LGBTQ rights in Alagoas

LGBTQ rights in Alagoas
Legal statusLegal since 1830,[1] age of consent equalised
Gender identityGender change allowed,[2] official standard for altering legal sex doesn't require surgery since 2018
MilitaryAllowed to serve openly[3]
Discrimination protectionsYes, since 2019
Family rights
Recognition of relationshipsSame-sex marriage since 2011[4][5]
AdoptionLegal since 2010[6]

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people in the Brazilian state of Alagoas enjoy many of the same legal protections available to non-LGBTQ people. It was the first Brazilian state to recognize same-sex marriages without requiring judicial approval.[7]

Recognition of same-sex unions

On December 7, 2011, the Court of Alagoas legalized same-sex marriage throughout the state of Alagoas, being the first Brazilian state to do so. Same-sex couples don't need to have judge's approval to have a marriage license.[8]

Gender identity and expression

In March 2018, the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court unanimously ruled that transgender people may change their legal gender without undergoing surgery or hormonal therapy, which were previously requirements. A transgender individual seeking to change their gender to reflect their gender identity can now simply apply to do so at a registry post in the country, without the need of a judicial document or any medical report.[9]

On October 15, 2021, Fênix da Silva Leite became the first non-binary person to change their documents in the state, through a court decision.[10]

Discrimination protections

In March 22, 2001, the Legislative Assembly of Alagoas enacted Constitutional Amendment No. 23, prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation.[11]

Since 2019, discrimination based on gender identity has been prohibited nationwide in Brazil, through a decision by the Supreme Federal Court.[12]

Censorship

On May 5, 2016,[13] Alagoas enacted a law establishing the Escola Livre program (lit. 'Free School'), which prohibits "ideological and political indoctrination" in the state's schools.[14][15] On March 21, 2017, Supreme Court Justice Luís Roberto Barroso suspended the law through a preliminary injunction.[14]

On March 3, 2026, the Legislative Assembly of Alagoas enacted a law prohibiting the participation of children and adolescents in pride parades in the state.[16] The law was challenged in the Supreme Federal Court by LGBTQ rights organizations.[17][18]

Summary table

Same-sex sexual activity legal Yes (Since 1830)
Equal age of consent Yes (Since 1830)
Anti-discrimination laws in employment only Yes (Since 2001 for sexual orientation; since 2019 for gender identity)
Anti-discrimination laws in the provision of goods and services Yes (Since 2001 for sexual orientation; since 2019 for gender identity)
Anti-discrimination laws in all other areas (Incl. indirect discrimination, hate speech) Yes (Since 2001 for sexual orientation; since 2019 for gender identity)
LGBTQ subjects free from censorship in education Yes (Since 2017; ban revoked)[14]
Freedom of expression Yes/No (Restricted at pride parades since 2026)[17]
Same-sex marriages Yes (Since 2011)[8]
Recognition of same-sex couples Yes (Since 2011)
Stepchild adoption by same-sex couples Yes (Officially permitted since 2010)
Joint adoption by same-sex couples Yes (Officially permitted since 2010)
LGBTQ people allowed to serve openly in the military Yes
Right to change legal gender Yes (Since 2008; gender self-identification since 2018)[9]
Third gender option Yes/No (Allowed in one case by court order)[10]
Conversion therapy by medical professionals banned Yes (Since 1999 for homosexuals and since 2018 for transgender people)[19][20]
Access to IVF for lesbians Yes (Since 2013)[21]
Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples No (Banned for any couple regardless of sexual orientation)
MSMs allowed to donate blood Yes (Since 2020)[22]

References

  1. ↑ "LEI DE 16 DE DEZEMBRO DE 1830". planalto.gov.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  2. ↑ Abreu, Diego (October 15, 2009). "STJ autoriza transexual a mudar nome e sexo na certidão de nascimento". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  3. ↑ do Amaral Jorge, Marcos (June 25, 2025). "Presença de grupos LGBT no exército brasileiro ainda enfrenta resistências, sugere pesquisa". Jornal da Unesp (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 8, 2026. Ele ressalta que a proibição a qualquer tipo de discriminação, tal como assegurada pela Constituição Federal, implica que, de um ponto de vista prático e normativo, não haja qualquer veto à presença de pessoas gays, lésbicas ou bissexuais nas forças armadas. [He emphasizes that the prohibition of any type of discrimination, as guaranteed by the Federal Constitution, implies that, from a practical and normative point of view, there is no veto on the presence of gay, lesbian, or bisexual people in the armed forces.]
  4. ↑ "CNJ determina que cartórios terão de reconhecer união de pessoas do mesmo sexo". Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  5. ↑ Brocchetto, Marilia (May 15, 2013). "Brazilian judicial council orders notaries to recognize same-sex marriage". CNN. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
  6. ↑ Matsuura, Lilian (April 5, 2006). "Justiça gaúcha autoriza adoção por casal homossexual". Consultor Jurídico. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
  7. ↑ K. Lavers, Michael (December 21, 2012). "São Paulo to allow same-sex marriage". Washington Blade. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved May 8, 2026. Alagoas in January became the first Brazilian state to extend marriage to same-sex couples without judicial approval.
  8. 1 2 "Alagoas regulamenta o casamento civil entre gays em todos os cartórios do estado - Brasil em Política no A Capa". Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
  9. 1 2 Alface, Felipe (March 3, 2018). "Brazil transgender groups welcome landmark court rulings". Washington Blade. Archived from the original on March 26, 2019. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Justiça de Alagoas reconhece pela 1ª vez uma pessoa não-binária: 'Eu sempre fui Fênix'". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). October 15, 2021. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  11. ↑ "EMENDA CONSTITUCIONAL Nº 23/2001" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of Alagoas (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Majority in Brazil's top court to make homophobia and transphobia crimes". BBC News. May 24, 2019. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  13. ↑ "LEI ORDINARIA nº 7.800, de 05 de maio de 2016". Legislative Assembly of Alagoas. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 Pontes, Felipe (March 22, 2017). "STF suspende lei que instituiu o programa Escola Livre em Alagoas". Agência Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  15. ↑ Pezzuto, Thiago (January 1, 2023). "Blowtorching Freirean Thought Out of Bolsonaro's Brazil: Alagoas's Escola Livre Law". Latin American Perspectives. 50 (1): 218–236. doi:10.1177/0094582X221147894. ISSN 0094-582X.
  16. ↑ Alvorável, Adja (March 11, 2026). "STF pede explicações sobre lei que veta crianças em parada LGBTQIA+ em AL". Jornal Extra de Alagoas (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Entidades questionam lei que proíbe crianças em paradas LGBT+". Consultor Jurídico. March 9, 2026. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  18. ↑ Alvorável, Adja (March 7, 2026). "Lei de AL que proíbe crianças e adolescentes em paradas LGBTQIA+ vai ao STF". Jornal Extra de Alagoas (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  19. ↑ "RESOLUÇÃO CFP N° 001/99 DE 22 DE MARÇO DE 1999" (PDF). site.cfp.org.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  20. ↑ "RESOLUÇÃO Nº 1, DE 29 DE JANEIRO DE 2018" (PDF). site.cfp.org.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Casais gays ganham direito ao uso de fertilização in vitro". O Globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). May 8, 2013. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Após decisão do Supremo, Hemocentro de Brasília muda protocolos e aceita doação de sangue de homens LGBT". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). June 19, 2020. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
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