age of consent for both same-sex and heterosexual relationships is 14, as specified by Article 147 of the Penal Code, which reads:

"1. Whoever carries out a sexual act with a person younger than fourteen years ... shall be punished with imprisonment for three months to three years.
2. If the act involves oral, anal, or vaginal penetration by a part of the human body or by an object, the penalty shall be imprisonment for three to ten years". ^[6]

Andorra is one of the two European nations in which there has never been an unequal age of consent since the end of the 18th century. The other one is Monaco, which decriminalised homosexuality and set an equal age of consent in 1793, 2 years after Andorra. ^{[note 1]}

Recognition of same-sex relationships

Main article: Same-sex marriage in Andorra

Same-sex civil marriage within Andorra was legalised in 2023. Previously, civil unions were available.

Since 2005, same-sex couples have been able to register their partnership under the name "stable union of a couple" (unió estable de parella). ^[7] On 2 June 2014, the ruling Democrats for Andorra party introduced a civil union bill to the General Council. ^[8] The bill established civil unions equal to marriage in everything but name, and would also grant same-sex couples joint adoption rights. ^{[9] [10]} On 27 November 2014, the bill passed on a vote of 20 to 3 with several abstentions. On 24 December, the bill was published in the official journal, following promulgation by co-prince François Hollande as the signature of one of the two co-princes was needed. It took effect on 25 December. ^{[11] [12]}

On 10 March 2020, three parties forming the governing coalition, the Democrats, the Liberal Party and Committed Citizens, presented the draft of a bill to reform family law including to legalize same-sex marriage. ^{[13] [14] [15]} The bill would also eliminate civil unions and convert all existing unions into civil marriage. ^[16] The bill was introduced to the General Council on 24 November 2020 and was passed on 21 July 2022. ^{[17] [18]}

Adoption and family planning

See also: LGBT parenting

Before 2014, same-sex couples were not allowed to adopt, ^{[19] [20] [21]} because the adoption law only recognised this possibility for heterosexual couples. ^[19] This was changed when the civil union law granting full adoption rights was passed in November 2014 and came into force on 25 December 2014. ^{[11] [12]}

Discrimination protections

Andorra has prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation since 2005. ^{[22] [23] [24]} Hate crimes motivated by the victim's sexual orientation result in additional legal penalties. In addition, in December 2008, the Constitutional Court ruled that sexual orientation is included in the prohibited grounds of discrimination in the Constitution of Andorra under the category "any other ground". ^[25]

Article 4 of the Law 35/2008, of 18 November, on professional relations (Catalan : Llei 35/2008, del 18 de desembre, del Codi de relacions laborals) forbids employers and workers from discriminating against employees or colleagues on account of sexual orientation, among other categories. ^[26]

Reports of public discrimination against LGBT people are rare. In 2000, a young gay man, 17-year-old Nuno Ribeiro, was murdered in the country due to his sexual orientation, resulting in public outcry. ^[27] In addition, there are a few cases of parents expelling their children from their homes because of their sexual orientation. However, in general, Andorran society tends to be very tolerant of homosexuality and same-sex relationships, and acceptance is high. ^[28]

In February 2019, the General Council adopted legislation addressing equal treatment and non-discrimination. The Llei 13/2019, del 15 de febrer, per a la igualtat de tracte i la no-discriminació ("Law 13/2019, of 15 February, for equal treatment and non-discrimination"), provides protection for LGBT people, among others, in numerous areas including employment, education, health care, social services, housing, public establishments, etc. Article 4(2) states: ^[29]

No one may be discriminated against on the basis of birth, nationality or lack of nationality, racial origin or ethnicity, sex or female gender, religion, philosophical, political or trade union opinion, language, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other personal or social condition or circumstance.

Transgender rights

A new Family Law passed by Parliament on 21 July 2022 allows trans people to update their name and gender on legal documents through a simple process without medical intervention. The law came into effect six months after its promulgation. ^[30]

Discrimination on account of gender identity and expression in areas such as employment, the provision of goods and services, etc., is prohibited. ^[3] Additionally, the Llei 14/2019, del 15 de febrer, qualificada dels drets dels infants i els adolescents ("Law 14/2019, of 15 February, on the rights of children and adolescents") establishes that transgender children must be respected in their gender identity. ^[31]

Blood donation

Men who have sex with men (MSM) can donate blood to the Banc de Sang i Teixits de Catalunya, and to the Établissement Français du Sang in France. ^{[7] [32] [33]}

Activism

In 2019, LGBT group DiversAnd was formed. It was established after the association Som com Som  [ ca ] (meaning "We Are As We Are" in Catalan) ended its work in 2018. DiversAnd focuses on preventing and addressing bullying and discrimination in schools, advocating for transgender people's rights to change their name and gender, and same-sex marriage. It organised a pride parade in June 2019. ^[34]

The first LGBT demonstration in Andorra occurred on 6 September 2002. On 23 June 2003, Som Com Som organized the first gay pride parade in the country, which took place at the Plaça del Poble in Andorra la Vella. ^[35]

On 17 May 2019, the International Day Against Homophobia, the Department of Equality launched a short film, entitled "#lovingdiversity", and raised online awareness of LGBT issues. ^[36]

Public opinion

According to a 2013 survey by the Institut d'Estudis Andorrans, 70% of Andorrans were in favour of same-sex marriage, 19% were against and 11% were undecided or had refused to answer. ^[37]

Summary table

Same-sex sexual activity legal	(Since 1791)
Equal age of consent (14)	(Since 1791)
Anti-discrimination laws for sexual orientation	(Since 2005)
Anti-discrimination laws for gender identity or expression	(Since 2019)
Hate crime laws include sexual orientation	(Since 2005)
Hate crime laws include gender identity or expression
Same-sex marriage	(Since 2023)
Recognition of same-sex couples	(Since 2005)
Stepchild adoption by same-sex couples	(Since 2014)
Joint adoption by same-sex couples	(Since 2014)
LGBT people allowed to serve openly in the military	Has no military
Right to change legal gender	(Since 2023)
Intersex minors protected from invasive surgical procedures
Third gender option
Access to IVF for lesbian couples	(Since 2023)
Conversion therapy banned on minors
Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples	(Banned for heterosexual couples as well)
MSMs allowed to donate blood	(Since 2011)

See also

• Andorra portal
• LGBTQ portal

• Human rights in Andorra
• LGBT rights in Europe
• Killing of Nuno Ribeiro

Notes

1. In some nations, such as Belgium, France and the Netherlands, homosexuality was decriminalised in the late 18th century with an equal age of consent, but the age of consent for homosexual acts was raised in the first half of the 20th century, and ultimately equalising once again at the end in more recent times.

References

1. Aengus Carroll; Lucas Ramón Mendos (May 2017). State-Sponsored Homophobia 2017—A world survey of sexual orientation laws: criminalisation, protection and recognition (PDF) (12 ed.). Geneva: International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. p. 32. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
2. "Where is it illegal to be gay?". BBC News. 10 February 2014.
3. Perry, Sophie. "Andorra's prime minister, Xavier Espot Zamora, comes out as gay: 'I never hid it'". PinkNews . Retrieved 17 September 2023.
4. "The 203 Worst (& Safest) Countries for LGBTQ+ Travel in 2023". Asher & Lyric. 5 June 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
5. Bollinger, Alex. "Andorra's prime minister just came out as gay". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
6. "Codi penal" (PDF). sherloc.unodc.org (in Catalan). 9 April 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
7. "Laws: Andorra". GayLawNet.com. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
8. "Consell General Principat d'Andorra". www.consellgeneral.ad.
9. "Diari d'Andorra". DiariAndorra.ad. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017.
10. "Diari d'Andorra". DiariAndorra.ad. Archived from the original on 5 July 2015.
11. "Llei 34/2014, del 27 de novembre, qualificada de les unions civils i de modificació de la Llei qualificada del matrimoni, de 30 de juny de 1995" (PDF).
12. RTVA, Andorra Difusió. "Demà entren en vigor lleis importants, com la d'unions civils o la 'regla d´or' | Andorra Difusió". www.andorradifusio.ad.
13. Vella, Lídia Raventós, Andorra la (10 March 2020). "La unió homosexual es dirà també casament". DiariAndorra.ad.
14. "Les unions civils entre persones del mateix sexe es diran casaments". BonDia Diari digital d'Andorra.
15. "La llei de família cataloga com a 'casament' la unió de persones del mateix sexe". Ara Andorra. 10 March 2020.
16. "Andorra approves equal civil marriage".
17. Consellgeneral.ad: Qualified bill of the person and the family, 21 July 2022
18. "El nou codi de família tira endavant amb consens de majoria i oposició". El Periòdic d'Andorra (in Catalan). Retrieved 22 July 2022.
19. "Llei 29/1996, Llei qualificada de l'adopció i de les altres formes de protecció del menor desemparat" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 February 2014.
20. "ILGA Europe, Andorra". Archived from the original on 14 April 2011.
21. "El cap de govern d'Andorra desmenteix ara que les parelles homosexuals puguin adoptar". VilaWeb.cat.
22. "Study on Homophobia, Transphobia and Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity – Legal Report: Andorra" (PDF).
23. "Llei 9/2005, del 21 de febrer, qualificada del Codi penal". www.bopa.ad.
24. "Llei 35/2008, del 18 de desembre, del Codi de relacions laborals" (PDF).
25. "2008-17-RE | TRIBUNAL CONSTITUCIONAL". www.tribunalconstitucional.ad.
26. "Llei 35/2008, del 18 desembre, del Codi de relacions laborals" (PDF). consellgeneral.ad (in Catalan). 21 January 2009.
27. "Reportatge: viure l'homosexualitat en petits nuclis com Andorra". Andorra Difusió (in Catalan). 28 June 2017.
28. "Study on Homophobia, Transphobia and Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Sociological Report: Andorra" (PDF).
29. "'Llei 13/2019, del 15 de febrer, per a la igualtat de tracte i la no-discriminació". General Council of Andorra (in Catalan).
30. RTVA, Andorra Difusió. "Facilitats en el canvi de sexe registral, supressió de la incapacitació i agilitació del divorci: el Consell aprova el nou codi de família | Andorra Difusió". www.andorradifusio.ad (in Catalan). Retrieved 21 July 2022.
31. "Llei 14/2019, del 15 de febrer, qualificada dels drets dels infants i els adolescents". General Council (in Catalan).
32. "Som com som celebra l'acord amb el banc de sang català". Diari d'Andorra (in Catalan). 22 March 2010. Archived from the original on 23 January 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
33. Staff, B. T. L. (27 January 2011). "Andorran gays now can donate blood".
34. "Official website of DiversAnd" (in Catalan). Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
35. "L'associació, Som Com Som". somcomsom.lgbt (in Catalan). Retrieved 4 June 2020.
36. "Annual Review of the human rights situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people in Europe and Central Asia" (PDF). ILGA-Europe. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 June 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
37. "Un 70% d'andorrans aprova el matrimoni homosexual". DiariAndorra.ad. 7 July 2013.