Protection Against Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation
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EQUALITY FRA Protection against discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics in the characteristics and sex gender identity orientation, sexual of on grounds discrimination against Protection Protection against discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics in the EU Comparative legal analysis Update 2015 EU The report addresses matters relating to the right to life (Article 2), freedom from degrading treatment (Article 4), respect forprivate and family life (Article 7), the right to marry and found a family (Article 9), freedom of expression and information (Article 11), freedom of assembly (Article 12), the right to asylum (Article 18), the principle of non-discrimination (Article 21),and freedom of movement and residence (Article 45) falling under Chapters I ‘Dignity’, II ‘Freedoms’, III ‘Equality’ and V ‘Citizens’ rights’ of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Europe Direct is a service to help you find answers to your questions about the European Union. Freephone number (*): 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (*) The information given is free, as are most calls (though some operators, phone boxes or hotels may charge you). Photo (cover & inside): iStock More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu). FRA – European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights Schwarzenbergplatz 11 – 1040 Vienna – Austria Tel. +43 158030-0 – Fax +43 158030-699 fra.europa.eu – [email protected] Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2015 Paper ISBN 978-92-9239-892-7 doi:10.2811/556190 TK-02-15-554-EN-C PDF ISBN 978-92-9239-891-0 doi:10.2811/054312 TK-02-15-554-EN-N © European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2015 Reproduction is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged. Printed in Luxembourg Printed on process chlorine-free recycled paper Protection against discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics in the EU Comparative legal analysis Update 2015 Foreword Protecting and promoting the fundamental rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons is an important component of the European Union’s agenda. Following a European Parliament request for compre- hensive research on homophobia and discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, FRA has regularly provided reports on homophobia, transphobia and discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity in the European Union (EU). In the present legal update, FRA for the first time also explores in-depth the fundamental rights situation of intersex people in the EU, focusing on concerns relating to registration of children’s sex at birth and to medical treatments aiming to ‘normalise’ the sex characteristics of intersex children – issues that FRA’s research has revealed as being particularly vital for their protection. Numerous examples across the EU illustrate that progress has been made in the protection against discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics since 2010. EU legislation has clearly had a positive impact in the field of employment: effective implementation of the Employment Equality Directive in national legislation and case law has resulted in rulings that promote fairer working environments and increasingly equal access to employment-related partner benefits by LGBTI persons. The present report, however, also identifies developments that prompt concern. Important issues relating to LGBTI people’s enjoyment of their fundamental rights have not yet been addressed at EU level. For example, dis- crimination in areas other than employment – such as in relation to access to good and services, housing, social pro- tection and education – remains unregulated at Union level, often leading to divergent approaches among Member States. Similarly, developments in legislation and practice detrimental to the enjoyment of fundamental rights by LGBTI people in some Member States have become a source of concern. As a result, LGBTI persons are still unable to enjoy their rights and freedoms under EU law on an equal footing with other EU citizens or third-country nationals. As is detailed in this report, incomplete or unclear implementation of the freedom of movement has also created difficulties for LGBTI families in some Member States. While action by the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU can help resolve some of the issues raised in this report, efforts by Member States are particularly crucial, both in terms of cooperating within the Council and when implementing EU legislation and policies at national level. Support from regional and local authorities, as well as cooperation with civil society, are also vital to keep pushing towards making discrimina- tion against LGBTI people a thing of the past. We hope this report encourages all actors to contribute to that process. Constantinos Manolopoulos Director a.i. 3 Contents FOREWORD ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND FRA OPINIONS ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 7 INTRODUCTION ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 13 1 ACCESS TO AND LEGAL RECOGNITION OF THE PREFERRED GENDER ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 15 1.1. ‘De-pathologisation’ of gender nonconformity .................................................................................................. 16 1.2. Access to sex reassignment .................................................................................................................................... 17 1.3. Legal recognition of a person’s gender identity ................................................................................................. 18 2 NON-DISCRIMINATION AND PROMOTING EQUALITY IN EMPLOYMENT ����������������������������������������������������������������� 25 2.1. Substantive issues ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 25 2.2. Implementation and enforcement ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 35 3 LGBTI PEOPLE AND PUBLIC SPACES: FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, ASSEMBLY AND PROTECTION FROM ABUSE AND VIOLENCE ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 47 3.1. Background ............................................................................................................................................................... 47 3.2. LGBTI pride marches and freedom of assembly ................................................................................................. 48 3.3. Bans on disseminating information on homosexuality or on LGBTI expression in the public sphere ....... 53 3.4. Protection from homophobic and transphobic expression and violence through criminal law ����������������� 54 4 THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS SITUATION OF INTERSEX PEOPLE ������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 69 4.1. Background ............................................................................................................................................................... 69 4.2. Grounds for protection from discrimination �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 70 4.3. Registration of sex at birth ..................................................................................................................................... 72 4.4. Medical treatment of intersex children ................................................................................................................ 74 5 ‘FAMILY MEMBERS’ IN FREE MOVEMENT, FAMILY REUNIFICATION AND ASYLUM ����������������������������������������������� 79 5.1. Development of a basic legal framework ............................................................................................................ 80 5.2. Freedom of movement ............................................................................................................................................. 81 5.3. Family reunification under EU migration law ....................................................................................................... 87 5.4. Family members of LGBTI people seeking asylum ............................................................................................. 92 5.5. Children of same-sex couples ................................................................................................................................ 94 6 INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION AND ASYLUM FOR LGBTI PEOPLE ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 97 6.1. Legal and institutional context ............................................................................................................................... 97 6.2. Sexual orientation and gender identity as grounds for the recognition of refugee status ......................