LGBTQ rights in the Northern Mariana Islands

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

LGBTQ rights in the Northern Mariana Islands have improved a lot in recent years. Same-sex activity has been legal since 1983.

Same-sex marriage became legal in 2015 after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that banning it was unconstitutional. The first same-sex marriage on Saipan occurred on July 22, 2015. Since then, same-sex couples can marry and adopt. Lesbian couples can use assisted reproduction like IVF, and when a married couple has a child, the non-genetic, non-gestational mother can be a legal parent.

Discrimination protections are limited. There is no broad law shielding people from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, but discrimination against government employees for their orientation is illegal. The Marianas Visitors Authority and the Civil Service Commission cannot discriminate for this reason, and the Administrative Code bans bullying and harassment in public schools.

Transgender people can change their legal gender after sex reassignment surgery, and a name change can be made. Birth certificates can be updated following a court order.

Hate crime protections for crimes motivated by sexual orientation or gender identity began in 2023, and federal protections also apply.

Culturally, the Chamorro people have traditionally been tolerant of homosexuality, and the territory held its first Pride parade in July 2018. The CNMI has become a popular destination for same-sex weddings, with many such marriages occurring in 2018. The Chamorro terms mamflorita and malalahi refer to gay men and lesbians, reflecting language used in the community.