Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Mava face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT citizens, although attitudes have changed significantly in recent years. Same-sex sexual activity between men has been legal since 1978, with protections against discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation in place since 2020. Female homosexual relations have never been illegal.
Homosexuality and gender non-conformity have a long history in Mavean culture. Historically, male same-sex relations were accepted as part of the relations between a elder figure and his younger protégé. Similarly, there was recognition of a third gender, generally ascribed to those males who submitted to an older man and who adopted many of the characteristics associated with women. Whilst society's responses to these phenomena were complex, outward hostility came only with Atitlanese colonisation and the adoption of Christianity. Although Mava remains a conservative society, there is generally support for LGBT+ rights, particularly amongst younger generations.
