LGBT rights in Greenland


Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender rights in Greenland are relatively similar to those in Denmark. Same-sex sexual activity is legal, with an equal age of consent, and there are some anti-discrimination laws protecting LGBT people. Same-sex couples have had access to registered partnerships, which provided them with nearly all of the rights provided to married opposite-sex couples, from 1996 to 2016. On 1 April 2016, a law repealing the registered partnership act and allowing for same-sex marriages to be performed came into effect.
In 1979, Denmark granted Greenland home rule and in 2009 extended self-government, although it still influences the island's culture and politics. Greenland is considered to be very socially liberal towards LGBT people. Acceptance of homosexuality and same-sex relationships is very high, and reports of discrimination against LGBT people are extremely rare. Nonetheless, due to Greenland's small and scattered population, many Greenlandic LGBT people have moved to Copenhagen in Denmark.

Law regarding same-sex sexual activity

As is the case with Denmark, same-sex sexual activity is not a crime. It was legalized by Denmark in 1933, and the age of consent was equalized in 1977 at 15, two years prior to home rule.

Recognition of same-sex relationships

Greenland adopted Denmark's registered partnership law on 1 July 1996. There was some opposition to registered partnerships from clergy and conservative lawmakers, who later chose to abstain from voting. The bill was passed in the Greenlandic Parliament 15–0 with 12 abstentions, and later by the Danish Parliament 104–1. The first same-sex couple to register did so in 2002. Registered partnerships are called nalunaarsukkamik inooqatigiinneq in Greenlandic.
In March 2015, MP Justus Hansen, from the Democrats, introduced a bill to legalise same-sex marriage in Greenland, which also included adoption rights and other changes to Greenlandic family law. The bill was approved unanimously by the Parliament of Greenland on 26 May 2015, but required Danish approval before coming into effect. Initially, the bill was to come into effect on 1 October 2015, but lapsed due to the Danish general elections in June 2015. The parliamentary procedure therefore had to start over and the new Venstre Government put an identical bill on the agenda for its first reading on 5 November 2015. On 19 January 2016, the Folketing approved the proposal 108-0 and the bill was given royal assent by Queen Margrethe II on 3 February 2016. The parts of the law relating to marriage went into effect on 1 April 2016.
Same-sex marriage became legal on 1 April 2016. Application in Greenland of the registered partnership law was repealed the day the new marriage law took effect.

Adoption and family planning

Same-sex couples in registered partnerships have been permitted to adopt their stepchildren since 1 June 2009. A law regarding in vitro fertilization for female couples was approved in 2006. The parts of the same-sex marriage law allowing same-sex couples to adopt children jointly went into effect on 1 July 2016.

Discrimination protections

Since 2010, Greenland has outlawed hate speech and provided penalty enhancements to hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation. Article 100 of the Criminal Code prohibits speech which may deprive, threaten or demean individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation, among other categories.
Greenland possesses no anti-discrimination laws in employment, goods and services, health services or education. Danish anti-discrimination laws do not apply to Greenland. Greenland's only anti-discrimination law is Act no. 3 of November 29, 2013 on equality between men and women which bans gender-based discrimination only.
The Human Rights Council of Greenland, funded by the state budget, promotes and protects human rights in Greenland. It is commissioned to participate in the strengthening and consolidation of human rights, and works closely with the Danish Institute for Human Rights.
Other than taking a case to court or referring to the Greenlandic Ombudsman, no national complaints procedure exists in which one can bring forth legal complaints of discrimination. Nevertheless, incidents of discrimination based on sexual orientation are rare.

LGBT rights movement in Greenland

Due to the small and scattered population, there is virtually no gay scene in Greenland. Some nightclubs and bars in the capital Nuuk have a mixed gay and straight crowd. Many Greenlandic LGBT people have moved to Nuuk or Sisimiut, or Copenhagen in Denmark. There was an LGBT rights organization called "Qaamaneq" from 2002 to 2007 which organized social and cultural events. The organization was reestablished in 2014 as LGBT Qaamaneq. LGBT activist Hajlmar Dahl states that homophobia is more prevalent in smaller remote communities.
GlobalGayz describes Greenland as a model for LGBT rights; "as for gay marriage, Greenland was distinct among almost every other country in the world. The issue caused virtually no one's heart to skip a beat. Other countries that now allow gay marriage experienced dramtic demonstrations, resistance and delay, even in Denmark. In Greenland, there were no demands in the streets for marriage equality, no lengthy advocacy, very little governmental debate and virtually no media coverage. Indeed, one native said "gay rights have come from the work of straight people"." The legalisation of registered partnerships in 1996 and same-sex marriage in 2016 fueled very little opposition and stirred little to no debate.
On 15 May 2010, Greenland held its first pride parade in Nuuk. It was attended by about 1,000 people.

Summary table

Same-sex sexual activity legal
Equal age of consent
Anti-discrimination laws in employment
Anti-discrimination laws in the provision of goods and services
Anti-discrimination laws in hate speech
Anti-discrimination laws concerning gender identity
Same-sex marriage
Recognition of same-sex couples
Stepchild adoption by same-sex couples
Joint adoption by same-sex couples
LGBT people allowed to serve in the military
Right to change legal gender
Access to IVF for lesbian couples
Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples
MSMs allowed to donate blood