Human and civil rights in Washingtonia

Human and civil rights in the Kingdom of Washingtonia remain a controversial matter for the conservative Western nation. Although government corruption is moderate to low and the most fundamental human rights are upheld, the people, especially minorities (moreover LGBT-persons) and women, have very limited civil liberties. The Constitution affords many rights to citizens contained within Chapter 2 (the Bill of Rights), however, Section 2 of Chapter 1 (Basic provisions), establishes the Christian God as the highest and sovereign power in Washingtonia.

On appeal, in Reynolds vs. Minister, Ministry of the Interior, 09-2005 CC, the Constitutional Court held that the Bill of Rights must be read along with the Bible, and because of Section 2 of Chapter 1, the Bible will take precedence (in Reynolds vs. Minister, Ministry of the Interior, 17-2005 SC the lower Supreme Court held that it goes against "national morals [interest]" to allow for homosexual activities). Homosexual activities in its entirety are, therefore, against the law in Washingtonia, punishable by a fine or community service.

Homosexuality
Homosexual activities are explicitly illegal within the Kingdom, including marriage and more specifically sexual activities, under the Marriages Act of 1959 as amended in November 2005. Anyone found "engaging in or encouraging homosexual activities including marriage under statutory or common law or activities of a sexual nature is guilty of an offense", and liable for a fine (the highest of which cannot exceed C5,000) or community service as determined by a court or jury.

The landmark case is Reynolds vs. Minister, Ministry of the Interior, 09-2005 CC wherein the Constitutional Court upheld the Supreme Court's ruling, however added that the "national morals" defense of the SC was irrelevant. Chief Justice Howsham specifically stated that homosexual activities (not only marriages) violates Section 2 of Chapter 1 of the Constitution (the basic provisions), as it (within the interpretation of the court) goes against the Bible.

The Grand Washingtonian Assembly, after Reynolds was concluded, took the initiative in codifying the new criminal law, and amended the Marriages Act in November of 2005. Before Reynolds, no homosexuals who had been denied recognition of marriage by the Interior Ministry had taken the matter to court, thus the activities went unchecked. Reynolds changed the face of Washingtonia's civil rights record and led to international outcry.

Transsexualism
Under the Miscellaneous Definitions Act of 1994, sex and gender are used interchangeably and defined as "not changeable". The Supreme Court upheld this in Atkins vs. Geraldson, 19-2001 SC that a person's gender (sex) cannot change, and that "undergoing an operation or procedure" to change "this natural way of being" goes against the national interest, citing that as a Christian nation, people must embrace the gender (sex) that God bestows upon them. Although sex change operations are thus not recognized, no statutory action has been taken to explicitly criminalize the act thereof. Therefore, sex change operations are legal, however, the subject's gender (sex) does not change as a result thereof.