While there is limited quantitative data on SGM individuals in Costa Rica, the country has made a continued effort to become more inclusive. In 2018, the Costa Rican Supreme Court (Sala IV) ruled that the articles that previously prohibited same-sex marriage were unconstitutional. In late May of 2020, President Quesada of Costa Rica declared that Costa Rica would officially recognize same-sex marriage. There are many public spaces for LGBT individuals, and many travel agencies for LGBT tourists. Despite this, there are currently no legal protections to shield SGM individuals from discrimination.
Marriage for Same-Sex Couples
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Civil Unions
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Joint Adoption
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Second Parent Adoption
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Employment Nondiscrimination Laws
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Broad Protections
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Criminalization of Violence
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Ban of Conversion Therapy
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Consensual Same-Sex Acts are Legal?
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Gender
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Max Penalty (Yrs in Prison)
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Barker, R. S. (2015). Inverting Human Rights: The Inter-American Court versus Costa Rica. The University of Miami Inter-American Law Review, 47(1), 1–19. JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26788275?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
Costa Rica Is an Eco-Destination—It’s Also a Gay One. (2019, January 31). https://www.advocate.com/travel/2019/1/31/costa-rica-eco-destination-its-also-gay-one
Lester, T. (2011). Machismo at the Crossroads—Recent Developments in Costa Rican Gay Rights Law. Michigan State University College of Law International Law Review, 20(2), 421–440. https://heinonline.org/HOL/P?h=hein.journals/mistjintl20&i=427
Pineda Neisa, A. S., & Duran Chavarria, D. (n.d.). Progress and challenges in the Costa Rican penitentiary system on the specific needs of LGBTI persons deprived of liberty. Journal of Criminological Research Policy and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRPP-02-2020-0024
Thayer, M. (1997). Identity, Revolution, and Democracy: Lesbian Movements in Central America. Social Problems, 44(3), 386–407. JSTOR. https://doi.org/10.2307/3097184
Wheeler, J., Anfinson, K., Valvert, D., & Lungo, S. (2014). Is violence associated with increased risk behavior among MSM? Evidence from a population-based survey conducted across nine cities in Central America. Global Health Action, 7(1), 24814. https://doi.org/10.3402/gha.v7.24814