Explore the progress of
LGBTQ+
Lesbian,
Gay,
Bisexual,
Transgender,
Questioning,
Intersex...
rights across the world.
  • Equality Index
  • Homosexuality
  • Gay Marriage
  • Censorship
  • Changing Gender
  • Gender-Affirming CareJust Added
  • Non-Binary Gender Recognition
  • Discrimination
  • Employment Discrimination
  • Housing Discrimination
  • Adoption
  • Intersex Infant SurgeryJust Added
  • Military
  • Donating Blood
  • Conversion Therapy
  • Age of Consent
Equality Index ?
0 (Less Equal)
100 (More Equal)

Today in LGBTQ+ History

Upcoming LGBTQ+ Law Changes

Recent LGBTQ+ Laws Changed

LGBTQ+ Rights by Country

Select an issue to view a further breakdown.

Homosexual activity

131
Legal
60
Illegal
Legal
131 regions (67%)
Illegal
60 regions (31%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
5 regions (3%)
Legal
49 regions (98%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Europe
Legal
8 regions (57%)
Illegal
6 regions (43%)
Oceania
Legal
11 regions (92%)
Illegal
1 regions (8%)
South America
Legal
19 regions (83%)
Illegal
4 regions (17%)
North America
Legal
22 regions (42%)
Illegal
30 regions (57%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Africa
Legal
22 regions (50%)
Illegal
19 regions (43%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 regions (7%)
Asia

Same-sex marriage

37
Legal
79
Somewhere in between
78
Illegal
Legal
37 regions (19%)
Somewhere in between
79 regions (40%)
Illegal
78 regions (40%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 regions (1%)
Legal
21 regions (42%)
Somewhere in between
18 regions (36%)
Illegal
11 regions (22%)
Europe
Legal
2 regions (14%)
Somewhere in between
7 regions (50%)
Illegal
5 regions (36%)
Oceania
Legal
6 regions (50%)
Somewhere in between
2 regions (17%)
Illegal
4 regions (33%)
South America
Legal
5 regions (22%)
Somewhere in between
14 regions (61%)
Illegal
4 regions (17%)
North America
Legal
1 regions (2%)
Somewhere in between
20 regions (38%)
Illegal
32 regions (60%)
Africa
Legal
2 regions (5%)
Somewhere in between
18 regions (41%)
Illegal
22 regions (50%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 regions (5%)
Asia

Censorship of LGBT issues

135
No censorship
52
Censorship exists
No censorship
135 regions (69%)
Censorship exists
52 regions (27%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
9 regions (5%)
No censorship
42 regions (84%)
Censorship exists
7 regions (14%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Europe
No censorship
14 regions (100%)
Oceania
No censorship
11 regions (92%)
Censorship exists
1 regions (8%)
South America
No censorship
21 regions (91%)
Censorship exists
1 regions (4%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (4%)
North America
No censorship
31 regions (58%)
Censorship exists
19 regions (36%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 regions (6%)
Africa
No censorship
16 regions (36%)
Censorship exists
24 regions (55%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 regions (9%)
Asia

Right to change legal gender

32
Legal
57
Somewhere in between
98
Illegal
Legal
32 regions (16%)
Somewhere in between
57 regions (29%)
Illegal
98 regions (50%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
9 regions (5%)
Legal
16 regions (32%)
Somewhere in between
27 regions (54%)
Illegal
7 regions (14%)
Europe
Legal
1 regions (7%)
Illegal
11 regions (79%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 regions (14%)
Oceania
Legal
7 regions (58%)
Somewhere in between
1 regions (8%)
Illegal
4 regions (33%)
South America
Legal
3 regions (13%)
Somewhere in between
2 regions (9%)
Illegal
17 regions (74%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (4%)
North America
Legal
2 regions (4%)
Somewhere in between
6 regions (11%)
Illegal
41 regions (77%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 regions (8%)
Africa
Legal
3 regions (7%)
Somewhere in between
21 regions (48%)
Illegal
18 regions (41%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 regions (5%)
Asia

Gender-affirming care

120
Legal
44
Somewhere in between
14
Banned
Legal
120 regions (61%)
Somewhere in between
44 regions (22%)
Banned
14 regions (7%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
18 regions (9%)
Legal
39 regions (78%)
Somewhere in between
9 regions (18%)
Banned
1 regions (2%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Europe
Legal
5 regions (36%)
Somewhere in between
1 regions (7%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
8 regions (57%)
Oceania
Legal
12 regions (100%)
South America
Legal
22 regions (96%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (4%)
North America
Legal
12 regions (23%)
Somewhere in between
24 regions (45%)
Banned
10 regions (19%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
7 regions (13%)
Africa
Legal
30 regions (68%)
Somewhere in between
10 regions (23%)
Banned
3 regions (7%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Asia

Legal recognition of non-binary gender

16
Recognized
4
Some recognition
172
Not recognized
Recognized
16 regions (8%)
Some recognition
4 regions (2%)
Not recognized
172 regions (88%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 regions (2%)
Recognized
4 regions (8%)
Some recognition
2 regions (4%)
Not recognized
42 regions (84%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 regions (4%)
Europe
Recognized
2 regions (14%)
Not recognized
12 regions (86%)
Oceania
Recognized
3 regions (25%)
Some recognition
1 regions (8%)
Not recognized
8 regions (67%)
South America
Recognized
3 regions (13%)
Not recognized
19 regions (83%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (4%)
North America
Some recognition
1 regions (2%)
Not recognized
51 regions (96%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Africa
Recognized
4 regions (9%)
Not recognized
40 regions (91%)
Asia

LGBT discrimination

55
Protected
59
Some protections
78
No protections
Protected
55 regions (28%)
Some protections
59 regions (30%)
No protections
78 regions (40%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 regions (2%)
Protected
31 regions (62%)
Some protections
13 regions (26%)
No protections
5 regions (10%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Europe
Protected
4 regions (29%)
Some protections
6 regions (43%)
No protections
4 regions (29%)
Oceania
Protected
7 regions (58%)
Some protections
4 regions (33%)
No protections
1 regions (8%)
South America
Protected
5 regions (22%)
Some protections
13 regions (57%)
No protections
4 regions (17%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (4%)
North America
Protected
3 regions (6%)
Some protections
13 regions (25%)
No protections
36 regions (68%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Africa
Protected
5 regions (11%)
Some protections
10 regions (23%)
No protections
28 regions (64%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Asia

LGBT employment discrimination

66
Protected
30
Some protections
89
No protections
Protected
66 regions (34%)
Some protections
30 regions (15%)
No protections
89 regions (45%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
11 regions (6%)
Protected
37 regions (74%)
Some protections
5 regions (10%)
No protections
8 regions (16%)
Europe
Protected
6 regions (43%)
Some protections
3 regions (21%)
No protections
5 regions (36%)
Oceania
Protected
6 regions (50%)
Some protections
4 regions (33%)
No protections
2 regions (17%)
South America
Protected
7 regions (30%)
Some protections
6 regions (26%)
No protections
7 regions (30%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 regions (13%)
North America
Protected
3 regions (6%)
Some protections
8 regions (15%)
No protections
38 regions (72%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 regions (8%)
Africa
Protected
7 regions (16%)
Some protections
4 regions (9%)
No protections
29 regions (66%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 regions (9%)
Asia

LGBT housing discrimination

54
Protected
13
Some protections
111
No protections
Protected
54 regions (28%)
Some protections
13 regions (7%)
No protections
111 regions (57%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
18 regions (9%)
Protected
32 regions (64%)
Some protections
3 regions (6%)
No protections
13 regions (26%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 regions (4%)
Europe
Protected
4 regions (29%)
Some protections
1 regions (7%)
No protections
7 regions (50%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 regions (14%)
Oceania
Protected
7 regions (58%)
Some protections
1 regions (8%)
No protections
3 regions (25%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (8%)
South America
Protected
4 regions (17%)
Some protections
2 regions (9%)
No protections
16 regions (70%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (4%)
North America
Protected
2 regions (4%)
Some protections
3 regions (6%)
No protections
42 regions (79%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
6 regions (11%)
Africa
Protected
5 regions (11%)
Some protections
3 regions (7%)
No protections
30 regions (68%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
6 regions (14%)
Asia

Same-sex adoption

38
Legal
106
Somewhere in between
44
Illegal
Legal
38 regions (19%)
Somewhere in between
106 regions (54%)
Illegal
44 regions (22%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
8 regions (4%)
Legal
23 regions (46%)
Somewhere in between
20 regions (40%)
Illegal
6 regions (12%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Europe
Legal
2 regions (14%)
Somewhere in between
9 regions (64%)
Illegal
2 regions (14%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (7%)
Oceania
Legal
5 regions (42%)
Somewhere in between
6 regions (50%)
Illegal
1 regions (8%)
South America
Legal
4 regions (17%)
Somewhere in between
17 regions (74%)
Illegal
1 regions (4%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (4%)
North America
Legal
2 regions (4%)
Somewhere in between
37 regions (70%)
Illegal
14 regions (26%)
Africa
Legal
2 regions (5%)
Somewhere in between
17 regions (39%)
Illegal
20 regions (45%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
5 regions (11%)
Asia

Intersex infant surgery

12
Banned
4
Somewhere in between
61
Not banned
Banned
12 regions (6%)
Somewhere in between
4 regions (2%)
Not banned
61 regions (31%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
119 regions (61%)
Banned
7 regions (14%)
Somewhere in between
2 regions (4%)
Not banned
40 regions (80%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Europe
Not banned
1 regions (7%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
13 regions (93%)
Oceania
Banned
3 regions (25%)
Somewhere in between
1 regions (8%)
Not banned
8 regions (67%)
South America
Not banned
3 regions (13%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
20 regions (87%)
North America
Banned
1 regions (2%)
Not banned
1 regions (2%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
51 regions (96%)
Africa
Banned
1 regions (2%)
Somewhere in between
1 regions (2%)
Not banned
8 regions (18%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
34 regions (77%)
Asia

Serving openly in military

59
Legal
54
Somewhere in between
46
Illegal
Legal
59 regions (30%)
Somewhere in between
54 regions (28%)
Illegal
46 regions (23%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
37 regions (19%)
Legal
25 regions (50%)
Somewhere in between
19 regions (38%)
Illegal
1 regions (2%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
5 regions (10%)
Europe
Legal
5 regions (36%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
9 regions (64%)
Oceania
Legal
10 regions (83%)
Somewhere in between
2 regions (17%)
South America
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%)
North America
Legal
1 regions (2%)
Somewhere in between
18 regions (34%)
Illegal
26 regions (49%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
8 regions (15%)
Africa
Legal
9 regions (20%)
Somewhere in between
11 regions (25%)
Illegal
17 regions (39%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
7 regions (16%)
Asia

Blood donations by MSMs

118
Legal
3
Somewhere in between
58
Illegal
Legal
118 regions (60%)
Somewhere in between
3 regions (2%)
Illegal
58 regions (30%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
17 regions (9%)
Legal
35 regions (70%)
Illegal
13 regions (26%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 regions (4%)
Europe
Legal
9 regions (64%)
Illegal
4 regions (29%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (7%)
Oceania
Legal
10 regions (83%)
Somewhere in between
1 regions (8%)
Illegal
1 regions (8%)
South America
Legal
18 regions (78%)
Somewhere in between
1 regions (4%)
Illegal
3 regions (13%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (4%)
North America
Legal
32 regions (60%)
Illegal
12 regions (23%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
9 regions (17%)
Africa
Legal
14 regions (32%)
Somewhere in between
1 regions (2%)
Illegal
25 regions (57%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 regions (9%)
Asia

Conversion therapy

25
Banned
3
Partially banned
155
Not banned
Banned
25 regions (13%)
Partially banned
3 regions (2%)
Not banned
155 regions (79%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
13 regions (7%)
Banned
11 regions (22%)
Not banned
36 regions (72%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 regions (6%)
Europe
Banned
2 regions (14%)
Partially banned
2 regions (14%)
Not banned
9 regions (64%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (7%)
Oceania
Banned
7 regions (58%)
Not banned
5 regions (42%)
South America
Banned
1 regions (4%)
Not banned
18 regions (78%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 regions (17%)
North America
Not banned
52 regions (98%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Africa
Banned
4 regions (9%)
Partially banned
1 regions (2%)
Not banned
35 regions (80%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 regions (9%)
Asia

Equal age of consent

133
Equal
9
Unequal
Equal
133 regions (68%)
Unequal
9 regions (5%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
54 regions (28%)
Equal
49 regions (98%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Europe
Equal
11 regions (79%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 regions (21%)
Oceania
Equal
9 regions (75%)
Unequal
2 regions (17%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (8%)
South America
Equal
20 regions (87%)
Unequal
1 regions (4%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 regions (9%)
North America
Equal
20 regions (38%)
Unequal
6 regions (11%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
27 regions (51%)
Africa
Equal
24 regions (55%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
20 regions (45%)
Asia

Equaldex is tracking
11,702 LGBTQ-related laws.

37
LawS changed
this year
169
LawS changed
last year
81
LawS added
this week

Monthly Top Contributors

643 contributions
351 contributions
334 contributions
192 contributions
112 contributions
View More

Recent Edits

Apple123 added an entry.
Right to change legal gender in North Korea
Belmount added an entry.
Intersex infant surgery in Delaware
Belmount added an entry.
Intersex infant surgery in Connecticut
Belmount added an entry.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Idaho
View More

LGBT Travel Guide

Explore the status and timelines of LGBT rights in each country, state, province, and region. Equaldex includes the legal status of 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.

Highlighted regions are frequently visited

LGBT Rights in Asia

46 Regions

LGBT Rights in Europe

54 Regions

LGBT Rights in North America

36 Regions

LGBT Rights in Africa

59 Regions

LGBT Rights in Oceania

24 Regions

LGBT Rights in South America

14 Regions

Recommended & Referenced by

Equaldex has been recommended or used as a reference by the following publications, organizations, and educational institutions.


New York Times

Forbes

National Geographic

Vox

Lifehacker

Cosmopolitan

Salon

DatingNews.com

Harvard University

Stanford

University of Texas

NYU

Dartmouth

Southwestern

Penn State

UC Santa Barbara

University of Notre Dame

University of Florida

Columbia University

University of Virginia

University of Michigan

Cal Poly

University of North Carolina

University of Colorado

St. John's

New York Law Institute

World Economic Forum

Amnesty International

GOV.UK

Parliament of the United Kingdom

United Nations Globe

U.S Department of State

Google Pride
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