Gay Surinam

No — same-sex marriage is not currently recognised in Surinam. Suriname has had legal same-sex relations since 1869 and an equal age of consent since 2015. The same 2015 penal code amendments criminalised hate speech on grounds of sexual orientation and banned discrimination in employment and in goods and services; the 2022 Employment Equal Treatment Act added gender identity. Legal gender change has been possible by court order since a 2022 appeals ruling. Relationships are the open question. The Constitutional Court upheld the marriage ban in 2023 while saying the Civil Code needed modernising, and in 2025 a Paramaribo judge ruled the ban conflicts with Suriname's international obligations and ordered same-sex marriages registered; that ruling may yet be overturned, so recognition is not settled. Adoption is not available to same-sex couples. The country held its first public LGBTQ march in 2011 and a 2010 poll found only a tenth of Surinamese supporting same-sex marriage, but the mixed Creole, Hindustani, Javanese and Maroon society is more tolerant in daily life than the numbers suggest. Paramaribo has a few friendly bars; visitors are safe and discreet.

The cities listed on this page have the most active LGBTQ+ scenes in Surinam — typically the capital and the largest tourist cities. Each city page lists verified LGBTQ+ venues.

Many hotels in tourist areas of Surinam welcome LGBTQ+ guests without explicit marketing. International chains in central districts are the safest choice; smaller boutique hotels vary. See each city page for verified LGBTQ+-friendly options.