LGBTQ rights in Goiás

LGBTQ rights in Goías
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[4]
Family rights
Recognition of relationshipsSame-sex marriage since 2013[5]
AdoptionLegal since 2015[5]

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people in the Brazilian state of Goías enjoy many of the same legal protections available to non-LGBTQ people. Homosexuality is legal in the state.

Legality

Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Brazil since 1830.[6]

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Goiás since 2013 via a decision by the National Council of Justice, in compliance with a previous decision of the Supreme Federal Court in 2011.[7]

Since 2015, same-sex adoption has been officially permitted in the state through a decision by the Supreme Federal Court.[5]

Hate crimes and discrimination law

In 2019, discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity was banned through a decision by the Supreme Federal Court.[4]

The state of Goiás has decrees, such as Decree No. 9,755/2020, that establish guidelines and define LGBTphobic violence (including discrimination, bullying, and cyberbullying).[8]

Gender identity and expression

The Supreme Federal Court of Brazil ruled on 1 March 2018, that a transgender person has the right to change their official name and sex without the need of surgery or professional evaluation, just by self-declaration of their psychosocial identity.[9]

On 3 July 2014, the Goiás State Board of Education approved a rule authorizing transgender and travesti students to use their social names in schools.[10]

In 2015, the city of Novo Gama enacted a law prohibiting transgender people from using public restrooms in accordance with their gender identity. The law was challenged by the Associação Nacional de Travestis e Transexuais, prompting Supreme Court Justice Cármen Lúcia to set a deadline of 11 June 2024, for the municipal government to provide an explanation regarding the law.[11][12][13]

Third gender option

In February 2020, Mar Dias, a non-binary person, sought assistance from the Public Defender's Office of the State of Goiás to change their documents to reflect their gender identity.[14] After the registry offices initially denied the Public Defender's request, the Public Defender's Office petitioned the Court of Justice of Goiás to rectify Mar's documents. The Court issued a favorable decision on 28 August 2023.[14]

On 29 January 2025, Kali Julie Dias sought assistance from the state's Public Defender's Office to change her name and gender marker on her documents.[15] Following a lawsuit filed by the Public Defender's Office, a court in Goianira authorized the name change, but not the gender change, citing the absence of a specific law for the recognition of non-binary individuals.[15] The Public Defender's Office appealed to the Court of Justice, which authorized the change of gender marker on 12 December 2025.[15]

Education

On 20 February 2020, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued a preliminary injunction striking down a 2015 law from the city of Novo Gama that banned the teaching of "gender ideology" in the city's schools. The Supreme Court voted unanimously to struck down the law on April 25.[16][17]

On 12 December 2021, the mayor of Águas Lindas de Goiás, Lucas de Carvalho Antonietti, signed a law prohibiting the use of gender-neutral language in the city's schools.[18] The law was overturned by a preliminary injunction issued by Justice Alexandre de Moraes in May 2024,[19] and struck down by the Supreme Federal Court in March 2026.[20]

On 24 August 2022, the Legislative Assembly of Goiás approved a bill to ban discussions on sexuality and gender—referred to as "gender ideology"—in the state's schools. The bill has not yet been signed into law or vetoed by the state governor.[21][22]

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 2019)[4]
Anti-discrimination laws in the provision of goods and services Yes (Since 2019)[4]
Anti-discrimination laws in all other areas (Incl. indirect discrimination, hate speech) Yes (Since 2019)[4]
LGBTQ subjects free from censorship in education Yes (Since 2026)[20]
Transgender people allowed to use restrooms and other gender-segregated spaces that correspond with their gender identity Yes/No (Banned in Novo Gama since 2015)[13]
Same-sex marriages Yes (Since 2013)
Recognition of same-sex couples Yes (Since 2011)
Stepchild adoption by same-sex couples Yes (Nationwide since 2015)
Joint adoption by same-sex couples Yes (Nationwide since 2015)
LGBTQ people allowed to serve openly in the military Yes
Right to change legal gender Yes (Since 2008; gender self-identification since 2018)
Third gender option Yes/No (Allowed in some cases, without specific legislation)[14][15]
Conversion therapy by medical professionals banned Yes (Since 1999 for homosexuals and since 2018 for transgender people)[23][24]
Access to IVF for lesbians Yes (Since 2013)[25]
Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples No (Banned for any couple regardless of sexual orientation)
MSMs allowed to donate blood Yes (Since 2020)[26]

References

  1. ↑ "LEI DE 16 DE DEZEMBRO DE 1830" [LAW OF 16 DECEMBER 1830]. Palácio do Planalto (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 10 May 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  2. ↑ "STJ autoriza transexual a mudar nome e sexo na certidão de nascimento" [Superior Court of Justice authorizes transgender woman to change name and gender on birth certificate]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 16 August 2025. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  3. ↑ "Final feliz na caserna". blogdofavre.ig.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2011-10-05. Retrieved 2025-12-09.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Brazil Supreme Court rules homophobia a crime". Reuters. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 "Casal homoafetivo pode adotar?" [Can a same-sex couple adopt?]. Jusbrasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2024-05-04. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  6. ↑ "Brazil - BRAZZIL - Gays in the early 1900s in Brazil - Homosexualism in Brazil - March 2000". www.brazzil.com. Archived from the original on 28 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  7. ↑ D'Agostino, Rosanne (May 14, 2013). "Entenda o casamento gay em cartório" [Understand gay marriage in the registry office]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). São Paulo. Archived from the original on August 3, 2025. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  8. ↑ Caiado, Ronaldo (30 November 2020). "DECRETO Nº 9.755, DE 30 DE NOVEMBRO DE 2020" [DECREE No. 9,755, OF 30 NOVEMBER 2020] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Governo do Estado de Goías. Archived from the original on June 7, 2026. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Dia da Visibilidade Trans: decisões do STF garantem direitos de travestis e transexuais" [Trans Visibility Day: Supreme Court decisions guarantee the rights of travestis and transsexuals]. Supreme Federal Court (in Brazilian Portuguese). January 29, 2025. Archived from the original on 25 July 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  10. ↑ "RESOLUÇÃO CEE/CP N. 2, DE 3 DE JULHO DE 2014" [CEE/CP RESOLUTION NO. 2, OF 3 JULY 2014] (PDF). Cercomp (in Brazilian Portuguese). 3 July 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  11. ↑ Aguiar, Victor (10 June 2024). "Cidade de GO terá de explicar ao STF lei que proíbe mulheres trans de usarem banheiro feminino" [A city in Goiás will have to explain to the Supreme Court a law that prohibits transgender women from using women's restrooms]. CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Cármen Lúcia exige que cidade em Goiás explique lei que proíbe trans de usarem banheiros" [Cármen Lúcia demands that a city in Goiás explain the law that prohibits transgender people from using restrooms]. CartaCapital (in Brazilian Portuguese). 10 June 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  13. 1 2 Steil, Juliana (11 June 2024). "Entenda por que STF questiona cidade sobre banheiro proibido para trans" [Understand why the Supreme Court is questioning a city about the ban on public restrooms for transgender people]. Valor Econômico (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 Lacerda, Victoria (5 September 2023). "Pessoa não-binária ganha direito de alterar registro de gênero na identidade: 'Um grande passo'" [Non-binary person wins right to change gender on identity card: 'A big step']. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Costa, Amanda (26 January 2026). "Direito ao gênero não-binário em registro civil é garantido com atuação da DPE-GO" [The right to non-binary gender in civil registration is guaranteed through the actions of the Public Defender's Office of Goiás]. Defensoria Pública do Estado de Goiás (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  16. ↑ "É inconstitucional lei que proíbe ensino de "ideologia de gênero", decide STF" [Supreme Court rules that law prohibiting the teaching of "gender ideology" is unconstitutional]. Migalhas (in Brazilian Portuguese). 26 April 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "É inconstitucional lei que veta discussão de gênero em escolas" [A law that prohibits discussion of gender in schools is unconstitutional]. Consultor Jurídico (in Brazilian Portuguese). 25 April 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  18. ↑ de Carvalho Antonietti, Lucas (16 December 2021). "Lei 1.528/2021" [Law 1.528/2021]. Prefeitura de Águas Lindas de Goiás (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  19. ↑ "Moraes suspende leis que proíbem uso e ensino de linguagem neutra em cidades de MG e GO" [Moraes suspends laws prohibiting the use and teaching of gender-neutral language in cities in Minas Gerais and Goiás]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 20 May 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  20. 1 2 Alves, Mateus Silva (2 March 2026). "STF anula leis que proibiam linguagem neutra nas escolas" [Supreme Court overturns laws prohibiting gender-neutral language in schools]. Consultor Jurídico (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  21. ↑ Nomura, Bruno (26 August 2022). "Deputados de Goiás aprovam lei que proíbe 'ideologia de gênero' em escolas" [Goiás representatives approve law prohibiting 'gender ideology' in schools]. Agência Diadorim (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  22. ↑ Santana, Vitor (25 August 2022). "Deputados aprovam projeto que proíbe 'ideologia de gênero' nas escolas de Goiás" [Representatives approve bill banning 'gender ideology' in Goiás schools]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  23. ↑ "RESOLUÇÃO CFP N° 001/99 DE 22 DE MARÇO DE 1999" [CFP RESOLUTION NO. 001/99 OF 22 MARCH 1999] (PDF). Federal Council of Psychology (in Brazilian Portuguese). 22 March 1999. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  24. ↑ "RESOLUÇÃO Nº 1, DE 29 DE JANEIRO DE 2018" [RESOLUTION No. 1, OF 29 JANUARY 2018] (PDF). Federal Council of Psychology (in Brazilian Portuguese). 29 January 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  25. ↑ "Casais gays ganham direito ao uso de fertilização in vitro" [Gay couples gain the right to use in vitro fertilization]. O Globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 8 May 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Após decisão do Supremo, Hemocentro de Brasília muda protocolos e aceita doação de sangue de homens LGBT" [Following a Supreme Court decision, the Brasília Blood Center changes its protocols and accepts blood donations from LGBT men]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 19 June 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
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