LGBTQ Legal Status
The history of LGBT rights in Sweden is widely regarded as one of the most progressive in the world. However, it also contains a dark chapter regarding the treatment of transgender people (forced sterilization), which the state has only recently rectified. Sweden was the first country in the world to allow legal gender change and the first to offer financial compensation for state-enforced sterilization.
Here is the historical overview of the legalization of homosexuality and gay rights in Sweden.
Phase I: Decriminalization & The "Sickness" Protest (1944–1979)
While Sweden decriminalized homosexuality relatively early, it maintained a medical view of the subject for decades, treating it as a mental disorder until a famous act of civil disobedience forced a change.
1944: Decriminalization. The Swedish Parliament decriminalizes homosexual acts between consenting adults.
However, a discriminatory age of consent was introduced: 18 for same-sex acts, while it was 15 for heterosexuals.
1972: First Gender Recognition Law.
Sweden becomes the first country in the world to pass a law allowing transgender people to legally change their gender and access free hormone therapy.
The Catch: The law required applicants to be unmarried, Swedish citizens, and sterilized (permanently infertile).
1978: Age of Consent Equalized. The age of consent is equalized at 15 for everyone.
1979 (August): The "Calling in Gay" Protest.
Frustrated that the National Board of Health still classified homosexuality as a mental illness, activists organized a unique protest.
Swedes began calling in sick to work, claiming they were "feeling too gay to work" that day.
The protest worked. Within weeks, the Board of Health became the first in Europe to declassify homosexuality as an illness.
Phase II: The "Sambolagen" & Partnerships (1987–2008)
Sweden pioneered the legal recognition of cohabiting couples (sambo), creating a pragmatic legal framework that eventually expanded to include same-sex couples.
1987: A ban on discrimination against homosexuals is added to the Penal Code.
1988: The Homosexual Cohabitees Act is passed, granting same-sex live-in partners (sambo) limited rights regarding shared property and inheritance, similar to unmarried straight couples.
1995: Registered Partnerships (Registrerat partnerskap) are introduced.
Sweden follows Denmark and Norway in creating a "marriage-like" status.
It granted all the rights of marriage, except for adoption and church weddings.
2003: Adoption Rights. The law is amended to allow registered partners to adopt children jointly (both domestic and international).
2005: Lesbian couples are granted equal access to state-funded assisted insemination and IVF.
Phase III: Marriage & The Church (2009)
Unlike countries where religious institutions fought marriage equality, the Church of Sweden (Lutheran) actively supported it.
2009 (May 1): Same-Sex Marriage Legalized.
The Parliament passes a gender-neutral Marriage Act (261 votes to 22).
Registered partnerships are discontinued for new couples (existing ones remain or can be converted).
2009 (October): The Church of Sweden votes overwhelmingly to perform same-sex weddings.
This made it one of the first major national churches in the world to bless gay marriages.
Phase IV: Trans Rights & Bodily Autonomy (2013–Present)
The modern era has been defined by the state reckoning with its history of eugenics and forced sterilization, leading to historic reparations.
2013: Forced Sterilization Ban.
The Administrative Court of Appeals rules that the requirement for transgender people to be sterilized to change their legal gender is unconstitutional.
The practice is immediately stopped.
2018: State Compensation (World First).
The Swedish government agrees to pay financial compensation to transgender people who were forcibly sterilized between 1972 and 2013.
Each victim received approx. 225,000 SEK (€21,000).
2024 (April): New Gender Identity Law.
The Parliament passes a new law to modernize legal gender recognition (entering into force July 1, 2025).
Self-ID (Partial): It removes the requirement for a medical diagnosis of "gender dysphoria" to change legal gender.
Age Lowered: The age limit is lowered from 18 to 16 (with parental/guardian consent).
Historical Timeline
1944 : Decriminalization of homosexuality.
1972 : First Gender Recognition Law (Required sterilization).
1979 : Declassified as mental illness (after "Calling in Gay" protest).
1995 : Registered Partnerships legalized.
2003 : Full joint adoption legalized.
2005 : IVF access for lesbian couples legalized.
2009 : Same-sex Marriage legalized (Civil & Church).
2013 : Forced sterilization of trans people banned.
2018 : State pays compensation to sterilized trans people.
2025 : New Gender Law (Diagnosis removed; Age lowered to 16).
