• Homosexuality
  • Marriage
  • Changing Gender
  • Adoption
  • Discrimination
  • Employment Discrimination
  • Housing Discrimination
  • Military
  • Donating
    Blood
  • Age of
    Consent
  • Conversion Therapy
Loading map of LGBT rights...

Homosexual Activity

Consensual sexual activity between individuals of the same sex.

  • Legal
  • Male illegal, female legal
  • Male illegal, female uncertain
  • Illegal (other penalty)
  • Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
  • Illegal (up to life in prison as punishment)
  • Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
  • Unknown, N/A, or ambiguous

Recent Changes

  • Sep 4 2017Became Legal in Republic of the Congo
  • Aug 10 2017Became Male illegal, female legal in Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Aug 10 2017Became Illegal (imprisonment as punishment) in Saint Lucia
  • Aug 8 2017Became Male illegal, female legal in Kiribati
  • May 19 2017Became Male illegal, female legal in Tuvalu
  • Mar 6 2017Became Illegal (imprisonment as punishment) in Maldives
  • Mar 5 2017Became Illegal (up to life in prison as punishment) in Barbados
  • Feb 12 2017Became Male illegal, female legal in Palestine
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Status of LGBT Laws by Country

Homosexual activity

148
Legal
73
Illegal
Legal
148 countries (65%)
Illegal
73 countries (32%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
8 countries (3%)
Legal
50 countries (100%)
Europe
Legal
17 countries (71%)
Illegal
7 countries (29%)
Oceania
Legal
13 countries (93%)
Illegal
1 countries (7%)
South America
Legal
27 countries (75%)
Illegal
9 countries (25%)
North America
Legal
22 countries (37%)
Illegal
35 countries (59%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 countries (3%)
Africa
Legal
19 countries (41%)
Illegal
21 countries (46%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
6 countries (13%)
Asia

Same-sex marriage

40
Legal
123
Somewhere in between
74
Illegal
Legal
40 countries (17%)
Somewhere in between
123 countries (54%)
Illegal
74 countries (32%)
Legal
13 countries (26%)
Somewhere in between
35 countries (70%)
Illegal
9 countries (18%)
Europe
Legal
6 countries (25%)
Somewhere in between
11 countries (46%)
Illegal
6 countries (25%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 countries (4%)
Oceania
Legal
5 countries (36%)
Somewhere in between
7 countries (50%)
Illegal
2 countries (14%)
South America
Legal
8 countries (22%)
Somewhere in between
25 countries (69%)
Illegal
4 countries (11%)
North America
Legal
8 countries (14%)
Somewhere in between
23 countries (39%)
Illegal
31 countries (53%)
Africa
Somewhere in between
22 countries (48%)
Illegal
22 countries (48%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 countries (4%)
Asia

Right to change legal gender

97
Legal
52
Somewhere in between
61
Illegal
Legal
97 countries (42%)
Somewhere in between
52 countries (23%)
Illegal
61 countries (27%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
19 countries (8%)
Legal
17 countries (34%)
Somewhere in between
24 countries (48%)
Illegal
7 countries (14%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 countries (4%)
Europe
Legal
12 countries (50%)
Somewhere in between
3 countries (13%)
Illegal
8 countries (33%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 countries (4%)
Oceania
Legal
4 countries (29%)
Somewhere in between
5 countries (36%)
Illegal
5 countries (36%)
South America
Legal
15 countries (42%)
Somewhere in between
3 countries (8%)
Illegal
15 countries (42%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 countries (8%)
North America
Legal
33 countries (56%)
Somewhere in between
6 countries (10%)
Illegal
13 countries (22%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
7 countries (12%)
Africa
Legal
16 countries (35%)
Somewhere in between
11 countries (24%)
Illegal
13 countries (28%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
6 countries (13%)
Asia

Same-sex adoption

110
Legal
63
Somewhere in between
49
Illegal
Legal
110 countries (48%)
Somewhere in between
63 countries (28%)
Illegal
49 countries (21%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
7 countries (3%)
Legal
24 countries (48%)
Somewhere in between
16 countries (32%)
Illegal
10 countries (20%)
Europe
Legal
16 countries (67%)
Somewhere in between
3 countries (13%)
Illegal
3 countries (13%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 countries (8%)
Oceania
Legal
10 countries (71%)
Somewhere in between
4 countries (29%)
South America
Legal
18 countries (50%)
Somewhere in between
14 countries (39%)
Illegal
4 countries (11%)
North America
Legal
27 countries (46%)
Somewhere in between
16 countries (27%)
Illegal
16 countries (27%)
Africa
Legal
15 countries (33%)
Somewhere in between
10 countries (22%)
Illegal
16 countries (35%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
5 countries (11%)
Asia

LGBT discrimination

73
Protected
52
Some protections
102
No protections
Protected
73 countries (32%)
Some protections
52 countries (23%)
No protections
102 countries (45%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 countries (1%)
Protected
31 countries (62%)
Some protections
12 countries (24%)
No protections
7 countries (14%)
Europe
Protected
11 countries (46%)
Some protections
6 countries (25%)
No protections
5 countries (21%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 countries (8%)
Oceania
Protected
7 countries (50%)
Some protections
3 countries (21%)
No protections
4 countries (29%)
South America
Protected
13 countries (36%)
Some protections
10 countries (28%)
No protections
13 countries (36%)
North America
Protected
8 countries (14%)
Some protections
14 countries (24%)
No protections
37 countries (63%)
Africa
Protected
3 countries (7%)
Some protections
7 countries (15%)
No protections
36 countries (78%)
Asia

LGBT housing discrimination

96
Protected
6
Some protections
118
No protections
Protected
96 countries (42%)
Some protections
6 countries (3%)
No protections
118 countries (52%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
9 countries (4%)
Protected
41 countries (82%)
Some protections
2 countries (4%)
No protections
10 countries (20%)
Europe
Protected
11 countries (46%)
No protections
10 countries (42%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 countries (13%)
Oceania
Protected
8 countries (57%)
Some protections
1 countries (7%)
No protections
2 countries (14%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 countries (21%)
South America
Protected
16 countries (44%)
Some protections
1 countries (3%)
No protections
15 countries (42%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 countries (11%)
North America
Protected
10 countries (17%)
Some protections
1 countries (2%)
No protections
48 countries (81%)
Africa
Protected
10 countries (22%)
Some protections
1 countries (2%)
No protections
33 countries (72%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 countries (4%)
Asia

LGBT employment discrimination

87
Protected
36
Some protections
99
No protections
Protected
87 countries (38%)
Some protections
36 countries (16%)
No protections
99 countries (43%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
7 countries (3%)
Protected
29 countries (58%)
Some protections
12 countries (24%)
No protections
6 countries (12%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 countries (6%)
Europe
Protected
14 countries (58%)
Some protections
2 countries (8%)
No protections
12 countries (50%)
Oceania
Protected
8 countries (57%)
Some protections
3 countries (21%)
No protections
2 countries (14%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 countries (7%)
South America
Protected
17 countries (47%)
Some protections
6 countries (17%)
No protections
15 countries (42%)
North America
Protected
7 countries (12%)
Some protections
11 countries (19%)
No protections
35 countries (59%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
6 countries (10%)
Africa
Protected
12 countries (26%)
Some protections
2 countries (4%)
No protections
29 countries (63%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 countries (7%)
Asia

Homosexuals serving openly in military

164
Legal
7
Somewhere in between
26
Illegal
Legal
164 countries (72%)
Somewhere in between
7 countries (3%)
Illegal
26 countries (11%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
32 countries (14%)
Legal
43 countries (86%)
Somewhere in between
1 countries (2%)
Illegal
3 countries (6%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 countries (6%)
Europe
Legal
12 countries (50%)
Somewhere in between
2 countries (8%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
10 countries (42%)
Oceania
Legal
12 countries (86%)
Illegal
1 countries (7%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 countries (7%)
South America
Legal
25 countries (69%)
Somewhere in between
1 countries (3%)
Illegal
2 countries (6%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
8 countries (22%)
North America
Legal
40 countries (68%)
Somewhere in between
2 countries (3%)
Illegal
12 countries (20%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
5 countries (8%)
Africa
Legal
32 countries (70%)
Somewhere in between
1 countries (2%)
Illegal
8 countries (17%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
5 countries (11%)
Asia

Equal age of consent

188
Equal
39
Unequal
Equal
188 countries (82%)
Unequal
39 countries (17%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 countries (1%)
Equal
50 countries (100%)
Europe
Equal
20 countries (83%)
Unequal
7 countries (29%)
Oceania
Equal
11 countries (79%)
Unequal
3 countries (21%)
South America
Equal
24 countries (67%)
Unequal
9 countries (25%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 countries (8%)
North America
Equal
49 countries (83%)
Unequal
14 countries (24%)
Africa
Equal
34 countries (74%)
Unequal
6 countries (13%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
6 countries (13%)
Asia

Blood donations by MSMs

163
Legal
62
Illegal
Legal
163 countries (71%)
Illegal
62 countries (27%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 countries (2%)
Legal
23 countries (46%)
Illegal
24 countries (48%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 countries (6%)
Europe
Legal
13 countries (54%)
Illegal
10 countries (42%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 countries (4%)
Oceania
Legal
13 countries (93%)
Illegal
2 countries (14%)
South America
Legal
32 countries (89%)
Illegal
4 countries (11%)
North America
Legal
54 countries (92%)
Illegal
5 countries (8%)
Africa
Legal
28 countries (61%)
Illegal
17 countries (37%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 countries (2%)
Asia

Conversion therapy

26
Banned
188
Not banned
Banned
26 countries (11%)
Not banned
188 countries (82%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
15 countries (7%)
Banned
6 countries (12%)
Not banned
40 countries (80%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 countries (8%)
Europe
Banned
2 countries (8%)
Not banned
17 countries (71%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
5 countries (21%)
Oceania
Banned
5 countries (36%)
Not banned
9 countries (64%)
South America
Banned
4 countries (11%)
Not banned
29 countries (81%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 countries (8%)
North America
Banned
1 countries (2%)
Not banned
54 countries (92%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 countries (7%)
Africa
Banned
8 countries (17%)
Not banned
39 countries (85%)
Asia

Equaldex is tracking 6505 LGBT-related laws.

41
LAWS CHANGED
this year
150
LAWS CHANGED
last year
31
LAWS ADDED
THIS WEEK
101.3% COUNTRIES WITH 1+ LAWS
100.9% COUNTRIES WITH 2+ LAWS
100.9% COUNTRIES WITH 3+ LAWS

Top Contributors (Month)

Ausyk Ausyk
264 contributions
smulligan smulligan
2 contributions
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Recent Edits

Ausyk
Ausyk added an entry.
LGBT discrimination in Tunisia
Ausyk
Ausyk added an entry.
LGBT discrimination in United Arab Emirates
Ausyk
Ausyk added an entry.
LGBT discrimination in Jordan
View More

LGBT Rights by Country

Explore the status and timelines of LGBT rights in each country, state, province, and region; same-sex marriage, adoption, serving openly in the military, discrimination protections, age of consent differences, blood donation restrictions, gender changing restrictions, and gay conversion therapy bans.

Asia

46 Regions

Europe

50 Regions

North America

36 Regions

Africa

59 Regions

Oceania

24 Regions

South America

14 Regions

Antarctica

1 Region