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Regions ▸North America
- hom*osexuality
⚢
✔ Legal- Gay Marriage
⚭
✔ Legal- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✔ Legal, no restrictions
- Non-binary gender recognition
- Ambiguous
- Discrimination
- ✖ Illegal in some contexts
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ Sexual orientation only
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✔ Legal
- Military
- N/A
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
Public Opinion
Suggest Public Opinion Data
According to recent survey data available, societal resistance to LGBTQ+ rights in Costa Rica is noticeable.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
Good Place
62%
40.8%
study avg.
Support for same-sex marriage (North and South America) (2023)
Ranked #7 of 22 regions
Question: How strongly do you approve or disapprove of same-sex couples having the right to marry?
Source: AmericasBarometer, 2023
Approve
36%
28.4%
study avg.
Approval of equal rights for gender minorities (North and South America) (2023)
Ranked #6 of 18 regions
Question: How strongly do you approve or disapprove of people from gender minorities, such as non-binary, transgender, etc., having the same rights as the majority of (nationality)?
Source: AmericasBarometer, 2023
Approve
55%
42.9%
study avg.
Support for same-sex marriage (North and South America) (2017)
Ranked #9 of 29 regions
Question: How strongly do you approve or disapprove of same-sex couples having the right to marry?
Source: AmericasBarometer, 2016-2017
Disapprove
65%
68.9%
study avg.
Approve
35%
31.1%
study avg.
Acceptance of gay people in public office (North and South America) (2017)
Ranked #7 of 29 regions
Question: How strongly do you approve or disapprove of [hom*osexuals] running for public office?
Source: AmericasBarometer, 2016-2017
Disapprove
43.5%
58.9%
study avg.
Approve
56.5%
41.1%
study avg.
Support for same-sex marriage (2016)
Ranked #22 of 54 regions
Question: Should same-sex marriage be legal?
Source: ILGA / RIWI, October 2016
No
40%
44.3%
study avg.
Yes
33%
32.1%
study avg.
Perceptions of local area as a "good place" for gay and lesbian people (2013)
Ranked #21 of 119 regions
Question: Is the city or area where you live a good place or not a good place for hom*osexuals?
Source: Gallup, 2013
Not a good place
33%
54%
study avg.
Good place
61%
29.2%
study avg.
History
hom*osexual activity in Costa Rica
?
hom*osexual activity in Costa Rica is legal.
Current status
Since Apr 17, 2002
Legal
Details · Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
gaylawnet.com/ezine/crime/i…
Added by vviet93 · 0 accurate votes · Report Error · Log
Same-sex marriage in Costa Rica
?
Same-sex marriage in Costa Rica is legal.
Current status
Since May 26, 2020
Legal
Same-sex marriage in Costa Rica has been legal since May 26, 2020 as a result of a ruling by the Supreme Court of Justice. Costa Rica was the first country in Central America to recognize and perform same-sex marriages.
Details · Accurate? Yes No
Added by Mikeylito · 1 accurate vote · Report Error · Log
Dec 21, 1973–May 26, 2020
Unrecognized
Article 242 of the family law states explicitly that marriage is between a man and a woman who has cohabited for more than 3 years. The recent movement of "accidental passage" of same sex marriage has not taken effect or exercised.
Details · Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
iin.oea.org/badaj_v/docs/lc…
Added by vviet93 · 0 accurate votes · Report Error · Log
Censorship of LGBT Issues in Costa Rica
?
Censorship of LGBT Issues in Costa Rica is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Costa Rica, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Details · Accurate? Yes No
Added by equaldex · 0 accurate votes · Report Error · Log
Right to change legal gender in Costa Rica
?
Right to change legal gender in Costa Rica is legal, no restrictions.
Current status
Since 2018
Legal, no restrictions
Legal since 2018.
Details · Accurate? Yes No
Added by Ausyk · 0 accurate votes · Report Error · Log
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Costa Rica
?
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Costa Rica is ambiguous.
Current status
Since Jun 6, 2022
Ambiguous
Recognized in immigration documents.
Details · Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
thecostaricanews.com/costa-…
Added by Notdog1996 · 1 accurate vote · Report Error · Log
LGBT discrimination in Costa Rica
?
LGBT discrimination in Costa Rica is illegal in some contexts.
Current status
Since May 17, 2015
Illegal in some contexts
In addition to the existing HIV/AIDS law, public workers are now also protected. Within federal agencies, same sex partnerships are also required to be recognized as a family when requesting time off for spousal medical emergencies.
Details · Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
ticotimes.net/2015/05/17/co…
Added by vviet93 · 0 accurate votes · Report Error · Log
May 20, 1998–May 17, 2015
Illegal in some contexts
General law on HIV/AIDS protects LGBT people from discrimination in some contexts.
Details · Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
hsph.harvard.edu/population…
Added by vviet93 · 0 accurate votes · Report Error · Log
LGBT employment discrimination in Costa Rica
?
LGBT employment discrimination in Costa Rica is sexual orientation only.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2016
Sexual orientation only
Article 2 of the Law on Labour Procedural Reform (Law No. 9,343) (2016) amended Article 404 of the Labour Code to include sexual orientation among prohibited grounds for discrimination in employment.
Details · Accurate? Yes No
Added by Ausyk · 0 accurate votes · Report Error · Log
LGBT housing discrimination in Costa Rica
?
LGBT housing discrimination in Costa Rica is no protections.
Current status
No protections
According to ILGA, laws in force in Costa Rica do not offer protection against LGBT discrimination in housing.
Details · Accurate? Yes No
Added by Ausyk · 0 accurate votes · Report Error · Log
Same-sex adoption in Costa Rica
?
Same-sex adoption in Costa Rica is legal.
Current status
Since May 26, 2020
Legal
Adoption was legalized for gay couples when gay marriage became legal. Single individuals (whether gay or straight) have been allowed to adopt equally before then.
Details · Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-…
ameliarueda.com/nota/tres-f…
ameliarueda.com/nota/nuevas…
lateja.cr/nacional/pareja-g…
dw.com/es/el-matrimonio-igu…�rica/a-53576893
Added by maraya · 0 accurate votes · Report Error · Log
Serving openly in military in Costa Rica
?
Serving openly in military in Costa Rica is n/a.
Current status
N/A
Costa Rica does not have a military.
Details · Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
dev.prenhall.com/divisions/…
Added by danlev · 0 accurate votes · Report Error · Log
Blood donations by MSMs in Costa Rica
?
Blood donations by MSMs in Costa Rica is legal.
Current status
Legal
No restrictions about gay sex
Details · Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
bbc.com/mundo/noticias/2015…
Added by Simo · 0 accurate votes · Report Error · Log
Conversion therapy in Costa Rica
?
Conversion therapy in Costa Rica is not banned.
Current status
Equal age of consent in Costa Rica
?
Equal age of consent in Costa Rica is equal.
Current status
LGBT Rights by Province
View the LGBT laws in each individual province of Costa Rica.
- Alajuela
- Cartago
- Guanacaste
- Heredia
- Limón
- Puntarenas
- San José
Equality Index ?
68 / 100
Legal Rights
86 / 100
Public Opinion
50 / 100
Equality Rank
View All
- #32 Italy68
- #33 Slovenia68
- #34 San Marino68
#35 Costa Rica
68
- #36 Greece68
- #37 Liechtenstein66
- #38 Estonia66
#101
Interest Rank based on Equaldex traffic ?
Top Contributors
- Ausyk 5 contributions
- vviet93 4 contributions
- Simo 1 contribution
- Mikeylito 1 contribution
- equaldex 1 contribution
- maraya 1 contribution
Costa Rica LGBT Organizations
Costa Rica LGBTIQ Chamber of Commerce- Irca Casa Abierta
- Siwo Alâr Hombres Trans CR
- Transvida
Suggest an organization
LGBT Costa Rica Flag
Compare Costa Rica
Common queries:
- Is it illegal to be gay in Costa Rica?
- Is hom*osexuality legal in Costa Rica?
- Is gay marriage legal in Costa Rica?
