Gay marriage in Portugal

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in Portugal have improved substantially in the past decade and are now among the best in the world. After a long period of oppression during the Salazar dictatorship, Portuguese society has become increasingly accepting of homosexuality, which was decriminalized in 1982, eight years after the Carnation Revolution.

Since 5 June 2010, the state became the eighth in the world to recognize same-sex marriage, even though any couple of the same sex are not able to jointly adopt – but they may adopt as individuals. On 1 March 2011 the President ratified the Law of Gender Identity, said to be the most advanced in the world, which simplifies the process of sex and name change for transgender people.

In Portugal, while single people, including LGBT singles, can adopt a child, a law issued in 2010 specifically prohibited same-sex couples from adopting.

However, in 2013, Parliament had approved a motion allowing gay couples to adopt their partner’s biological or adopted children with votes from the center-left opposition parties.