LGBT Rights in Canada

LGBT Rights In Canada

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Canada are the most advanced in the Americas. LGBT Canadians have most of the same legal rights as non-LGBT citizens, and are extended more legal rights than many other nations where homosexuality is legal. Since 2005, Canada has offered civil marriage rights nationwide to same-sex couples. Canada was the third nation in the world where same-sex marriages were legally performed (commencing in 2003 in the province of Ontario), the fourth nation in the world to perform same-sex marriages nationwide, the first nation in the Americas to perform such marriages nationwide, and performed the first ever legally recognized same-sex marriage in the world (performed January 14th 2001 and legally upheld June 10th 2003 in court).

While same-sex sexual activity is not criminalized, the age of consent is 18 for anal sex under section 159, but is 16 for all non-anal sex, regardless of sexuality of the participants, since 1988. Courts in three Canadian provinces have held this difference to be discriminatory under Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Social attitudes towards the LGBT community are generally positive in urban areas.

Canada's largest city, Toronto, has one of the world's best-known gay districts, known locally as "the Village", short for "the gay village", the centre of which is at Church Street, just east of the Wellesley subway station, and runs north-south a few blocks in each direction. Montreal has the second-largest population of LGBT people but the largest gay district, a vibrant area called "Le Village" which begins at Berri subway station, continuing east for almost two kilometres, making it the largest in North America. Vancouver is the only other city which has a gay district, located in the west end of downtown. The district, named Davie Village, is usually considered the area around Davie Street between Burrard and Denman.

Read more about LGBT Rights In Canada:  Schools and Other Educational Institutions, Same-sex Marriage, LGBT Influence On National Politics, Summary Table

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