Question: The Arcus Foundation is a charitable foundation focused on issues related to, which laws, affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or territory—everything from legal recognition of same-sex marriage or other types of partnerships, to the death penalty as punishment for same-sex romantic/sexual activity or identity?

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LGBT rights by country or territory: Laws affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or territory—everything from legal recognition of same-sex marriage or other types of partnerships, to the death penalty as punishment for same-sex romantic/sexual activity or identity.

LGBT rights in Sweden: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) rights in Sweden have been regarded as some of the most progressive in Europe and in the world.  Same-sex sexual activity was legalized in 1944 and the age of consent was equalized in 1978.  Homosexuality was declassified as a mental illness in 1979.  Sweden also became the first country in the world to allow transgender persons to change their legal gender post-sex reassignment surgery in 1972 whilst transvestism was declassified as an illness.  Transgenderism was declassified as a mental illness in 2008 and legislation allowing gender change legally without hormone replacement therapy and sex reassignment surgery was passed in 2013.  After allowing same-sex couples to register for partnership benefits in 1995, Sweden became the seventh country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage countrywide in 2009.  Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression has been banned since 1987.  Also, since 2003, gay and lesbian couples can adopt children, and lesbian couples have had equal access to IVF and assisted insemination since 2005.  Sweden has been recognized as one of the most socially liberal countries in Europe and in the world, with recent polls indicating that a large majority of Swedes support LGBT rights.

LGBT rights in the United States Virgin Islands: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S. Virgin Islands face legal challenges and discrimination not faced by other people.  Same-sex sexual activity is no longer criminalized, and neither is same-sex marriage.  The Virgin Islands lacks a hate crimes statute and provides LGBT residents no protection against discrimination.  Following the Supreme Court's ruling in "Obergefell v. Hodges" on June 26, 2015, which found the denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples unconstitutional, same-sex marriage became legal in the islands.

Arcus Foundation: The Arcus Foundation is a charitable foundation focused on issues related to LGBT rights, social justice and conservation.  The foundation's stated mission is "to ensure that LGBT people and our fellow apes thrive in a world where social and environmental justice are a reality."

LGBT rights in Arkansas: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the U.S. state of Arkansas face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents.  Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Arkansas.  Same-sex marriage in Arkansas became briefly legal through a court ruling on May 9, 2014, subject to court stays and appeals.  In June 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in "Obergefell v. Hodges" that laws banning same-sex marriage are unconstitutional, legalizing same-sex marriage in the United States nationwide including in Arkansas.

LGBT rights in New York: The U.S. state of New York has generally been seen as socially liberal in regard to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) rights.  The advocacy movement for LGBT rights in the state has been dated as far back as 1969 during the Stonewall riots in New York City.  Same-sex sexual activity between consenting adults has been legal since the "New York v. Onofre" case in 1980.  Same-sex marriage has been legal statewide since 2011, with the state recognizing domestic partnerships between same-sex couples beforehand since 1998.  Discrimination protections regarding sexual orientation have also been adopted statewide since 2003.  While transgender people born in the state can alter their birth certificate before or after sex-reassignment surgery, the practice is not covered by the state statute, and discrimination protections regarding gender identity or expression were not fully recognized statewide until October 2015.

LGBT rights in France: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) rights in France have been seen as traditionally liberal.  Although same-sex sexual activity was a capital crime that often resulted in the death penalty during the Ancien Régime, all sodomy laws were repealed in 1791 during the French Revolution.  However, a lesser known indecent exposure law that often targeted homosexuals was introduced in 1960 before being repealed twenty years later.  The age of consent for same-sex sexual activity was altered more than once before being equalised in 1982 under then–President of France François Mitterrand.  After granting same-sex couples domestic partnership benefits known as the civil solidarity pact, France became the thirteenth country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage in 2013.  Laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity have been enacted since 1985.  Transgender individuals are allowed to change their legal gender and since 2009, France became the first country in the world to declassify transgenderism as a mental illness.  France has frequently been named one of the most gay friendly countries in the world.  Recent polls have indicated that a majority of the French support same-sex marriage and in 2013, another poll indicated that 77% of the French viewed that homosexuality should be accepted by society, one of the highest in the world.  Paris has been named by many publications as one of the most gay friendly cities in the world, with Le Marais, Quartier Pigalle and Bois de Boulogne being said to have a thriving LGBT community and nightlife.

LGBT rights in Belgium: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) rights in Belgium have been seen as some of the most progressive in Europe and in the world.  Same-sex sexual activity was legalized in 1795, with an equal age of consent, except from 1965 until 1985.  After granting same-sex couples domestic partnership benefits in 2000, Belgium became the second country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage in 2003.  Same-sex adoption was completely legalized in 2006 and is equalized with that of opposite-sex adoption.  Lesbian couples can get access to IVF as well.  Discrimination protections based on sexual orientation in employment, housing, and public and private accommodations have also been enacted since 2003 and on gender identity/expression since 2014.  Transgender people have been allowed to change their legal gender under certain circumstances since 2007.

LGBT rights in the Republic of Ireland: Attitudes in Ireland towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people are regarded as among the most liberal in the world.  Ireland is notable for its transformation from a country holding overwhelmingly conservative attitudes toward LGBT issues to one holding overwhelmingly liberal ones in the space of a generation.  In May 2015, Ireland became the first country to legalise same-sex marriage on a national level by popular vote.  The "New York Times" hailed the victory as putting Ireland at the "vanguard of social change".  Since July 2015, transgender people in Ireland can self-declare their gender for the purpose of updating passports, driving licences, obtaining new birth certificates, and getting married.  Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is legal in the state.  Government recognition of LGBT rights in Ireland has expanded greatly over the past two decades.  Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1993, and most forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation are now outlawed.  Ireland also forbids incitement to hatred based on sexual orientation.

LGBT rights in Europe: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights are widely diverse in Europe per country.  Thirteen out of the twenty one countries that have legalised same-sex marriage worldwide are situated in Europe; a further thirteen European countries have legalised civil unions or other forms of recognition for same-sex couples.  Austria and Switzerland are considering legislation to introduce same-sex marriage.  Same-sex marriage was enacted in Finland by March 2017.  Slovenia has carried out a referendum to legalise same-sex marriage in December 2015 which failed to succeed.  In July 2017, both Malta and Germany passed laws on same-sex marriage and went into effect a couple of months later.  Both Armenia and Estonia are the only two countries within Europe that recognises legally performed same-sex marriages overseas, but does not perform them.  Constitutions of Armenia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine recognizes marriage only as a union of one man and one woman.

Supporting paragraphs: Arcus Foundation LGBT rights by country or territory
Answer: LGBT rights