LGBTQ rights in Pernambuco

LGBTQ rights in Pernambuco
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 2013[4]
AdoptionLegal since 2010[5]

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco enjoy many of the same legal protections available to non-LGBTQ people.[6] Homosexuality is legal in the state.

Legality

Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Brazil since 1830.[7]

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Pernambuco since 2013 via a decision by the National Council of Justice, in compliance with a previous decision of the Supreme Federal Court in 2011.[4]

Adoption and parenting

On 9 October 2008, a decision of judge Élio Braz of the 2nd Court of Childhood and Adolescence in Recife, permitted the adoption of two sisters by a male homosexual couple of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte to be entered in the register of adoption. The girls, who were in a shelter, were given new birth certificates on which they appear as children of two parents. The Public Prosecutor agreed with the court ruling and declined to take further action. The judge said the decision is unique due to the joint request of two persons of one sex with an entry in the register, in the same manner as a heterosexual couple.[8]

Since 2010, same-sex adoption has been officially permitted in the state through a decision by the Supreme Federal Court.[5]

On 2 March 2012, a court in Recife authorized the adoption of a baby by a gay couple, being the first gay couple to register a child with both fathers' names in the country.[9]

Discrimination protections

Since 2019, discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity has been prohibited nationwide in Brazil, through a decision by the Supreme Federal Court.[10]

On 13 July 2024, the president of the Legislative Assembly of Pernambuco signed Law No. 18,634, which establishes the State Policy for Combating Violence against LGBTQIA+ People.[11]

In June 2026, state representative João Paulo (PT) presented a bill to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the Unified Health System.[12]

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.[13]

In 2023, following a lawsuit filed by the Public Defender's Office of Pernambuco in 2022, the Court of Justice of Pernambuco authorized Tarlazza Messina to change their documents to reflect their gender identity, making them the first non-binary person to do so in the state.[14][15]

Education

On 13 December 2017, the mayor of Garanhuns, Izaías Régis, signed a law prohibiting "gender ideology" in the city's schools.[16] On 15 October 2025, the Supreme Federal Court struck down the law,[17][18][19] after lawsuits filed by the Prosecutor General of the Republic and the Socialism and Liberty Party.[20]

References

  1. ↑ "LEI DE 16 DE DEZEMBRO DE 1830" [LAW OF 16 DECEMBER 1830]. www.planalto.gov.br (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. ↑ do Amaral Jorge, Marcos (25 June 2025). "Presença de grupos LGBT no exército brasileiro ainda enfrenta resistências, sugere pesquisa" [The presence of LGBT groups in the Brazilian army still faces resistance, research suggests]. Jornal da Unesp (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 10 April 2026. Retrieved 8 June 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. 1 2 D'Agostino, Rosanne (14 May 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 3 August 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Casal homoafetivo pode adotar?" [Can a same-sex couple adopt?]. Jusbrasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 4 May 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  6. ↑ "Direitos da População LGBTQIA+ em Pernambuco" (PDF). sigas.pe.gov.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  7. ↑ "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.
  8. ↑ "Casal gay do RN adota crianças pelo cadastro de adoção" [Gay couple from Rio Grande do Norte adopts children through adoption registry]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  9. ↑ "Casal gay de Pernambuco se torna o primeiro caso de dupla paternidade do país" [A gay couple from Pernambuco becomes the first case of dual paternity in the country]. mixbrasil.uol.com.br. Archived from the original on 2 May 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  10. ↑ "Majority in Brazil's top court to make homophobia and transphobia crimes". BBC News. 24 May 2019. Archived from the original on 24 May 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  11. ↑ "LEI Nº 18.634, DE 4 DE JULHO DE 2024" [LAW NO. 18,634, OF 4 JULY 2024.]. Legislative Assembly of Pernambuco (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 17 January 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  12. ↑ "Em Pernambuco, projeto de lei visa reduzir preconceito no SUS e qualificar atendimento à população LGBT na rede de saúde pública" [In Pernambuco, a bill aims to reduce prejudice in the public healthcare system and improve care for the LGBT population within the public health network]. Brasil de Fato (in Brazilian Portuguese). 3 June 2026. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "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). 29 January 2025. Archived from the original on 25 July 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  14. ↑ Alves, Pedro (16 February 2023). "Justiça reconhece gênero 'não binárie' pela 1ª vez em Pernambuco e jovem tem certidão de nascimento retificada" [Court recognizes 'non-binary' gender for the first time in Pernambuco, and young person has their birth certificate rectified]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 9 January 2026. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  15. ↑ Afonso Panho, Isabella (20 February 2023). "Justiça reconhece gênero 'não-binárie' a modelo em Pernambuco" [Court recognizes model's gender as 'non-binary' in Pernambuco]. Estadão (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 25 July 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  16. ↑ "Lei sancionada em Garanhuns veda ideologia de gênero nas escolas" [Law passed in Garanhuns bans gender ideology in schools]. JC (in Brazilian Portuguese). 13 December 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  17. ↑ Juliana, Larissa (16 October 2025). "STF derruba lei que proibia ensino sobre gênero em Garanhuns" [Supreme Court overturns law prohibiting gender studies in Garanhuns]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 17 November 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  18. ↑ Richter, André (15 October 2025). "STF suspende leis que proibiram ensino de gênero nas escolas" [Supreme Court suspends laws that prohibited gender studies in schools]. Agência Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 3 December 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  19. ↑ Abrão, Camila (16 October 2025). "STF derruba leis municipais que proibiam ensino de gênero" [Supreme Court overturns municipal laws that prohibited gender studies]. Gazeta do Povo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 24 October 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  20. ↑ "Brazil's STF rules against banning gender studies at schools". MercoPress. 16 October 2025. Archived from the original on 14 May 2026. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
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