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SOUTH AFRICA

Male to Male relationships: Legal
Punishments for male to male relationships: No law
Female to Female Relationships: Legal
Age of consent: Equal for heterosexuals and homosexuals
Marriage and Substitutes for Marriage: Recognized on national level
Is it possible to change your gender on official documents?: Yes

Your Views

Are you LGBTI? We want to hear from you! Help us inform other users of the site with your views on this country. Below is a random question about this country. If it is relevant to you please answer it.

Has being trans affected your job in SOUTH AFRICA? Do you feel limited in your career for being trans?
In too many ways to count (0 %) I changed careers because I am trans (0 %) I feel that I wasn’t promoted because I am trans (0 %) My co-workers harass me because I am trans (0 %) I have not been limited for being trans, though I am out at work (0 %)

The SOUTH AFRICA country survey is populated by LGBTI groups who have acted as liaisons with ILGA to identify issues affecting the LGBTI community.

Organizations were asked to discuss 4 broad subjects: the law, the mood (the social climate), the LGBTI movement as well as what would be, according to them, the most pressing campaign in their country.

Please write to countryreport@ilga.org if you have comments regarding this page.

LAW
What are the laws and policies like for LGBTI people in your country?

Male to Male Relationships

Are male to male sexual relationships legal?
Legal

When was the law removed? (DD/MM/YYYY)
1998

What are the punishments?
No law

Female to Female Relationships

Are female to female sexual relations legal?
Legal

Age of Consent

Is there a different age of consent law for lesbians and gay men to that for straight men and women?
Equal for heterosexuals and homosexuals

When was the law introduced? (DD/MM/YYYY)
2007

Freedom of association, of expression

Unfortunately this part of the law questionnaire is currently empty. If you are a group and want to update this please contact countryreport@ilga.org.

Marriage and Substitutes for Marriage

What types of same sex partnerships are recognized?
Recognized on national level

When was the law introduced? (DD/MM/YYYY)
2006

LGBTI Families/Parenting

Can same sex couples adopt children together?
Yes

When was the law introduced? (DD/MM/YYYY)
2002

Anti-discrimination laws

When was the law introduced? (DD/MM/YYYY)
1994 and 1997

Does the law ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment?
Yes

Armed forces

Unfortunately this part of the law questionnaire is currently empty. If you are a group and want to update this please contact countryreport@ilga.org.

Asylum and Immigration

Prohibition on entry into the country by LGB people
No

Blood donation

How long is the ban?
5 years from date last MSM intercourse

Links related to this section

South African National Blood Service (SANBS), Questionnaire page 2 / 2.3.d. Male Donors

Gender identity

Is it possible to change your gender on official documents?
Yes

When was the law introduced? (DD/MM/YYYY)
2004

HIV/AIDS

Unfortunately this part of the law questionnaire is currently empty. If you are a group and want to update this please contact countryreport@ilga.org.

Information contributed by ILGA, BT, last modified 26/03/2009
This part of the country profile has been originally written in English, it would be helpful if you can speak one of our other languages to help maintain the translated versions of this document. To French To Spanish To Portuguese
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