LGBT rights in Argentina

Homosexuality in Argentina is not a criminal offense. The Constitution includes a paragraph that bans some anti-gay discrimination. The age of consent is 16 years.

The law approving the Civil Union in Buenos Aires and Río Negro Province of homosexual couples was endorsed in 2003, and in the town of Villa Carlos Paz in 2007. These unions provide many of the same rights and privileges as that of married couples, however adoption of children is not among them.

There are no national anti-discrimination laws, but the city of Buenos Aires and the city of Rosario have laws which protect homosexuals from some discrimination. The age of consent for homosexuals is of 16 years, the same as for heterosexuals.

Until 1980, there were remnants of an oppressive police force, which targeted homosexual persons who were overtly feminine and transvestites in the streets. This was made worse by the military regime. Today, this has been regularised.

There is no clear public policy about health issues like AIDS-prevention programs. There are many taxy boys (rent boys) in certain streets at night who do not have AIDS exam certification card (prostitution is not legal in Argentina). There is a large number of public baths and gay cinemas without sanitary restrictions.

Legislation will be presented in Argentina's Parliament this fall that would give same-sex couples all of the rights of marriage. A poll released on early 2007 showed that 75 percent of those surveyed in the capital believe gays and lesbians should be allowed to marry.