LGBT rights in the Unified Governorates

LGBT rights in the UGB
Same-sex sexual activity	Legal / tolerated
Military service	Legal
Discrimination protections	Sanctuary areas in urban bailiwicks

"While we do not condone that which runs contrary to the interests of our martial society, charged as it is with the restoration and re-population of an empty land, we must also pragmatically accept that the human spirit, which is innately perverse and driven by an infinitude of fancies to fornicate with any and every form of flesh that will yield to the persuasion or pressure of the will, must be accommodated. A man has as many masters as he has vices, and without outlets to serve as sewers to carry those away he will surely drown in this accumulation of filth not only himself, but his city and the commonwealth. It is therefore on account of this that we do condone, within reason, that which might otherwise be considered unseemly."

—Vüqar Rugahi, Revised Precepts of Harmonious Governance in the Modern Age, Merensk, 1685 AN

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual rights do not formally exist in the UGB but such practices as would be protected by those rights do enjoy a significant measure of toleration in the cities and particularly amongst designated urban districts, known colloquially as "Paradises". Same-sex marriage is illegal in consequence of the abolition of the old distinctions of the feudal nobility, wherein such practices had previously been licensed. Outside of these so-called paradises homosexual lifestyles are not especially visible, being subject to various stringent taboos - especially in rural and less developed bailiwicks. Nonetheless the Panopticon Department of the Internal Security Bureau (Benacia Command) assessed that the actual prevalence of same-sex preference individuals, excluding mixed-preference individuals and instances of casual experimentation, are broadly constant with what might be expected in any equivalent human population.

Detailed chart

Same-sex sexual activity legal	Unregulated, subject to the discretion of bailiffs.
Gender expression	Deviations from societal norms permitted within Paradises and private residences, subject to the discretion of bailiffs.
Age of consent	It remains a criminal offence to engage in sexual relations with any person under the age of 15 years. The penalty for violations of which include a five year term of service with the Benacian Labour Reserve or referral to the Cull Commission in the event of an egregious violation of social norms.
Anti-discrimination laws in employment	Meritorious subjects enrolled in one of the Guilds of Benacia must not be subjected to unnecessarily cruel usage by their formal employers whilst under the contractual discipline of the same, excepting where required in the performance of their duties.
Anti-discrimination laws in the provision of goods and services	As per Benacian custom and practice the invitation to treat may be voided by the offering party at any moment, at their sole discretion and for any reason, prior to the exchange of monies or the notarised promise thereof.
Conversion therapy	Indoctrination, whilst within the gymnasia and Humanist Institutes system, into any belief systems other than those propagated by the Union-State are at all times prohibited.
Anti-discrimination laws in all other areas (incl. indirect discrimination, hate speech)	Any act, by word, or deeds, or thought, that gives rise to the commissioning of a criminal act or an act contrary to the Union Covenant, causing harm to either the Harmonious Society or the Coordinated State will be punished as an offence at the discretion of the bailiffs.
Same-sex marriage	Revoked with loss of noble privileges (1672 AN).
Recognition of same-sex unions	Legal under inherited Imperial Law, subject to the discretion of bailiffs.
"Rainbow-flag" activities	Prohibited as a front for political activism.
Joint and step-child adoption by same-sex couples	Formerly a moot point as orphans automatically became wards of the state, to be reared in government gymnasia for service in the Black Legions, later BUDF. However, in practice wellborn members of the N&H National Sector Party, the Honourable Company, and the BUDF, are permitted to foster juveniles who have been purchased into the service of their respective organisations.
Gay people allowed to serve in the military	whilst abstinence on active service is expected as a part of military discipline for all members of the BUDF, formerly the Black Legions, irrespective of persuasion, amenities remarkably similar to those available in the paradises of an urban bailiwick are to be found inside or immediately adjacent to the cantonments of most significant garrisons.
Right to change legal gender	Gender identity is considered to arise from observable biological sex and assigned in formal records accordingly. Living contrary to that assigned identity is tolerated, at the discretion of the bailiffs, but receives no formal recognition.
Access to IVF for lesbians	A service discretely available to the wellborn.
MSMs allowed to donate blood	In practice mandatory for protected persons to be on the donation register. Medical exemptions applied only to those with bloodborne diseases.
Third gender	Recognised under inherited Imperial law. Only those naturally born with the hermaphrodite condition ("intersex") will be considered such.
Surrogacy	Whilst not the intended beneficiaries, wellborn couples in civil partnerships have been able to discretely avail themselves of the services of the Benacian Surrogacy Service, operating in Merensk since 1721 AN. There has also been the suggestion that these services are, as of 1729 AN, being offered to foreign nationals on a for-profit basis.