Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in São Tomé and Príncipe face legal challenges not experienced by non-

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...

residents. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is legal in

São Tomé and Príncipe São Tomé and Príncipe (; pt, São Tomé e Príncipe (); English: " Saint Thomas and Prince"), officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe ( pt, República Democrática de São Tomé e Príncipe), is a Portuguese-speaking i ...

, however LGBT persons face stigmatization among the broader population. São Tomé and Príncipe was one of the few African states that signed a " joint statement on ending acts of violence and related human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity" at the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

, condemning violence and discrimination against LGBT people.

Laws regarding same-sex sexual activity

Under the Penal Code of São Tomé and Príncipe that took effect in November 2012, same-sex sexual activity is legal. The age of consent is 16 years regardless of sexual orientation or gender.

Recognition of same-sex relationships

São Tomé and Príncipe does not recognize

same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same Legal sex and gender, sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being ...

civil union A civil union (also known as a civil partnership) is a legally recognized arrangement similar to marriage, created primarily as a means to provide recognition in law for same-sex couples. Civil unions grant some or all of the rights of marriage ...

s, or

domestic partnership A domestic partnership is a legal relationship, usually between couples, who live together and share a common domestic life, but are not married (to each other or to anyone else). People in domestic partnerships receive benefits that guarantee r ...

Discrimination protections

There is no legal protection against discrimination based on

sexual orientation Sexual orientation is an enduring pattern of romantic or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. These attractions are generall ...

gender identity Gender identity is the personal sense of one's own gender. Gender identity can correlate with a person's assigned sex or can differ from it. In most individuals, the various biological determinants of sex are congruent, and consistent with the i ...

Public opinion

A 2016 poll found that 46% of Sāo Toméans would like or not mind having an LGBT neighbor.

Summary table

References

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