Terms of use

Effective date: 16 October 2026. These terms apply to Universe content and website tools. For questions, corrections and rights-related requests, use contact@universe.gay. These terms operate alongside mandatory rights under applicable law.

Purpose and scope

Universe provides explanatory and practical editorial information about LGBTQIA+ identity, relationships, community and culture. A guide can help you understand a question without establishing your identity, diagnosing a condition or supplying individual legal or medical advice. Country-specific examples retain their stated context. Translation does not make a country's law or a service available everywhere.

Copyright and permitted use

Universe reserves its rights in original articles, editorial compositions, designs and other protected material it owns. Rights in quoted, referenced or reproduced third-party material remain with the relevant owners. An external reference is not a transfer of those rights.

You may read, link to and share the public URL of a page. Lawful quotation, accessibility uses and other statutory exceptions remain available under the applicable law. Reproducing complete articles, republishing substantial protected material or systematically extracting content for reuse requires permission unless a specific legal exception or licence applies. A sharing button provides a link; it does not grant a licence to republish the work.

Use of tools

Language selection and search help you navigate the available content. Search results depend on the words entered and the guide information available. Your browser may restrict clipboard or native sharing functions; an alternative link is provided where possible. These tools do not create a personal assessment, confidential professional relationship or guarantee that a chosen article resolves an individual situation.

Do not interfere with website availability, attempt unauthorised access or use the service to harass others or infringe rights. Automated access must respect applicable law and technical access controls. Ordinary indexing and lawful references do not amount to permission for unrestricted reproduction.

Accuracy, changes and availability

Content and features can change as information, sources and practical needs develop. We aim to describe evidence and limitations accurately, but errors and interruptions can occur. A historical source or example may not describe current circumstances elsewhere. Use the corrections page to identify a specific problem.

We may update or remove a feature where reasonably necessary, while respecting obligations that apply to an existing transaction or agreement. These terms do not exclude liability or consumer rights where exclusion is prohibited. Responsibility for an individual decision depends on the facts and applicable law, rather than a blanket waiver in an editorial article.

External destinations and commercial relationships

External websites, platforms and services have their own operators, availability and conditions. A source link supports an explanation; it is not a guarantee of every claim or service on the destination. Examine the relevant conditions before sending information or completing a transaction there.

Advertising, sponsorship and affiliate relationships, where applicable, are identified in the relevant context. A commission can arise from a qualifying purchase. Commercial placement does not remove the need for accurate claims or imply a professional endorsement beyond what the content actually states.

Product offers and checkout conditions define the actual price, currency, seller, payment, delivery or access, support and cancellation or refund terms for that transaction. Do not infer those details from a general guide. Mandatory consumer rights remain applicable, and a separate offer cannot silently replace them.

Privacy and communication

Our privacy policy explains technical information, language preferences, local search, enabled measurement and contact messages. Sending a correction does not authorise public attribution of a personal story. If you seek permission to reproduce material, describe the intended work, destination and extent of use so the request can be considered.

Changes to these terms

Material changes are reflected in the effective date and the relevant wording. A later change does not retrospectively remove rights already established by an applicable agreement or law. Continued access to editorial pages should not be understood as consent to unrelated data processing or a purchase.