LGBTQ rights in Greece | |
|---|---|
 Location of Greece (dark green) – inEurope (light green & dark grey) | |
| Legal status | Male homosexuality legal since 1951 (female homosexuality always legal), equal age of consent since 2015 |
| Gender identity | Yes, since 2010 (sterilisation andsex reassignment surgery not required since 2017)[1][2] |
| Military | Yes, LGBT individuals may serve openly[3][4] |
| Discrimination protections | All anti-LGBT discrimination explicitly banned. Hate crimes laws covering sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics (see below) |
| Family rights | |
| Recognition of relationships | Cohabitation agreement since 2015 Same-sex marriage since 2024 |
| Adoption | Full adoption rights since 2024 |
Lesbian,gay,bisexual,transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights inGreece are among the most advanced inEurope with the country consistently placing in top positions on LGBT rights classifications.[5] Public opinion onhomosexuality in Greece is generally regarded asculturally liberal,[6] withcivil partnerships being legally recognised since 2015 andsame-sex marriage since 16 February 2024.[7][8]
Bothmale andfemale types of same-sexsexual activity have been legal in Greece since 1951, andanti-discrimination laws inemployment were enacted in 2005. Since then, anti-discrimination laws have been extended to other spheres, includinggender identity.Hate speech andhate crime legislation is one of the most rigid and comprehensive inEurope.[9] In 2015,civil unions (Greek:σύμφωνο συμβίωσης; cohabitation agreements)[10] were legalised forsame-sex couples, making households headed by same-sex couples eligible for many of the legal protections and rights available to married opposite-sex couples.[11] In 2017,transgender people were granted the right to have their gender identity recognized and to change their legal sex without having to undergosurgical alteration of their genitals in order to have keyidentity documents changed.[1] In February 2018, a county court in Greece granted anon-binary person the right to agender-neutral name.[12] In May 2018, theGreek Parliament passed a law granting same-sex couples the right tofoster care children.[13] In February 2024, the Parliament made marriage and full adoption rights available to same-sex couples.[7]
Gay culture is vibrant in the capital ofAthens, particularly in thegay neighbourhood ofGazi, inThessaloniki and some of theGreek islands. With Greece being one of Europe's most popularLGBT tourist destinations,[14][15] many establishments catering for the LGBT community can be found in islands such asMykonos, which is known worldwide for thegay and lesbian scene.[16] There are fourLGBT pride parades held annually, in Athens, Thessaloniki,Patras andHeraklion, the capital of the island ofCrete. The largest of them, theAthens Pride, saw record participation in 2015, and the attendance of many public figures including thePresident of the Hellenic Parliament and theMayor of Athens.
According to recent reports carried out byILGA-Europe, which assesses LGBT rights in European countries, Greece achieved one of the highest improvements in the legal and policy situation of LGBT people in the last decade, with an overall score of 70%, while in 2025 Greece ranked 7th in Europe out of 49 countries in LGBT rights.[17][18][19][20][21] In April 2025, Greece announced a new policy and introduced a bill to ban surrogacy contracts for gay men and single men.[22] In May 2025 Greece'sSupreme Court upheld same sex marriage.[23]
Following the country's independence from theOttoman Empire, the penal code of 1834 stipulated that anyone guilty ofsodomy shall be punished with at least one year imprisonment and policesurveillance.[24]
Male homosexual practice was decriminalized in 1951.Lesbians were not mentioned or acknowledged in the GreekCriminal Code. The Penal Code outlawed male prostitution and provided for a higherage of consent of 17 for male homosexual acts. However, this provision was abolished resulting in equalization of the age of consent and the legalization ofmale prostitution, subject to existing laws on the regulation of prostitution.[25]
The age of consent in Greece is 15,[26] In 2015, along with the legalization ofsame-sex civil unions, Article 347, which provided a further prohibition of seducing a male under 17 if the actor is a male adult, wasrepealed, therefore equalising the age of consent for homosexual acts.[27]
TheGreek Constitution provides no definition of marriage. However, it does stipulate that, likemotherhood andchildhood, it must be under the protection of the State.[28] In June 2025, the GreekCouncil of State upheld the February 2024 legislation on both marriage and adoption for same-sex couples by a majority vote of 21-6.[29][30]
The formerNew Democracy-led Government ofPrime MinisterKostas Karamanlis was opposed tosame-sex marriage. While it had introduced legislation that offered several rights to unmarried couples, this explicitly excluded same-sex couples.[31]
The National Human Rights Committee proposed a registry that would cover both same-sex couples and unmarried opposite-sex ones and the Greek group OLKE announced its intention to sue Greek municipalities that refused to marry same-sex couples.[32]
The Greek Government underGeorge Papandreou, leader ofPanhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), was preparing legislation for same-sex registered partnerships, which, however, never took place, as LGBT groups believed that they were going to be insufficient.[33][34]
In November 2013, theEuropean Court of Human Rights ruled in favour of the plaintiffs in the caseValianatos and Others vs. Greece and condemned the exclusion of same-sex couples from the option to contract cohabitation agreements, a non-marital relationship registration scheme established in 2008 for opposite-sex couples. The restriction of cohabitation agreements solely to opposite-sex couples was thus deemed non-convincing and the state was obliged to give a 5,000 euro compensation to each one of the plaintiffs.[35]
Although there was no official recognition ofsame-sex couples at that time, a 1982 law that legalized civil marriage between "persons", without specifying gender, acted as a test-case for same-sex marriage. On 3 June 2008, the Mayor ofTilos, Anastasios Aliferis, married two same-sex couples, two lesbians and two gay men, citing the legal loophole. He was heavily criticized by clergymen of theChurch of Greece, which in the past had also opposed the introduction of civil marriage.Justice MinisterSotirios Hatzigakis declared the Tilos marriages "invalid" andSupreme Court prosecutor Georgios Sanidas warned Mayor Aliferis of the legal repercussions of his "breach of duty", but he said he had "no intention of annulling the marriages".[36][37][38] In May 2009, the marriage was officially annulled by the authorities.
Ιn December 2015, theGreek Parliament reintroduced a law draft that would expand cohabitation agreements to same-sex couples Many members of the Greek Church condemned the proposition.[39][40] Most notably,Archbishop Ieronymos called homosexuality "a diversion from life", metropolitan Anthimos declared that "Not even animals have such dispositions", metropolitan Seraphim said "Pawns of the internationalZionism! The masculofeminine is being created!" whereas metropolitan Amvrosios stated "Spit on them! They're disgraceful! They're nature's abominations!"[41] The latter, paired with Amvrosios' initiative to have the bells of the churches in hismetropolis ring mournfully, stirred up much controversy, the result of which was a kiss-in protest by twoLGBT activists dressed up in clergy clothes in front ofthe building of the Athens metropolis.[42][43][44]
Finally, on 23 December, the draft concerning the enriched and improved cohabitation agreement legislation was passed (193 to 56) with a significant absence of 51 MPs, making Greece the 26th European country to adopt same-sex recognition laws. The largest groups to oppose the cohabitation agreement bill were theCommunist Party of Greece,Golden Dawn and theGreek Orthodox Church.[11][45] Simultaneously, the anachronistic article 347, criminalizing acts of "unnatural lewdness" between men was abolished, equalizing the age of consent for sex between men (now standing at 15 years of age both for heterosexual and homosexual sexual intercourse). Furthermore, Greece's Prime MinisterAlexis Tsipras, while debating the law in Greek Parliament, issued an apology to the LGBT community for the years ofdiscrimination they had faced.[46]
In December 2016, the Greek Parliament passed a bill expanding the rights of same-sex couples and ensuring equalprotection in workplaces regardless of gender, religion or sexual orientation.[47]
Same-sex marriage has been legal in Greece since 15 February 2024.[48]
In 2018, theEuropean Court of Justice ruled that married same-sex couples have the same residency rights as married opposite-sex couples underEU law, even if same-sex marriage is not legal in that particular EU member state. The ruling affects all EU countries, which are obliged to abide by it, including Greece.[49]
On 17 June 2022, SYRIZA and its leader, the former Greek Prime MinisterAlexis Tsipras, submitted a historic draft bill promoting LGBT rights to the Greek Parliament. This draft bill legalises the same-sex marriages and the marriages may be both civil and religious, provided that the religion of the person permits it.[50] It was rejected by theNew Democracy majority.
In July 2023, the prime minister of GreeceKyriakos Mitsotakis, heading the recently re-elected New Democracy government, made an announcement to Greek media organisations that he "supports same-sex marriage and that Greek society is mature enough for same-sex marriage to be proposed by his government"[51][52] and that "it will be implemented within this term of government".
On 15 February 2024, the New Democracy-led government proposed and passed a bill legalizing same-sex marriages with the backing of the opposition partiesSYRIZA,PASOK,Course of Freedom andNew Left despite opposition from the Greek Orthodox Church, thus, making Greece the first Orthodox Christian-majority country in the world to recognize same-sex marriages.[53][54] Some of these opposition parties had proposed similar bills.[55] Other non-parliamentary parties such asMeRA25 also supported the legalisation of same-sex marriages.[56][57]
The first same-sex couples got married March 2024.[58] The first overseas same-sex couple from Australia got married in Rhodes within the same month.[59][60]
In May 2025, the Council of State ruled that civil marriage of same-sex couples and the right to adoption are in accordance with theConstitution, after rejecting relevant annulment applications.[61]
In April 2025, Greece announced a new policy and introduced a bill to ban surrogacy contracts for gay men and single men.[62]
On 17 April 2018, a bill, titled theChild Adoption Law (Νόμος 4538/2018 - Μέτρα για την προώθηση των Θεσμών της Αναδοχής και Υιοθεσίας και άλλες διατάξεις), aimed at overhauling and simplifying the country's child adoption legislation, which has been criticized in the past as being overly bureaucratic and ineffective and for its extremely slow procedures, was submitted to the Greek Parliament. The bill, and specifically Article 8, also grants same-sex couples the right tofoster children.[13][63] In a debate at a parliamentary committee, the bill's Article 8 was supported by the vast majority of the country's agencies, organizations, and experts, with the exception of the conservative Orthodox Church of Greece, which voiced its opposition to it.[64][65][66] The bill as a whole, including Article 8, was voted "on principle" by the committee on early May 2018, with the support ofSyriza, theIndependent Greeks andThe River.New Democracy (ND),Democratic Alignment (DISI) and theUnion of Centrists (EK) abstained, whereasGolden Dawn voted against it,[67] It was due for final ratification by Parliament. MPs from every political party of the Greek political spectrum expressed their support for Article 8 of the law, which concerns foster care for same-sex couples, with ND and DISI softening their initial hardline position towards it and announcing that any of their MPs are free to support the bill once it arrives at the parliamentary session for final ratification.[68]
Eventually, the bill, including its Article 8, was ratified by the Greek Parliament on 9 May 2018, with 161 MPs voting in support and 103 against,[69][70][71] making Greece the newest EU country, afterPortugal in 2016, to legalize foster care for same-sex couples and the first country in Southeastern Europe to do so.[72]
The 17 June 2022 draft bill submitted to the Greek Parliament by SYRIZA and its leader, the former Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, grants recognition to both the Joint and stepchild adoption by same-sex couples, as well as the Altruistic surrogacy for all couples.[50]
Since 2005,discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace has been prohibited.
While there has been considerable legal progress, conservative social mores still hold some influence and the Orthodox Church has often denounced homosexuality as a sin and "defect of human nature."[73]
Greek law protects gender identity. According toLaw 3896 of 2010 (Νόμος 3896/2010 - Εφαρμογή της αρχής των ίσων ευκαιριών και της ίσης μεταχείρισης ανδρών και γυναικών σε θέματα εργασίας και απασχόλησης), discrimination on the basis of gender identity is considered equal to discrimination on the basis of sex and thus all laws regarding the latter also cover the former.[74]
In September 2014, theLaw Against Racism and Xenophobia (Νόμος 4285/2014 - Καταπολέμηση ρατσισμού και ξενοφοβίας) was amended. The changes stipulated thathate speech andviolence against LGBT individuals or groups would bepunished withimprisonment for three months to three years and afine of 5,000 to 20,000euros.[75] If the actions have led to a crime, thepenalty is increased by six months more imprisonment and an additional fine of 15,000 to 30,000 euros. If the final imprisonment exceeds one year, then theconvict loses his/herpolitical rights for one to five years. If the offender is apublic worker, then they are punished with six months to three yearsimprisonment and a fine of 10,000 to 25,000 euros; if a crime is committed, they are punished with a fine of 25,000 to 50,000 euros. If the offender was committing the above representing an organisation or company, they are also fined. Entities in the public domain are, however, excluded from this last rule. This has led to criticism since thechurches are alsolegal entities of the public domain, thereby excluding them from any consequences after the conviction of a priest of theirs. Furthermore,public prosecutors are given the freedom to move against the offenders even without alawsuit from the victims, and if the victims file a lawsuit, they are allowed to do it free of charge, in contrast to the common practice.[76]
Since 24 December 2015, Greece prohibits discrimination and hate crimes based on sex characteristics, which are among the strongest laws on the subject in Europe.[25][77][78] On 2 December 2016, further anti-discrimination protections onthe basis of sexual orientation, gender and religion in the workplace were passed by the Hellenic Parliament in a 201–21 vote with 5 abstaining and 73 absent.[78][79]PinkNews described the law as one of the most rigid prohibitions of hate speech and hate crime in Europe.[80]
From October 2017 to February 2024, to change one's legal gender inGreece, the legal requirements were a forceddivorce (ifmarried, due to the inability of performingsame-sex marriage) and acourt order.[81]
In February 2024, the forced divorce requirement was lifted, as part of the bill legalising same-sex marriages that passed.[48]
On 10 October 2017, theGreek Parliament passed, by a comfortable majority,[82] theLegal Gender Recognition Law (Νόμος 4491/2017 - Νομική αναγνώριση της ταυτότητας φύλου), which grantstransgender people in Greece theright to change their legal gender freely by abolishing any conditions and requirements, such as undergoing anymedical interventions,sex reassignment surgeries orsterilisation procedures to have their gender legally recognized on theirIDs. The bill grants this right to anyone aged 17 and older. However, evenunderagedchildren between the age of 15 and 17 have access to the legal gender recognition process, but under certain conditions, such as obtaining a certificate from a medical council.[1][83] The bill was opposed by theHoly Synod of theChurch of Greece, theCommunist Party of Greece,Golden Dawn andNew Democracy.[82]
TheLegal Gender Recognition Law followed a 20 July 2016 decision of the County Court of Athens, which ruled that a person who wants to change their legal gender is no longer obliged to already have undergone sex reassignment surgery.[84] This decision was applied by the Court on a case-by-case basis.[2]
In February 2018, theMarousi County Court ruled in favor ofJason-Antigone Dane's request to have their male birth name, Jason, changed on Registry Office files to agender-neutral one by adding the female name Antigone next to it. However, while the court did rule in favor of the person's request for displaying a gender-neutral name on their ID, it decided against having their legal gender entry changed frommale tothird gender, citing the "lack of a relevant institutional framework for individuals not classified in a distinct case of a non-dual gender identity (third gender entry)" in Greece, although the 2017Legal Gender Recognition Law does state that "the person [hence every person] has the right to the recognition of his or her gender identity as an element of his or her personality". The plaintiff's lawyer announced that they will appeal part of the ruling to a higher court (the part concerning the third gender marker on IDs).[12][85]
In June 2018, a Greek court ruled that foreign transgender people, includingrefugees andimmigrants, also have the right to the recognition of theirgender identity, marking the first time that this right is extended beyond the definition of the 2017Legal Gender Recognition Law, which restricted this right to Greek citizens only.[86]
Since July 2022, Greece legally banned 'sex normalisation' surgery on intersex individuals under the age of 15 - unless a court order is approved or authorised.[87][88]
In May 2022, Greece legally banned conversion therapy on minors.[89][90][91] This ban extends only to paid health professionals, thus exempting religious and other counsellors from the criminalization, a fact that has drawn criticism from Greek LGBTQ+ bodies such asOrlando LGBT+ and theGay and Lesbian Community of Greece (OLKE).[92][93][94] The bill has also been criticized for being too vague and brief in its definition of conversion practices, as well as overall, leading to doubts regarding its enforceability.[92][93][94]
On 23 December 2016, theMinistry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs announced that, starting from 2017, a thematic week would be taking place every second semester of the school year. The thematic week seeks to inform students and their parents about, among others, issues such as sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,homophobia and transphobia. The Ministry will also consider enhancement of the thematic week in the future.[95]
Lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals can serve openly in theHellenic Armed Forces.[3] However transgender individuals are not allowed to serve in the Armed Forces as being transgender is included in the conditions of medical ineligibility.[4]
Since 4 December 2021, trans women detainees, upon their request, may be relocated to correctional facilities for women.[96]
On 17 March 2021, by decision of the Prime MinisterKyriakos Mitsotakis, a committee was set up with the aim of drafting a National Strategy for the Equality of LGBTQI+ people in Greece.[97][98] The Committee comes as a response to the European Commission's first ever strategy to protect the rights of LGBTIQ people in the European Union[99] and its call to Member States to build on existing best practices and develop their own action plans on LGBTIQ equality on 12 November 2020.[100] The Committee consists of academics, representatives of the civil society, representatives of the government and as a chairperson was appointedLinos-Alexandre Sicilianos, a former President of theEuropean Court for Human Rights.[97]
Katerina Sakellaropoulou, who waselected as the first femalePresident of Greece on 22 January 2020 by theHellenic Parliament,[101] is a supporter of LGBT rights. Alexis Patelis, the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's Chief Economic Adviser, came out in an interview, saying: "The Prime Minister has met my husband, I have met his wife", marking the first time that a high-ranking official came out publicly in Greece.[102] Also,Nicholas Yatromanolakis is the first openly gay person to hold a ministerial rank in theGovernment of Greece, assuming office in the January 2021 government reshuffle, as Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports.[103]
On 24 September 2023,Greek-AmericanStefanos Kasselakis, a formerGoldman Sachs trader, unexpectedly wonSYRIZA's leadership elections with a 56% of total votes, being the first member of the LGBT community and the Greek diaspora to ascend to the leadership of Greece's primary opposition party. Kasselakis is married to Tyler McBeth, an American nurse.[104][105][106]
In April 2025,Electra Rome Dochtsi became chair ofVolt Greece, making her the firsttrans woman to be elected chair of a Greek political party.[107][108]
Athens has a large number ofLGBTQ associations and a developinggay village in theGazi, Athens neighborhood. Apride parade event, the "Athens Pride" and an international Gay and Lesbian film festival, the "Outview", are held annually.
There is also a large gay scene inThessaloniki with gay/lesbian bars/clubs and several friendly mixed venues, and several LGBT organisations. In June 2012, the city got its own annual pride event (Thessaloniki Pride). One of the most notable events in Thessaloniki, concerning LGBT rights, is the attempt to raise a 20m long banner, urging people to boycott theSochi 2014 Winter Olympics, on the city's most famous landmark, theWhite Tower. The attempt was quickly stopped by the local police, but the event was advertised in online media.
In the beginning of the 20th century,Kaliarda emerged as ananti-language in the Greek LGBT community as a form of protection, especially incruising spaces.[109]
Greece is one of Europe's most popularLGBT tourist destinations,[14][15] particularly its largest cities Athens and Thessalonica as well as several of its islands. The gay scene ofMykonos is well-known, with many establishments catering for the LGBT community.[110][111][112]Lesbos also is famous internationally for its lesbian scene in Eressos.[16]
The first attempt to organize a pride parade in Greece was made by AKOE (Greek:Απελευθερωτικό Κίνημα Ομοφυλόφιλων Ελλάδας; Liberation Movement of Homosexuals of Greece) on 28 June 1980 in Athens, defining it as a political event. It was repeated two years later at theZappeion Mansion.[113] Numerous similar events took place over the following years, and in different locations. In 1992, 1994 and 1995, the events were held atStrefi Hill, whereas in 1996 and 1998 they were organized at thePedion tou Areos. In 1998, it took place in an enclosed area. InThessaloniki, the first corresponding event was organized by OPOTH (Ομάδα Πρωτοβουλίας Ομοφυλόφιλων Θεσσαλονίκης; Gay Friendly Group of Thessaloniki) in the 1990s.[114]
Since then, LGBT events have been held in other cities, including inHeraklion,Patras,Santorini,Corfu andMykonos. Thessaloniki was selected in 2017 to hostEuroPride 2020.[115]
TheAthens Pride is an annual LGBTpride parade and festival held every June in the centre of Athens. It has been held 14 times:
Thessaloniki staged its annual pride event for the first time in 22–23 June 2012, followingMayor Boutaris's promise to back a public LGBT event in the city. The first Thessaloniki Pride festival enjoyed massive popular support from the city, its periphery and the region, which was a heavy blow for the city's metropolitan Anthimos, who had called believers to react.[130][131]
One year later, in one of his announcements just a few days before the pride event of 2013, he stated that, theHoly Metropolis of Thessaloniki would once again have to tolerate the sad and unacceptable festival of the homosexuals who want to "celebrate their sickness in a carnival sort of way". He also asked parents to keep their children and themselves away from "such pointless and unnatural celebrations". However, many families were present and the two-day festival ended in a festive atmosphere with many parties, galleries and celebrations all around the city.[132] The 2nd Thessaloniki Pride was dedicated to freedom of any kind, including the freedom of gender expression.
In 2014, Thessaloniki was theEuropean Youth Capital and the 3rd Thessaloniki Pride was included to its official programme.[133] Accordingly, it was dedicated to LGBT youth and their families. By general assessment the 2014 pride event was a major success, with the participation of 10,000 people in the parade, along with the MayorYiannis Boutaris and a block of diplomats.[134] Some described it as best LGBT pride festival that Thessaloniki has ever had.[135]
That year,vigilmasses took place along with gatherings of believers, where priests made an outcry over the "desecration of holy Thessaloniki", the "imposition ofIslam andhomosexuality by theNew World Order, the gay pride events which are part of a Westernconspiracy, the "appointment of homosexual male and femalebishops and protested over the victory ofConchita Wurst at theEurovision Song Contest.[134][136] Metropolitan Anthimos once again made similar comments about it in an interview, deeming it as "disgraceful", "challenging", "a perversion of the human existence", adding that the Church orders to "Not give what is holy to dogs". He also claimed that the use of the term "festival" for the event is erroneous.[137]
The festival has been held ten times:
The first pride parade inCrete was held on 26–27 June 2015 inHeraklion, becoming the island's first "Festival for Gender and Sexuality Liberation Visibility".[148]
The first pride parade inPatras, the third biggest city in Greece, was held in 2016.[150]
Responding to government proposals in 2008 to introduce legal rights for cohabiting couples,Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, the leader of the autocephalousOrthodox Church of Greece, suggested that "There is a need to change with the time". It is unclear, however, whether this view applied to same-sex couples, particularly as the Church has previously opposed gay rights in general and civil union laws in particular.[31]
Following government talks in November 2013 regarding the legalisation of civil unions for homosexual couples, the Metropolitan ofPiraeus Seraphim voiced vehement opposition against it, threatening that he can and will excommunicate any MPs who should vote for it. Moreover, he added that the bill "legalises the corruption of the human existence and physiology and cements the psychopathological diversion that is homosexuality". Additionally, he mentioned that such movements constitute "significant offenses of public decency" by sending out messages of "perverted sexual behaviours" to young people that "torpedo the foundations of family and society".[152]
In August 2014, during discussions about the long-awaited vote for ananti-racism bill, severalMetropolitans voiced their opposition to it due to certain articles pertinent to the criminalization ofhate speech against, among others, homosexuals, with increased penalties for civil servants (members of the clergy included) who engage in it during their duties.[153] The Metropolitan of Piraeus Seraphim accused the Greek PM,Antonis Samaras, of "selling his soul for a few extra months in office", criticized the draft law for "the introduction of other sexual orientations and other gender identities", the fact that the "psychopathological aversion and the inelegant mimicking of the other sex" would be protected by Greek law and compared homosexuality with paedophilia and bestiality.[154]
The Metropolitan ofGortyna Ieremias, citing Bible passages, called homosexuals "dogs", argued that under the new bill "several prophets and Saints would be regarded as racists", and characterized it as a "horrible and deplorable" law while adding a homophobicword play. At the same time, the Metropolitan of Konitsa Andreas rejected the bill under the claim that it aims to "cover the perversion that is homosexuality".[155] The religious reaction eventually resulted in Antonis Samaras accepting the church's objections and not including articles relative to the protection of homosexuals in the bill. Moreover, the PM reassured the religious leaders who disapproved of the bill that, "as long as he is in office, there's no way the parliament will expand civil unions to same-sex couples".[156]
In September 2014, provisions on the criminalization of hate speech towards LGBT individuals were approved. The criminalization of LGBT-oriented hate speech led to the furious reaction of Metropolitan Seraphim who called the law "an oppression of the Greek Justice system" and "the cancellation of the freedom of speech" as imposed by "the nationalistic system and the New World Order instructors".[157]
According to a 2020 survey conducted by the groupColour Youth, titled "First Greek National School Climate Survey," LGBTQ+ students report hearing homophobic remarks and slurs at high rates, including from teachers. According to survey results, 1 in 3 report undergoing verbal harassment due to their identity, 1 in 7 report physical harassment and/or violence, and 1 in 3 report having ever experienced sexual harassment, including sexual comments and inappropriate touching. Over half (53,4%) of respondents report having ever experienced some form of violence or harassment due to their identifty overall.[158]
In February 2022, a middle school teacher at the Ilion Music School insulted a male student because he showed up in class wearing a skirt, saying that they were "a disgrace for society." This prompted a strong backlash and condemnation, with the school's director and the Association of Parents condemning the incident and the Greek Ministry of Education opening an investigation against the teacher. The next day, the victim's male classmates showed up at the school wearing skirts and his female classmates in pants and ties, to protest against the teacher and express their support to the student.[159][160][161][162]
Several issues have been raised about theGreek media and their frequently discriminatory attitude towards LGBT individuals such as through the use ofcensorship, something partly attributed to the regulation authority, orGreek National Council for Radio and Television (NCRTV). Below is a list of somehomophobic/transphobic incidents by the Greek media and other companies and bodies:
Colour Youth, a non-governmental organisation, reported 101 incidents of homophobic and transphobic violence from 2009 to 2015, with 75 of them in 2015. Five of the attacks caused serious bodily harm, while the majority concerned verbal attacks.[182] According to the Athens-based Racist Violence Recording Network (RVRN), Greece saw a surge in racist and homophobic violence in 2023, with 61 attacks against LGBT people in that year alone.[183] It has been noted that such numbers are likely underestimations of violence due to under-reporting of incidents to authorities.[184]
According to theFundamental Rights Agency's 2024 LGBTIQ survey on the EU, 13% of all LGBT respondents in Greece said they had been attacked in the five years before the survey, 5% said they had been attacked in the year before the survey, and 54% said they had been harassed, lining up with the EU average. According to the survey, only 9% reported incidents of violence or sexual assault to the police.[185]
The far-rightneo-Nazi ultranationalist criminal organisation and former political partyGolden Dawn has made a very infamous statement when addressing gay men and women, saying that "after the immigrants, you're next".[186] There have been allegations that members of the Greek police force were cooperating with Golden Dawn members, which may explain why several transgender women have been arrested during Thessaloniki Pride for no reason by the police, brutally attacked and illegally detained on the grounds of "keeping the city clean".[187][188][189]
A survey among GreekMPs, conducted in 2003 and presented by the Hellenic Homosexual Community (EOK), raised the issue of recognisingtaxation,inheritance and otherlegal rights to same-sex couples. The results of the survey showed that 41% of MPs surveyed favored granting such rights, while 55% were against it. AmongPASOK MPs, 55% were favorable, compared to just 27% ofNew Democracy MPs. The party with the highest MP favorable responses wasSynaspismos (67%), while the majority ofCommunist Party MPs abstained. MPs favorable responses were higher among women, younger and Athenian MPs.
A 2006 study among Greek students inHeraklion,Crete, surveyed their attitudes towards male homosexuality. Two scales were used and translated into Greek along with several questions that formed a self-completed questionnaire. The main findings showed that there were differences among the different schools in terms of homophobic expression and that "the main predictors influencing homophobia score were: willingness to defend and protect gay rights, conversations with gay individuals, religiosity, politicization and having gay friends".[192]
AEurobarometer survey published in December 2006 showed that 15% of Greeks surveyed supported same-sex marriage and 11% recognised same-sex couple's right to adopt.[193] These figures were considerably below the 25-memberEuropean Union average of 44% and 32% respectively, and placed Greece in the lowest ranks of the European Union along withRomania,Latvia,Poland,Cyprus,Malta,Lithuania,Slovakia andBulgaria.[194]
A Eurobarometer survey published in January 2007 ("Discrimination in the European Union") showed that 77% of Greeks believed that being gay or lesbian in their country "tends to be a disadvantage", while the European Union average was 55%. 68% of Greeks agreed that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation was "widespread" in Greece (EU: 50%), and 37% that it was more widespread in than five years before (EU: 31%). 84% of Greeks also reported not having any gay or lesbian friends or acquaintances (EU: 65%).[195]
A Kapa Research (major Greek polling firm) survey on behalf of the Greek Institute of Psychological & Sexual Health, published in the Greek newspaperTa Nea on 20 September 2010, showed that 64% of Greeks agreed with the legalization ofsame-sex partnerships and 24% disagreed;[196] as for the legalization ofsame-sex marriage, 39% of Greeks agreed and 52% disagreed.[197]
In June 2013, thePew Research Center released data where they conducted surveys of respondents in some 40 countries on the question of whether the respondents believed their society should or should not accept homosexuality. Pew Research questioners scientifically asked respondents in Greece this question and found that amongst those asked, a majority 53% of those Greek respondents believed their society should accept homosexuality, while 40% of the respondents believed that society should not accept homosexuality. Amongst those Greeks surveyed between the ages of 18 and 29 years of age support for society accepting homosexuality was at a higher 66% than the overall 53%. For those respondents aged 30 to 49 support was too at a higher 62%, but a lower 40% for those respondents 50 years and older.[198]
| Answer | Ages 18–29 | Ages 30–49 | Ages 50 or higher | Men | Women | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 66% | 62% | 40% | 47% | 59% | 53% |
| No | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 40% |
On 11 April 2015, the newspaperTo Vima published a survey conducted by Kapa Research, which showed that 39% of respondents supported same-sex marriage and 51% were against it. In the same survey, 66% of respondents agreed with the statement that homosexuality should be accepted by society, while 28% believed that homosexuality should not be accepted by society.[199][200]
On 12 May 2015, Greece had its first survey ever showing majority support for same-sex marriage at 56%, while 35% opposed it. The survey was based on 1,431 respondents and was conducted by Focus Bari. A very high percentage of respondents (76%) agreed that homosexuality should be accepted by society and 70% agreed that civil partnerships should be extended to same-sex couples. However, respondents remained sceptical about adoption by same-sex couples with only 30% supporting it, while 56% opposed it. Only 14% believed that homosexuality is a mental disorder and 54% stated that stricter laws should exist to punish homophobic crimes (hate speech in particular).[201]
In December 2015, a poll, conducted by theUniversity of Macedonia during the week before thecivil unions bill became law, found that 56% of the public agreed with the law, while 29% strongly opposed it.[202]
A survey by Pew found that the Greek respondents (having been polled in 2015–2016) gave the mostcultural liberal responses regarding LGBT rights among Orthodox Christians from various countries, except for respondents from theUnited States, and the most liberal responses of all Orthodox-majority countries.[203] Specifically, 50% of practicing Greek Orthodox Christian respondents said that homosexuality should be accepted by society, while 45% disagreed.[203] Regarding legalizing same-sex marriage, 25% of practicing Greek Orthodox Christians were in favor and 72% were opposed.[203]
A poll conducted by DiaNeosis in 2018 showed that 40,8% of Greeks supported same-sex marriage and 24% were in favor of adoption by same-sex couples. The poll found a large age gap with 58% of those aged 17–24 and 47% of those aged 25–39 being supporters of same-sex marriage, in contrast to only 29% of those aged over 65. Adoption by same-sex couples was supported by 49% among those aged 17–24, but only 11% of those over 65 shared the same view.[204]
The 2019 Eurobarometer found that 39% of Greeks thought same-sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe, 56% were against. The same poll found that 64% of respondents agreed with the statement: "Gay, lesbian and bisexual people should have the same rights as heterosexual people", whereas 32% disagreed. Those figures marked an increase of 6% and 2%, respectively, compared to the 2015 Eurobarometer survey.[205]
A 2020 poll conducted by theFriedrich Naumann Foundation in cooperation with the KAPA Research, found that the concept ofliberalism is becoming increasingly popular in Greece, with the majority of the Greeks viewing it positively. Also, 71% of the respondents believe that homosexuality should be accepted in the Greek society, and 90% of the respondents believe that the homosexual people should have equal rights as everyone else, marking a sharp increase compared to previous polls. Same-sex marriage is favoured by 56% of the respondents, while adoption by same-sex couples is supported by 40%.[6][206]
A 2022 poll conducted by the Eteron Institute, shows that the youth in Greece is increasingly liberal, with 70% of the young Greeks aged 17–24 being in favor of joint adoptions by same-sex couples while only 37% of the elder Greeks aged above 65 are in favor, marking is a sharp increase compared to the 2018 DiaNeosis poll where adoption by same-sex couples was supported by the 49% of those aged 17–24, but only 11% of those over 65.[207][191]
The 2023 Eurobarometer found that 57% of Greeks thought same-sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe, and 57% agreed that "there is nothing wrong in a sexual relationship between two persons of the same sex".[208] In 2024, opinion poll conducted byProto Thema newspaper, found that nearly 55% of Greeks support gay marriage and 53% support adoption.[209]
A poll conducted in late January 2024 by Metron Analysis showed that 62% of respondents supported same sex marriage, with 36% opposed. However, regarding adoption rights for same sex couples, only 30% expressed positive views, with 69% opposed. Acceptance rates were higher among those who identify as left-wing and center-left, while declining in the center and center-right.[210]
| Right | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Same-sex sexual activity | ||
| Same-sexsexual activity legal |  | Since 1951 |
| Equal age of consent | | Since 2015 |
| Discrimination protections | ||
| Anti-discrimination laws in employment | | Since 2005 |
| Anti-discrimination laws in all other areas (incl. provision of goods and services, indirect discrimination, hate speech) | | Since 2014 |
| Anti-discrimination andhate speech laws coveringgender identity in all areas | | Since 2014 |
| Hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity prohibited | | Since 2015 |
| Military service | ||
| LGBT people allowed to serve openly in themilitary | | Since 2002 |
| Same-sex relationships | ||
| Same-sex civil unions | | Since 2015 |
| Civil same-sex marriage(s) | | Since 2024[211] |
| Religious same-sex marriage(s) |  [212] | |
| Adoption and family planning | ||
| Adoption by single LGBT individuals | | Since 1996 |
| Foster care by same-sex couples | | Since 2018[69] |
| Stepchild adoption by same-sex couples | | Since 2024[211] |
| Joint adoption by same-sex couples | | Since 2024[211] |
| Automatic parenthood for children of same-sex couples | [213] | |
| Access toIVF for lesbian couples | [214] | |
| Altruistic surrogacy for gay couples | [215][214] | |
| Commercial surrogacy for gay couples | | Banned regardless of sexual orientation[215][214] |
| Transgender rights | ||
| Right to changelegal gender | | Since 2010 |
| Sterilisation andSex reassignment surgery not required for the change of legal gender | | Since 2017 |
| Third gender option | | |
| Gender-neutral names on birth certificates | | Since 2018[12] |
| Correction of birth certificates for children of trans couples | [214] | |
| Intersex rights | ||
| Intersex minors protected from invasive surgical procedures | | Since 2022[216] |
| Other | ||
| MSMs allowed to donate blood | | Blocked by theCouncil of State (Proposed)[217] |
| Conversion therapy banned by law | | Since 2022[89][90] |
| Sex education in schools covers sexual orientation and gender identity | | Since 2017 |
| Homosexuality andTranssexuality declassified as illnesses | [218] | |
