LGBT rights in the Americas

The British, French, Spanish and Portuguese colonists, who settled most of the Americas, brought Christianity from Europe. In particular, the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestants, both of which oppose legal recognition of homosexual relationships. These were followed by the Eastern Orthodox church,^[7] the Methodist Church,^[8][9] and some other Mainline (Protestant) denominations, such as the Reformed Church in America^[10] and the American Baptist Church,^[11] as well as conservative evangelical organizations and churches, such as the Evangelical Alliance and the Southern Baptist Convention.^[12][13][14] Pentecostal churches, such as the Assemblies of God,^[15] as well as restorationist churches (like Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons), also take the position that homosexual sexual activity is ‘sinful’.^[16][17]

However, other denominations have become more accepting of LGBT people in recent decades, including the Episcopalian church in the United States, the Evangelical Lutheran Church (also in America), the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada, the Anglican Church of Canada, the United Church of Canada, the United Church of Christ, the Unitarian Universalist Association, and the Society of Friends (Quakers), as well as some congregations of the Presbyterian Church in America. Most of these denominations now perform same-sex weddings or blessings. Furthermore, many churches in the United Methodist Church (in the US) are choosing to officiate and bless same-sex marriage despite denomination-wide restrictions.^[18] In addition, in the United States, conservative Judaism, reform Judaism, and reconstructionist Judaism now welcome LGBT worshippers and perform same-sex weddings.

Opinion polls for same-sex adoption in Americas

Country	Pollster	Year	For	Against	Don't Know/Neutral/No answer/Other
Argentina	Ipsos	2023	71%[19]	24%	6%
Brazil	Ipsos	2023	69%[19]	22%	9%
Canada	Ipsos	2023	74%[19]	17%	9%
Chile	CADEM	2022	70%[20]	28%	2%
Colombia	Ipsos	2023	53%[19]	40%	7%
Mexico	Ipsos	2023	60%[19]	34%	6%
Peru	Ipsos	2023	51%[19]	42%	7%
United States	Ipsos	2023	64%[19]	26%	10%
Uruguay	Equipos Consultores	2013	52%[21]	39%	9%
Venezuela	Equilibrium Cende	2023	48%[22] (55%)	39% (45%)	13%

• LGBT rights in Africa
• LGBT rights in Asia
• LGBT rights in Europe
• LGBT rights in Oceania
• Recognition of same-sex unions in the Americas
• Same-sex marriage in tribal nations in the United States
• Travesti (gender identity)
• Decriminalization of homosexuality in Ecuador
• Timeline of LGBT history in Ecuador

• Corrales, J. (2021). The Politics of LGBT Rights Expansion in Latin America and the Caribbean. Cambridge University Press.
• Díez, Jordi. The politics of gay marriage in Latin America: Argentina, Chile, and Mexico (Cambridge University Press, 2015).
• Dion, Michelle L., and Jordi Díez. "Democratic values, religiosity, and support for same-sex marriage in Latin America." Latin American Politics and Society 59.4 (2017): 75–98.
• Encarnación, Omar G. "Latin America's gay rights revolution." Journal of Democracy 22.2 (2011): 104–118.
• Encarnación, Omar Guillermo. Out in the periphery: Latin America's gay rights revolution (Oxford University Press, 2016).
• Navarro, María Camila, et al. "Tolerance of Homosexuality in South American Countries: A Multilevel Analysis of Related Individual and Sociocultural Factors." International Journal of Sexual Health (2019): 1–12.