Serving openly in military

LGBTQ+ people are banned from serving openly in the military in 103 countries.

DATE

Serving openly in military

The issue of serving openly in the military concerns the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals to serve in the armed forces without hiding their sexual orientation or gender identity. Historically, many countries enforced policies that either banned LGBTQ+ individuals from military service or required them to conceal their identity as a condition of service. Policies can restrict individuals from serving based on their sexual orientation, their gender identity, or both. Notable examples include the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy formerly in place in the United States, which allowed gay people to serve provided they did not openly disclose their sexual orientation.

As the LGBTQ+ rights movement progresses, more countries have revised their military policies to allow LGBTQ+ individuals to serve openly. These changes often occur after extensive advocacy, shifts in public opinion, and recognition of the need for equality and respect for human rights within the armed forces.

Summary

59
Legal
59 regions (30%)
Legal
56
Somewhere in between
56 regions (28%)
Somewhere in between
47
Illegal
47 regions (24%)
Illegal
36
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
36 regions (18%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
Europe
50%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
25 regions (50%)
Somewhere in between
20 regions (40%)
Illegal
1 regions (2%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 regions (8%)
Oceania
36%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
5 regions (36%)
Somewhere in between
regions (0%)
Illegal
regions (0%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
9 regions (64%)
South America
83%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
10 regions (83%)
Somewhere in between
2 regions (17%)
Illegal
regions (0%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
North America
39%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
9 regions (39%)
Somewhere in between
4 regions (17%)
Illegal
2 regions (9%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
8 regions (35%)
Africa
2%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
1 regions (2%)
Somewhere in between
19 regions (35%)
Illegal
26 regions (48%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
8 regions (15%)
Asia
21%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
9 regions (21%)
Somewhere in between
11 regions (25%)
Illegal
18 regions (41%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
6 regions (14%)

Timeline of serving openly in military

Number of countries to allow serving openly in the military over the past 61 years.

Recent Changes

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

Serving openly in military by Country

Legal

Serving openly in military is legal in 59 regions.

  1. Asia (9)
  2. Bhutan
  3. Israel 1992
  4. Japan 1947
  5. Kazakhstan 2022
  6. Nepal 2007
  7. Philippines 2009
  8. Singapore
  9. Thailand 2005
  10. Vietnam 1992
  11. Europe (25)
  12. Austria
  13. Belgium
  14. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2006
  15. Croatia 2013
  16. Cyprus 2004
  17. Czech Republic
  18. Denmark 1987
  19. Estonia
  20. Finland
  21. France
  22. Germany 2000
  23. Greece
  24. Hungary
  25. Ireland 2007
  26. Luxembourg
  27. Malta 2002
  28. Montenegro 2017
  29. Netherlands 1974
  30. Norway 2001
  31. Serbia 2008
  32. Slovakia 1993
  33. Slovenia 2007
  34. Spain 1977
  35. Sweden 2009
  36. United Kingdom 2000
  37. North America (9)
  38. Antigua and Barbuda
  39. Bahamas 1998
  40. Barbados
  41. Canada 1992
  42. Cuba 1993
  43. Jamaica
  44. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  45. Trinidad and Tobago 1962
  46. United States 2021
  47. Africa (1)
  48. South Africa 1996
  49. Oceania (5)
  50. Australia 1992
  51. Fiji
  52. New Zealand 1994
  53. Papua New Guinea
  54. Tonga
  55. South America (10)
  56. Argentina 2020
  57. Bolivia 2002
  58. Brazil 2013
  59. Chile 2012
  60. Colombia
  61. Ecuador
  62. Guyana 2012
  63. Paraguay
  64. Suriname
  65. Uruguay 2009

Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned

Serving openly in military is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned in 42 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. Cambodia
  3. Mongolia
  4. Taiwan 2002
  5. Europe (17)
  6. Albania 2013
  7. Bulgaria 2004
  8. Georgia
  9. Italy 1986
  10. Kosovo
  11. Latvia
  12. Lithuania
  13. Moldova
  14. North Macedonia
  15. Poland 1991
  16. Portugal 1999
  17. Romania
  18. Russia 2003
  19. San Marino
  20. Switzerland 1992
  21. Ukraine 2021
  22. Vatican City
  23. North America (4)
  24. El Salvador 2018
  25. Guatemala
  26. Honduras
  27. Mexico 2012
  28. Africa (16)
  29. Angola
  30. Benin
  31. Botswana 2010
  32. Burkina Faso
  33. Equatorial Guinea
  34. Gabon 2020
  35. Guinea-Bissau
  36. Lesotho
  37. Madagascar
  38. Mali
  39. Mozambique
  40. Republic of the Congo
  41. Rwanda
  42. Sao Tome and Principe
  43. Seychelles
  44. Zimbabwe
  45. South America (2)
  46. Peru 2009
  47. Venezuela 2023

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Serving openly in military is don't ask, don't tell in 14 regions.

  1. Asia (8)
  2. Jordan
  3. Kuwait
  4. Kyrgyzstan 1991
  5. Lebanon 2019
  6. Maldives
  7. North Korea 1948
  8. Syria
  9. Tajikistan 1992
  10. Europe (3)
  11. Armenia 2004
  12. Azerbaijan
  13. Belarus
  14. Africa (3)
  15. Côte d’Ivoire
  16. Liberia
  17. Zambia

Illegal

Serving openly in military is illegal in 47 regions.

  1. Asia (18)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bangladesh
  4. Brunei
  5. India
  6. Indonesia
  7. Iran
  8. Iraq 2007
  9. Malaysia
  10. Myanmar
  11. Pakistan
  12. Qatar 1915
  13. Saudi Arabia
  14. South Korea
  15. Sri Lanka
  16. Turkmenistan
  17. United Arab Emirates
  18. Uzbekistan
  19. Yemen
  20. Europe (1)
  21. Turkey
  22. North America (2)
  23. Dominican Republic
  24. Nicaragua
  25. Africa (26)
  26. Algeria 1966
  27. Burundi
  28. Cameroon
  29. Chad
  30. Comoros
  31. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  32. Egypt
  33. Eritrea 1957
  34. Ethiopia
  35. Gambia
  36. Ghana
  37. Guinea
  38. Kenya 1941
  39. Libya 1953
  40. Malawi
  41. Mauritania 1983
  42. Morocco
  43. Nigeria
  44. Senegal
  45. Sierra Leone
  46. Somalia
  47. South Sudan 2011
  48. Sudan
  49. Tanzania 1998
  50. Togo
  51. Uganda

No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous

Data on serving openly in military is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 36 regions.

  1. Asia (6)
  2. Bahrain
  3. China
  4. Laos
  5. Oman
  6. Palestine
  7. Timor-Leste
  8. Europe (4)
  9. Andorra
  10. Iceland
  11. Liechtenstein
  12. Monaco
  13. North America (8)
  14. Belize
  15. Costa Rica
  16. Dominica
  17. Grenada
  18. Haiti
  19. Panama
  20. Saint Lucia
  21. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  22. Africa (8)
  23. Cape Verde
  24. Central African Republic
  25. Djibouti
  26. Eswatini
  27. Mauritius
  28. Namibia
  29. Niger
  30. Tunisia
  31. Oceania (9)
  32. Federated States of Micronesia
  33. Kiribati
  34. Marshall Islands
  35. Nauru
  36. Palau
  37. Samoa
  38. Solomon Islands
  39. Tuvalu
  40. Vanuatu
  41. Antarctica (1)
  42. Antarctica

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