LGBTQ rights in Kosovo
LGBTQ rights in Kosovo | |
|---|---|
| Legal status | Legal since 1858 when part of the Ottoman Empire, criminalized upon incorporation into the Kingdom of Serbia in 1913, again made legal in 1994 as part of Yugoslavia |
| Gender identity | Transgender people not permitted to change legal gender |
| Military | Gay, lesbian and bisexual people allowed to serve openly |
| Discrimination protections | Sexual orientation constitutional and statutory protections (see below) |
| Family rights | |
| Recognition of relationships | No recognition |
| Adoption | Any single person allowed to adopt |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights in Kosovo have improved in recent years, most notably with the adoption of the new Constitution, banning discrimination based on sexual orientation. Kosovo remains one of the few Muslim-majority countries that hold regular pride parades.
The Government of Kosovo is supportive of the country's LGBTQ community. In late 2013, the Parliament Assembly passed a bill to create a coordinating group for the LGBTQ community. On 17 May 2014, well-known politicians and diplomats, including British Ambassador Ian Cliff and several local LGBTQ organizations took to the streets of Pristina to march against homophobia. The event was welcomed by the European Union office in Kosovo, as well as by the government itself. A large LGBTQ flag covered the front side of the government building that night.