Homosexuality in Costa Rica

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Costa Rica

Costa Rica can be classified as a rather conservative country when it comes to sexual orientation and gender awareness. The population is over 75% Catholic and lives in a machismo culture. Homosexuality is seen as immoral, but ignored if it is only lived out in private. For most Costa Ricans, sex is an intimate personal matter that is not discussed or asked about in public.

The registered partnership was legitimized in Costa Rica from July 2013. Costa Rica was the first country in Central America to introduce same-sex marriage on May 26, 2020 .

legality

The sexual act between adult same-sex people in private space has not been a crime since 1976. The age of consent for homosexual intercourse is 17 years, for heterosexual acts between 15 and 16 years, depending on the circumstances.

Anti-discrimination laws

There is no legislation protecting homosexuals or transsexuals from discrimination in public or in the workplace. This means that such people are often exposed to harassment and discrimination.

The Supreme Court and the Human Rights Committee drew up regulations in the 1990s that protect the right of homosexuals to form clubs and organizations, and to run bars and nightclubs. With this new provision some weakly organized groups emerged and the first night clubs opened.

The Triangulo Rosa was founded in 1992, followed by other organizations such as the Agua Buena Asociación de Derechos Humanos , which specialize in human rights and health care in the LGBT community.

Recognition of same-sex marriages

Through an amendment by MP José María Villalta, Parliament passed a law recognizing same-sex couples

Marriage was defined as a union of man and woman until 2013. In July 2013, Parliament passed an amendment by the MP José María Villalta of the Frente Amplio party to introduce a civil partnership institute for same-sex couples . The law was signed by President Laura Chinchilla of the Social Democratic Party of National Liberation. Subsequently, however, Christian Conservative MPs stated that they voted for the motion without having read it and announced that they would be suing the Constitutional Court.

The equality applied for by a gay couple was rejected by a family court in San José on September 20, 2013 . In August 2015, the social democratic government of Luis Guillermo Solís announced that it would enable a civil partnership institute in Costa Rica.

In August 2018, the Constitutional Court of Costa Rica (Corte Suprema de Justicia) ruled that same-sex marriage must be legally allowed in Costa Rica by February 2020 . President Carlos Alvarado Quesada welcomed this judgment at the time. Same-sex marriage was legalized on May 26, 2020.

Social situation

Gay Costa Rica

A lively night scene has formed in San José : gay and gay-friendly discos, saunas, cafes and bars such as Bochinche , Al Despiste , Punto G , La Avispa , Puchos and others. The city of Manuel Antonio is located on the Pacific coast , with a very gay-friendly atmosphere, many hotels and bars, and the only gay nudist beach in all of Central America . There are hardly any gay establishments in the rest of the country.

Since it, unlike its neighboring states, has at least these two places with gay infrastructure, Costa Rica has become a popular destination for gay travelers, especially from Canada and the United States . In the late 1990s, the Roman Catholic Church tried to make “gay tourism ” a problem with a protest march against sex tourism . While Costa Rica issued strict regulations against sex tourism, especially with regard to contact with minors, this affects homosexual and heterosexual visitors alike, and has relatively little to do with the country's attractiveness for lesbian and gay couples.

Political parties

Most of the political parties in Costa Rica ignore gay rights and demands. Only the "Party of the Libertarian Movement" ( Partido Movimiento Libertario ) expresses support for this.

See also

Web links

Commons : Homosexuality in Costa Rica  - Collection of Pictures, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Kinsey Institute: Study on Sexuality in Costa Rica ( Memento of March 6, 2007 in the Internet Archive ), March 2007
  2. ↑ Artículo 173, código penal ( Memento of January 16, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
  3. ↑ Agua Buena
  4. ^ Message (ap): Marriage Law: Conservatives in Costa Rica accidentally legalize gay marriage. In: Handelsblatt. July 6, 2013, accessed June 11, 2020.
  5. ↑ Message: Genius trick of a left-wing MP: Costa Rica accidentally opens marriage for lesbians and gays. In: Queer.de. July 6, 2013, accessed June 11, 2020.
  6. ↑ Message: After equality "by mistake": Court stops gay marriage in Costa Rica. In: Queer.de. September 23, 2013, accessed June 11, 2020.
  7. ↑ Announcement: Government initiative: Costa Rica wants to legally recognize gay couples. In: Queer.de. August 13, 2015, accessed June 11, 2020.
  8. ↑ Christian Lütjens: Costa Rica gets marriage for everyone. In: Maenner.media. August 10, 2018, accessed June 11, 2020.
  9. ↑ Message: Equality between lesbians and gays: Costa Rica introduces marriage for all. In: Tagesspiegel.de . May 27, 2020, accessed June 11, 2020.
  10. ↑ Tim Fitzsimons: Lesbian couple become Costa Rica's first same-sex spouses. In: NBCnews.com . May 26, 2020, accessed on June 11, 2020.
  11. ↑ GAB Magazine: Costa Rica - Paradise in the Tropics ( Memento from November 1, 2007 in the Internet Archive )