LGBT rights in Natopia

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights have been an important component of Natopian politics, legal codes, and social norms for generations. Many of Natopia's heads of state have been members of the LGBT community including such prominent Natopians as Nathan Waffel-Paine who married William of Cerulea in what may have been Micras' first, or at least most public, same-sex marriage including a head of state. The current emperor, Nathan II was married to Shirerithian kaiser Ayreon IV in a high-profile marriage that sparked controversy in the Imperial Republic. Natopian culture's acceptance of LGBT people may also stem from the positive treatment of same-sex activities in the state's religion, Bovinism.

History of Natopia's LGBT Community

When discussing Natopia's LGBT community it is important to maintain the distinction between the LGBT community, an estimated 5-10% of the population, and the entire population of Natopia. Various Natoskeptics have conflated Natopia as a whole with its LGBT community based solely on Natopian culture's acceptance and celebration of LGBT people. Any reference to Natopia as "a gay nation" categorically incorrect. Cities throughout Natopia hold LGBT pride celebrations, known as Green, Blue, and Purple Days, on the seventh day of Friedeber each year.

LGBT rights have been important in Natopia since 1530, the year that Nathan Waffel-Paine came out towards the end of his first term as Natopian emperor and later married William of Cerulea in 1548.

Nathan, however, sought the annulment of his marriage with William. It is unclear on what grounds, but the religious authorities of the land granted him an annulment in 1589. Nathan married once again, this time to Shirerithian kaiser Ayreon II in 1588, who a year later defected to Elwynn in order to be with Nathan, Prince of Elwynn. This prompted a second wave of Tapferite immigration to Elwynn where a sizable population of Tapferites still reside in Iserdia (the first wave, much smaller, occurred in the 1540s–1550s. Nathan and Elijah's relationship was popular among the people of Natopia and Elwynn, but subject to much tabloid speculation due to the considerable age difference between the two men, the tragic circumstance of Nathan jumping in front of an assassin's bullet to save Elijah's life, and Nathan's later resurrection as a butter-being to return to the love of his life.

Natopia's LGBT community became a flashpoint in international affairs when Calbain pirates raided the LGBT resorts on Nettivity Island in the late 1590s and early 1600s. Jingdaoese and Batavian media condemned homosexuality as the Natopian sin and the Natopian vice, something the Jingdaoese as of 1676 deny, having changed their interpretation of these expressions to refer to adoption by gay couples instead.

The proposed marriage between Nathan II and Ayreon IV caused serious strife among Shireroth's Imperial Advisory Council, although noteworthy that the IAC had no qualms with the sex of the two sovereigns, only that they were two heads of state. An extensive marriage contract was drafted that ensured the heirs and powers of each man were kept confined to their respective nations. As a prerequisite to the marriage conditions, the laws in Shireroth were amended to allow same-sex marriage for commoners, which had previously only been allowed for nobles. Sadly, the marriage between Nathan II and Ayreon IV did not last very long, as the kaiser died a year after his marriage to Nathan.

LGBT Rights in Codified Laws

The Caprine Code does not specify any special rights or protections guaranteed to LGBT individuals. Instead, the Caprine Code is equally applied to all people without consideration of sex or gender. The prominence of LGBT individuals in public office has created a culture of acceptance towards all LGBT people and the necessity to legislate specific LGBT protection laws has never been seriously considered in Natopia. Therefore, LGBT rights are largely protected by custom, and enforced by social and moral standards.

Natopia has an extensive anti-discrimination law in the Caprine Code. "No person, nor persons, organization, government, group, or other legal entity, may cause harm to another within the Empire, whether to a Citizen or a foreigner, by means of the following: 8. Discriminating against another based on sex, race, age, gender identity, religion, [sexual] orientation, or residency status within the Empire."

Natopia does not have marriage laws at the national level except that a reigning Emperor or Empress must be married in a Bovic ceremony to their intended spouse. Bovinism is famously supportive of the LGBT community and no Bovic officiant is likely to ever refuse to participate in the marriage of the Emperor or Empress to their same-sex intended spouse. The spouse of a Emperor is free to choose a masculine, feminine, or neutral consort title.

Among the general population marriages are generally conducted as personal contracts between consenting adults. Demesnes may have their own marriage laws that do not contradict imperial law.

Natopian inheritance laws and some demesne law, especially laws in Flaventia, are explicitly written in such a way as to make no legal distinction between biological and adoptive children, largely due in part to the prevalence of adoption or offspring being biologically related to only one partner. A notable, and perhaps ironic exception, is the family contract of the House of Waffel-Paine which makes a distinction between the biological and adoptive offspring when defining the terms of eligibility for family titles.

Advocacy

Until recently, advocacy for LGBT rights on Micras was considered unnecessary or low-priority considering the generally positive, or ambivalent, attitudes towards LGBT people among most of the civilized nations. Natopia's close relationship with Shireroth, which had banned same-sex marriage, tarnished Natopia's authority to advocate for LGBT rights. The collapse of Shireroth and recent public revelations of LGBT rights in Krasnocoria have prompted many in Natopia to call for the Bovic Empire and the emperor himself to advocate for LGBT rights across all of Micras.

Summary table

Same-sex sexual activity	Yes
Equal age of consent	18 and older
Anti-discrimination laws in employment	Yes
Anti-discrimination laws in all other areas	Yes
Hate crimes laws covering both sexual orientation and gender identity	N/A
Recognition of same-sex couples	Yes
Same-sex marriage	Yes
Adoption by same-sex couples	Yes
LGBT allowed to serve in the military	Yes
Right to change legal gender	Yes
Access to IVF for lesbians	Yes
MSMs allowed to donate blood	Yes