Uruguay

Demographics

Estimated Total Population:

3.46 million

World Bank, 2019

Estimated SGM Population:

N/A

N/A

Estimated Total SGM Adult Population:

N/A

N/A

Estimated % of SGM Adults (18+):

N/A

N/A

Globally, Uruguay is known to be very socially inclusive. In 2009, laws that allowed adoption for same-sex couples and gender identities to be included on official documents were passed. In 2013, Uruguay legalized same-sex marriage. Currently, limited research is available on the size of the LGBT+ population. Some size estimates have been calculated for men who have sex with men (25,300) and transgender (1,600) populations (UNAIDS, 2019). Research has also indicated thatUruguay is one of the most secular countries in Latin America; about 40% of Uruguayans are unaffiliated with a religion (Pew Research Trust, 2019). However, discrimination against LGBT+ populations may not be directly correlated to religion.Homophobic and transphobic attitudes and discrimination and violence against LGBT+ individuals persist in Uruguay. Limited monitoring mechanisms reduce the availability of data and comprehensive anti-discrimination policies have yet to be passed.

Uruguay's Laws and Policies from ILGA World Report (2019)

RECOGNITION
Marriage for Same-Sex Couples
Yes
Civil Unions
Yes
Joint Adoption
Yes
Second Parent Adoption
Yes
PROTECTION
Employment Nondiscrimination Laws
Yes
Broad Protections
Yes*
Criminalization of Violence
Yes
Ban of Conversion Therapy
No

*no constitutional protections

CRIMINALIZATION
Consensual Same-Sex Acts are Legal?
Yes
Gender
Does Not Apply
Max Penalty (Yrs in Prison)
Does Not Apply

Selected Published Studies, Reports, and Other Documents

Brown, C., Contreras, D., & Schmidt, L. (2019). Sexual Orientation and Labor Force Participation: Findings from Chile and Uruguay. Feminist Economics, 25(2), 90-115. doi:10.1080/13545701.2018.1554905

Human Rights Violations Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) People in Uruguay: A Shadow Report. (2013). Retrieved from https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CCPR/Shared%20Documents/URY/INT_CCPR_NGO_URY_15358_E.pdf

Malta, M., Cardoso, R., Montenegro, L., Jesus, J., Seixas, M., Benevides, B., . . . Whetten, K. (2019). Sexual and gender minorities rights in Latin America and the Caribbean: A multi-country evaluation. BMC International Health and Human Rights, 19. doi:10.1186/s12914-019-0217-3

Uruguay: Country report for use in Canadian refugee claims based on persecution on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. (2015). Retrieved from https://ihrp.law.utoronto.ca/utfl_file/count/media/Uruguay%20Report-%20Final.pdf

Uruguay: Situation and treatment of sexual minorities, including legislation; state protection and support services (2012 -February 2014). (2014). Retrieved from https://www.refworld.org/docid/54bf66204.html

Villar, F., Serrat, R., de Sao José, J. M., Montero, M., Giuliani, M. F., Carbajal, M., . . . Tirro, V. (2019). Disclosing Lesbian and Gay Male Sexual Orientation in Later Life: Attitudes of Younger and Older Generations in Eight Latin American Countries. Journal of Homosexuality, 66(11), 1546-1569. doi:10.1080/00918369.2018.1503462

Violence against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Persons in the Americas. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/reports/pdfs/ViolenceLGBTIPersons.pdf