• 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

Equaldex is a collaborative
LGBT
Lesbain,
Gay,
Bisexual,
Transgender,
Questioning,
Intersex...
knowledge base built by people like you.
Global
Equaldex will become a global LGBT knowledge base for every country and region.
Collaborative
Equaldex is editable by users, allowing anyone in the world to contribute their knowledge.
Community-verified
Data is supplied with sources and verified by other users.

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

39
Legal
94
Somewhere in between
103
Illegal
Legal
39 countries (17%)
Somewhere in between
94 countries (41%)
Illegal
103 countries (45%)
Legal
13 countries (26%)
Somewhere in between
35 countries (70%)
Illegal
9 countries (18%)
Europe
Legal
5 countries (21%)
Somewhere in between
2 countries (8%)
Illegal
16 countries (67%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 countries (4%)
Oceania
Legal
5 countries (36%)
Somewhere in between
6 countries (43%)
Illegal
3 countries (21%)
South America
Legal
8 countries (22%)
Somewhere in between
19 countries (53%)
Illegal
9 countries (25%)
North America
Legal
8 countries (14%)
Somewhere in between
15 countries (25%)
Illegal
39 countries (66%)
Africa
Somewhere in between
17 countries (37%)
Illegal
27 countries (59%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 countries (4%)
Asia

Right to change legal gender

45
Legal
48
Somewhere in between
122
Illegal
Legal
45 countries (20%)
Somewhere in between
48 countries (21%)
Illegal
122 countries (53%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
14 countries (6%)
Legal
16 countries (32%)
Somewhere in between
23 countries (46%)
Illegal
9 countries (18%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 countries (4%)
Europe
Legal
8 countries (33%)
Somewhere in between
2 countries (8%)
Illegal
10 countries (42%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 countries (17%)
Oceania
Legal
4 countries (29%)
Somewhere in between
5 countries (36%)
Illegal
5 countries (36%)
South America
Legal
5 countries (14%)
Somewhere in between
4 countries (11%)
Illegal
21 countries (58%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
6 countries (17%)
North America
Legal
7 countries (12%)
Somewhere in between
1 countries (2%)
Illegal
51 countries (86%)
Africa
Legal
5 countries (11%)
Somewhere in between
13 countries (28%)
Illegal
26 countries (57%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 countries (4%)
Asia

Same-sex adoption

44
Legal
38
Somewhere in between
136
Illegal
Legal
44 countries (19%)
Somewhere in between
38 countries (17%)
Illegal
136 countries (59%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
11 countries (5%)
Legal
14 countries (28%)
Somewhere in between
18 countries (36%)
Illegal
18 countries (36%)
Europe
Legal
8 countries (33%)
Somewhere in between
2 countries (8%)
Illegal
13 countries (54%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 countries (4%)
Oceania
Legal
6 countries (43%)
Somewhere in between
5 countries (36%)
Illegal
3 countries (21%)
South America
Legal
8 countries (22%)
Somewhere in between
3 countries (8%)
Illegal
21 countries (58%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 countries (11%)
North America
Legal
5 countries (8%)
Somewhere in between
3 countries (5%)
Illegal
50 countries (85%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 countries (2%)
Africa
Legal
3 countries (7%)
Somewhere in between
7 countries (15%)
Illegal
31 countries (67%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
5 countries (11%)
Asia

LGBT discrimination

61
Protected
44
Some protections
119
No protections
Protected
61 countries (27%)
Some protections
44 countries (19%)
No protections
119 countries (52%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
5 countries (2%)
Protected
29 countries (58%)
Some protections
13 countries (26%)
No protections
8 countries (16%)
Europe
Protected
8 countries (33%)
Some protections
5 countries (21%)
No protections
11 countries (46%)
Oceania
Protected
7 countries (50%)
Some protections
3 countries (21%)
No protections
4 countries (29%)
South America
Protected
10 countries (28%)
Some protections
10 countries (28%)
No protections
12 countries (33%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 countries (11%)
North America
Protected
6 countries (10%)
Some protections
7 countries (12%)
No protections
45 countries (76%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 countries (2%)
Africa
Protected
1 countries (2%)
Some protections
6 countries (13%)
No protections
39 countries (85%)
Asia

LGBT housing discrimination

50
Protected
20
Some protections
138
No protections
Protected
50 countries (22%)
Some protections
20 countries (9%)
No protections
138 countries (60%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
21 countries (9%)
Protected
23 countries (46%)
Some protections
12 countries (24%)
No protections
17 countries (34%)
Europe
Protected
6 countries (25%)
No protections
10 countries (42%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
8 countries (33%)
Oceania
Protected
7 countries (50%)
Some protections
1 countries (7%)
No protections
3 countries (21%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 countries (21%)
South America
Protected
8 countries (22%)
Some protections
3 countries (8%)
No protections
16 countries (44%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
9 countries (25%)
North America
Protected
5 countries (8%)
Some protections
2 countries (3%)
No protections
53 countries (90%)
Africa
Protected
1 countries (2%)
Some protections
2 countries (4%)
No protections
39 countries (85%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 countries (9%)
Asia

LGBT employment discrimination

51
Protected
47
Some protections
133
No protections
Protected
51 countries (22%)
Some protections
47 countries (21%)
No protections
133 countries (58%)
Protected
22 countries (44%)
Some protections
16 countries (32%)
No protections
10 countries (20%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 countries (4%)
Europe
Protected
8 countries (33%)
Some protections
5 countries (21%)
No protections
19 countries (79%)
Oceania
Protected
7 countries (50%)
Some protections
3 countries (21%)
No protections
3 countries (21%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 countries (7%)
South America
Protected
7 countries (19%)
Some protections
12 countries (33%)
No protections
14 countries (39%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 countries (8%)
North America
Protected
5 countries (8%)
Some protections
7 countries (12%)
No protections
48 countries (81%)
Africa
Protected
2 countries (4%)
Some protections
4 countries (9%)
No protections
39 countries (85%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 countries (2%)
Asia

Homosexuals serving openly in military

86
Legal
5
Somewhere in between
86
Illegal
Legal
86 countries (38%)
Somewhere in between
5 countries (2%)
Illegal
86 countries (38%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
52 countries (23%)
Legal
39 countries (78%)
Somewhere in between
2 countries (4%)
Illegal
5 countries (10%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 countries (8%)
Europe
Legal
8 countries (33%)
Illegal
3 countries (13%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
13 countries (54%)
Oceania
Legal
11 countries (79%)
Illegal
2 countries (14%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 countries (7%)
South America
Legal
16 countries (44%)
Somewhere in between
1 countries (3%)
Illegal
4 countries (11%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
15 countries (42%)
North America
Legal
4 countries (7%)
Somewhere in between
1 countries (2%)
Illegal
42 countries (71%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
12 countries (20%)
Africa
Legal
8 countries (17%)
Somewhere in between
1 countries (2%)
Illegal
30 countries (65%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
7 countries (15%)
Asia

Equal age of consent

130
Equal
91
Unequal
Equal
130 countries (57%)
Unequal
91 countries (40%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
8 countries (3%)
Equal
48 countries (96%)
Unequal
2 countries (4%)
Europe
Equal
15 countries (63%)
Unequal
11 countries (46%)
Oceania
Equal
11 countries (79%)
Unequal
3 countries (21%)
South America
Equal
16 countries (44%)
Unequal
13 countries (36%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
7 countries (19%)
North America
Equal
21 countries (36%)
Unequal
41 countries (69%)
Africa
Equal
19 countries (41%)
Unequal
21 countries (46%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
6 countries (13%)
Asia

Blood donations by MSMs

24
Legal
191
Illegal
Legal
24 countries (10%)
Illegal
191 countries (83%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
14 countries (6%)
Legal
10 countries (20%)
Illegal
37 countries (74%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 countries (6%)
Europe
Illegal
23 countries (96%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 countries (4%)
Oceania
Legal
6 countries (43%)
Illegal
8 countries (57%)
South America
Legal
4 countries (11%)
Illegal
27 countries (75%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
5 countries (14%)
North America
Legal
1 countries (2%)
Illegal
55 countries (93%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 countries (5%)
Africa
Legal
3 countries (7%)
Illegal
41 countries (89%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 countries (4%)
Asia

Conversion therapy

37
Banned
182
Not banned
Banned
37 countries (16%)
Not banned
182 countries (79%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
10 countries (4%)
Banned
16 countries (32%)
Not banned
32 countries (64%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 countries (4%)
Europe
Banned
2 countries (8%)
Not banned
22 countries (92%)
Oceania
Banned
5 countries (36%)
Not banned
9 countries (64%)
South America
Banned
2 countries (6%)
Not banned
26 countries (72%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
8 countries (22%)
North America
Banned
2 countries (3%)
Not banned
56 countries (95%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 countries (2%)
Africa
Banned
10 countries (22%)
Not banned
37 countries (80%)
Asia

Equaldex is tracking 4573 LGBT-related laws.

50
LAWS CHANGED
this year
94
LAWS CHANGED
last year
8
LAWS ADDED
THIS WEEK
100.4% COUNTRIES WITH 1+ LAWS
100.4% COUNTRIES WITH 2+ LAWS
100% COUNTRIES WITH 3+ LAWS

Top Contributors (Month)

Ausyk Ausyk
107 contributions
View More

Recent Edits

Ausyk
Ausyk added an entry.
LGBT housing discrimination in Santa Cruz
Ausyk
Ausyk added an entry.
Equal age of consent in Chile
Ausyk
Ausyk added an entry.
Conversion therapy in Louisiana
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