2005 in LGBT rights

January

 * January 1
 * United States:
 * California law AB 205, which extends many rights and responsibilities of marriage to registered domestic partners, goes into effect. The new law expands domestic partnership statutes to include most marriage rights available under state law. California domestic partnership is available to opposite-sex couples age 62 and older who meet certain Social Security qualifications, and to all same-sex couples age 18 and older without further qualification.
 * Germany Stepchild adoption and some more rights (but not taxes) for gay civil unions goes into effect

February

 * February 1
 * Canada:
 * The federal government introduces Bill C-38, the Civil Marriage Act, which would legalize same-sex marriage in all provinces and territories.
 * February 4
 * United States:
 * New York Supreme Court Judge Doris Ling-Cohan rules in favor of a lawsuit by five same-sex couples, stating that a ban on gay marriage violates the State's constitution.

March

 * March 14
 * United States:
 * San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer rules that the State's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

April

 * April 20
 * United States:
 * The Connecticut legislature approves a law to allow same-sex civil unions in the state effective October 1.
 * April 21
 * Spain:
 * The Spanish Congress of Deputies passes legislation to legalize same-sex marriage.
 * United States:
 * Microsoft withdraws support for Washington bill H.B. 1515, "Expanding the jurisdiction of the human rights commission", at the pressuring of evangelical Ken Hutcherson. H.B. 1515 would have made it illegal to fire an employee based on sexual orientation. Hutcherson had threatened Microsoft with a nation-wide boycott.
 * April 22
 * United States:
 * Washington bill H.B. 1515 is defeated in the state senate by a single vote. Two Democrats join all 23 Republicans to defeat the bill.
 * April 25
 * Canada:
 * Four gay couples in New Brunswick ask their Court of Appeal to redefine marriage to include same-sex unions.
 * April 26
 * New Zealand
 * Civil union legislation comes into effect. The first couples apply for licenses on the same day.

May

 * May 9
 * Canada:
 * The Anglican Church of Canada puts off its decision on same-sex marriage until 2007.
 * May 20
 * Canada:
 * A same-sex couple from the Northwest Territories sue the government over the right to be married.
 * May 23
 * United States:
 * At its annual convention in Atlanta, Georgia, the American Psychiatric Association votes to support government-recognized marriages between same-sex partners.

June

 * June 5
 * Switzerland
 * Fifty-eight percent of voters in Switzerland voted in favor of extending rights for registered civil unions for same-sex couples. This is the first time that the topic has been put to a national referendum. Same-sex couples will be treated in the same way as opposite-sex married couples in terms of pension and taxes. However, they will not be able to marry, to adopt children or undergo fertility treatment.(BBC News)
 * June 26
 * United States:
 * Muncie, Indiana holds its first gay pride event.
 * June 28
 * Canada:
 * The Canadian House of Commons passes Bill C-38, a proposed law to legalize same-sex marriage on a national basis, by a vote of 158-133.
 * June 30
 * Israel:
 * 5,000 attend and 1,000 protest Jerusalem's gay pride parade. The event is halted after anti-gay protesters stab three marchers.
 * Spain:
 * The Spanish Congress passes legislation to legalize same-sex marriage.
 * United Kingdom:
 * The Methodist Church of Great Britain becomes the first major Christian denomination in Britain to offer blessings for same-sex unions.
 * United States:
 * LOGO, the first commercial-supported LGBT-themed television network, debuts on U.S. digital cable television in 10 million homes. It is owned and operated by MTV Networks.
 * Legislation is introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to ban discrimination based upon sexual orientation in hiring practices among the federal workforce.

July

 * July 1
 * United States:
 * California State Attorney General Bill Lockyer asks the California Supreme Court to decide whether gay marriage is permitted under the state's constitution. (See Same-sex marriage in California)
 * A group of gay veterans rallied in Austin, Texas to protest Gov. Rick Perry's comments that LGBT military veterans should leave Texas. An estimated 65,000 LGBT veterans live in Texas.
 * July 2
 * United Kingdom:
 * 30,000 people attend London's gay pride parade, which was led by celebrity Bob Geldof.
 * Police officers from Hampshire and Dyfed-Powys are told by local municipal governments not to wear their police uniforms if they march in the London gay pride parade.
 * United States:
 * The United Church of Christ opens its convention in Atlanta. Among the issues to be decided is whether the church will accept and celebrate same-sex marriages among its congregation.
 * July 3
 * Spain:
 * The national law legalizing same-sex marriage comes into effect.
 * July 5
 * Uganda:
 * Uganda amends its constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage.
 * July 19
 * Canada:
 * The Canadian Senate passes Bill C-38 by a vote of 47-21.
 * Iran:
 * Two male teenagers, Mahmoud Asgari and Ayaz Marhoni, are executed by hanging in Mashhad. They were accused of having a consensual homosexual relationship.
 * July 20
 * Canada:
 * Canada's Bill C-38 receives Royal Assent, legalizing same-sex marriage in Canada nationwide . The first same-sex couple to receive a marriage licence under the new law is a gay couple from Alberta.

August

 * August 26
 * Fiji:
 * Fiji invalidates their sodomy law (only in private) by a court case based on the constitutional grounds prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

September

 * September 6
 * United States:
 * The California Legislature passes a bill (by 21 to 15 in the Senate, 41 to 35 in the Assembly) to legalize same-sex marriage, becoming the first legislature in the US to do so without judicial prompting.
 * September 29
 * United States:
 * California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoes the bill passed on September 6 legalizing same-sex marriage.

October

 * October 22
 * United States:
 * The Kansas Supreme Court struck down a state law that punished underage sex more severely if it involved homosexual acts.

November

 * November 15
 * Canada: André Boisclair is chosen leader of the Parti Québécois, becoming the first openly gay man elected leader of a major political party in North America.

December

 * Latvia: Latvia amended its constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage.
 * December 5
 * United Kingdom: The Civil Partnerships Act 2004 came into effect, with hundreds of gay couples registering for civil partnerships. Britain is now one of many nations to offer same-sex couples legal recognition.
 * December 9
 * United States:
 * The First Department of the Appellate Division overrules an order from Judge Doris Ling-Cohan in February 2005 to allow gay marriages in New York City.
 * December 10
 * United States:
 * In Houston, Texas, businesswoman Sue Lovell wins an at-large vacancy on the Houston City Council, making her and Houston City Controller Annise Parker as the highly-elected gay or lesbian within the City of Houston.
 * December 28
 * Sweden:
 * The Church of Sweden, formerly the state church, decides to begin blessing same-sex couples in special ceremonies. While not a true marriage ceremony, it can supplement the existing registered partnerships which grant the same-rights as marriage (with the exception of the right to a church wedding). The Russian Orthodox Church has decided to freeze its relations with the Swedish Church in response to this decision.

Deaths

 * June 4 - Jean O'Leary, 57, from complications of lung cancer; American activist who organized the first White House meeting with LGBT leaders; helped create National Coming Out Day.