Costa Rica is one of the 10 most LGBTQ+ friendly countries in Latin America, according to the latest LGBT Equality Index published this year by Equaldex. The report gives each country a rating from 0 to 100, with 100 being the most equal, based on legal rights and public attitudes toward LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and intersex) people, and analyzes 196 nations around the world.
The result is obtained from the average of the legal index and the public opinion index. The first measures the current legal status of 13 different issues ranging from homosexuality, same-sex marriage, transgender rights, LGBT anti-discrimination protections, LGBT censorship laws, among others.
The second measures public attitudes toward LGBT people through surveys and polls from reputable organizations. This index is scored based on the average of the results of all surveys in a given region.
With an average of 66 points on the Equality Index, our country is ranked eighth in Latin America and 35th in the world. The best result was obtained in legal rights with 83 points, however, in public opinion it obtained only 49. Costa Rican laws stand out for being inclusive and showing important advances in recent years, being a benchmark in the region, according to the study.
Increase in marriages
“Marriage between people of the same sex in Costa Rica has been legal since May 26, 2020 following a ruling by the Supreme Court of Justice. “Costa Rica was the first country in Central America to recognize and perform marriages between people of the same sex,” the report states.
It is also recognized that in our country there are no laws that restrict the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ issues, medical and psychological support is provided to help people transition to the gender with which they identify, and legal recognition of gender does not exist. binary, among other laws.
Social resistance to LGBTQ+ rights
On the other hand, social resistance to LGBTQ+ rights in Costa Rica is still notable, according to data collected by the firm. Surveys conducted in 2023 revealed that 62% of people consider the country a “good place” for gay and lesbian people, only 36% support same-sex marriage, and regarding the acceptance of gay people in positions public, only 56% agree. Uruguay, Chile and Brazil are the most LGBT-friendly countries in the region, while Panama, Paraguay and Haiti are in the last places.
