Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people in Slovakia face significant challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. The status of LGBTQ rights in Slovakia are regarded as some of the worst among the European Union countries.
Same-sex sexual activity was made legal in Czechoslovakia in 1962. Despite this, same-sex couples are granted limited legal rights. The country does not recognize same-sex marriage or civil unions. Slovakia is generally seen as having less supportive public opinion for LGBTQ people compared to its neighbour, the Czech Republic.
On 12 October 2022, two people were killed (plus the perpetrator), and a third person was wounded in a shooting outside of the front entrance of Tepláren, a gay bar in Bratislava, Slovakia, a well-known spot frequented by the local LGBTQ community.
Opinion polls have shown highly fluctuating trends in support for same-sex marriage and civil unions. In 2019, polls showed either 29% or 57% of Slovaks support civil unions. A poll after the 2022 Bratislava terrorist attack showed only 40% support civil unions. Several civil union bills were proposed in 1997, 2000, 2012, 2018, 2021 and 2022, but all were rejected by the Slovak parliament.
Transgender people in Slovakia experience difficulty in accessing healthcare, and a complete lack of regulation in legal gender change makes the process highly individual and difficult.
On 3 July 2024, the Minister of Culture Martina Šimkovičová made a homophobic and racist statement saying “we heterosexuals are creating the future, because we make babies. Europe is dying out, babies are not being born because of the excessive number of LGBT people. And the strange thing is [that it’s happening] with the white race”.
History Same-sex sexual activity was legalized in 1962, when Slovakia was part of Czechoslovakia, after scientific research from Kurt Freund led to changes in public opinion (see history of penile plethysmographs).
In 1990, still as part of Czechoslovakia, the age of consent was equalized to 15, as it had previously been 18 for same-sex activity, different to heterosexual activity.
Recognition of same-sex relationships
Unregistered cohabitation Since 1964, Slovak law recognizes a close person, defined as a sibling or a spouse. A family member or a person in a relationship shall be considered under law a close person if an injury suffered by one of them is "reasonably felt by the other person as an injury suffered by him or her." Limited rights are granted, namely in the area of inheritance.
Civil unions There is no legal recognition of civil unions in Slovakia. Several bills for the creation of civil unions were introduced in 1997, 2000, 2012, 2018, 2021 and 2022, but all were rejected by the Slovak parliament.
In 2008 and 2009, the LGBT rights group Iniciatíva Inakosť (Otherness Initiative) launched a public awareness campaign for the recognition of registered life partnerships () between same-sex couples. In January 2008, LGBT rights activists met with the Deputy Prime Minister, Dušan Čaplovič, to discuss this proposal. Throughout 2008, Iniciatíva Inakosť also held a number of public discussions about registered partnerships. The Slovak Green Party supports registered partnerships for same-sex and opposite-sex couples. In March 2012, the liberal Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party announced that it would submit a draft law on registered partnerships. On 23 August, the registered partnership bill was submitted to Parliament, which would have given same-sex couples similar rights and obligations as married couples, including alimony, inheritance, access to medical documentation and the right to a widow's/widower's pension, but excluding adoption rights. On 19 September, the ruling party, Direction - Social Democracy (Smer) announced that it would vote against the bill, which was then rejected by 94 lawmakers, with only 14 in support.
In August 2017, Deputy Speaker of the National Council Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová of SaS promised to re-submit draft legislation on registered partnerships to Parliament. On 11 December 2017, following a meeting with Iniciatíva Inakosť representatives, President Andrej Kiska called for a public debate about the rights of same-sex couples. On the same day, SaS reiterated its intention to introduce a registered partnership bill. SaS introduced its registered partnership bill to the National Council in July 2018. Under the proposed bill, partnerships would have been open to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples and would have granted couples several rights and benefits enjoyed by married couples, namely in the area of inheritance and healthcare, among others. The bill was rejected in September 2018, with only 31 out of 150 lawmakers in support.
In 2021, the Progressive Slovakia party introduced another civil union bill. It was rejected with 7 lawmakers in support and 67 against.Poslanci neschválili registrované manželstvá. In: SME, 6 October 2021. (in Slovak)
Same-sex marriage In January 2014, the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) announced that it would submit a draft law to prohibit same-sex marriage in the Slovak Constitution. In February 2014, Minister of Culture Marek Maďarič said there were enough SMER-SD MPs in favour of the constitutional ban for it to pass. 40 opposition MPs introduced a draft law to the National Council to ban same-sex marriage in the Slovak Constitution. Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that the governing SMER-SD would be willing to support the amendment in exchange for the opposition's support for an amendment introducing changes in the judicial system. The bill passed its first reading in a 103–5 vote in March 2014. The amendment could cause any future laws recognising same-sex couples to be unconstitutional. In June 2014, it was passed and signed into law by President Ivan Gašparovič, with 102 MPs voting for and 18 against. Article 41 reads as follows:
In December 2013, a conservative civil initiative group named Aliancia za rodinu (Alliance for the Family) announced that it would demand a constitutional definition of marriage as "a union solely between a man and a woman". The Alliance intended to initiate referendums on several issues, and demanded a ban on same-sex adoption and the prohibition of sex education in schools. They also demanded that other types of cohabitation should never be held equal to a marriage between a man and a woman. Activists from the Alliance also criticised Swedish company IKEA for its corporate magazine, which featured two lesbians raising a son.
In August 2014, Aliancia za rodinu collected more than 400,000 signatures for a petition to hold a referendum on four questions:
Do you agree that no other cohabitation of persons other than a bond between one man and one woman can be called marriage? Do you agree that same-sex couples or groups shouldn't be allowed to adopt children and subsequently raise them? Do you agree that no other cohabitation of persons other than marriage should be granted particular protection, rights and duties that the legislative norms as of 1 March 2014 only grant to marriage and to spouses (mainly acknowledgement, registration, or recording as a life community in front of a public authority, the possibility to adopt a child by the spouse of a parent)? Do you agree that schools cannot require children to participate in education pertaining to sexual behaviour or euthanasia if their parents or the children themselves do not agree with the content of the education?
President Andrej Kiska asked the Constitutional Court to consider the proposed questions. In October 2014, the Constitutional Court ruled that the third question was unconstitutional.
A referendum on the other three questions was held on 7 February 2015. All three proposals were approved, but the referendum was declared invalid due to insufficient turnout (21.07%). The referendum required a 50% turnout to be valid. Opponents, including LGBT activists, advised voters to boycott the referendum.
On 5 June 2018, in Coman and Others v General Inspectorate for Immigration and Ministry of the Interior, the European Court of Justice ruled in favour of a Romanian-American same-sex couple who sought to have their marriage recognized in Romania, so that the American partner could reside in the country. The Court ruled that EU member states may choose whether or not to allow same-sex marriage, but they cannot obstruct the freedom of residence of an EU citizen and their spouse. Furthermore, the Court ruled that the term "spouse" is gender-neutral, and that it does not necessarily imply a person of the opposite sex. Same-sex couples resident in Slovakia who have married in member states that have legalized same-sex marriage, and where one partner is an EU citizen, enjoy full residency rights as a result of the ruling. The Slovak Interior Ministry quickly announced immediate compliance with the ruling. The European Court of Justice's landmark ruling was praised by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) and other human rights groups, while the Slovak Catholic Church condemned it.
Adoption and parenting As of 2025 only married couples may adopt, making it impossible for same-sex couples or single people or people in any unmarried relationship of any gender to do so.
Discrimination protections The Anti-Discrimination Act () was adopted in 2004, to comply with the European Union's requirements on anti-discrimination law in its member states. The act, broadened in 2008, made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in a wide variety of areas, including employment, education, housing, social care and the provision of goods and services. Article 2 of the law reads as follows:
In May 2013, the Criminal Code was amended to include sexual orientation as a ground for hate crimes, allowing harsher penalties for crimes motivated by homophobia. Additionally, hate speech on the basis of sexual orientation was outlawed.
Military service LGBT people are allowed to serve openly in the Slovak Armed Forces. As the Anti-Discrimination Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, it also applies to the military.
In 2005, Pravda reported that "the military has a very homophobic environment that is hostile and intolerant of any manifestations and indications of homosexuality."
Transgender rights
By law, transgender people in Slovakia have been allowed to change legal gender since 1995 under unclear requirements. However by 2022, transgender people were experiencing increasing challenges in being able to change their legal gender, as registry offices refuse to process the change unless challenged in court.
Slovak law does not state any requirements to do so, but in practice, it is usually required to undergo surgical sterilization. There have been exceptional cases where change of legal gender was possible without castration. Because there is no recognition of same-sex marriage, any existing marriage will be invalidated.
Attempts at legal amendments In 2021, far-right neo-fascist parties introduced two legal amendment that would ban change of legal gender in Slovakia. A legal amendment was introduced by People's Party Our Slovakia (ĽSNS) on 12 February 2021. A second legal amendment was introduced by the Republic Movement party on 23 September 2021. Both attempts were unsuccessful, with the majority of votes being absentee or abstaining.