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LGBT discrimination

LGBTQ+ people are protected from discrimination in 79 countries and territories.

Loading map of LGBT rights...
  • Illegal
  • No protections
  • Illegal in some contexts
  • Unknown, N/A, or ambiguous

Recent Changes

  • Jan 1 2022Became Illegal in some contexts in Nebraska
  • Oct 21 2021Became Illegal in some contexts in Namibia
  • Jul 1 2020Became Illegal in Virginia
  • Jun 13 2019Became Illegal in Brazil
  • Jan 1 2019Became Illegal in Isle of Man
  • Jan 1 2019Became Illegal in Cuba
  • Jan 1 2019Became Illegal in Botswana
  • Sep 6 2018Became Illegal in India

LGBT discrimination

Prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

Summary

79
Protected
79 regions (34%)
Protected
52
Some protections
52 regions (22%)
Some protections
97
No protections
97 regions (42%)
No protections
4
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 regions (2%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
Europe
65%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
34 regions (65%)
Some protections
12 regions (23%)
No protections
5 regions (10%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Oceania
42%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
10 regions (42%)
Some protections
8 regions (33%)
No protections
6 regions (25%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
South America
57%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
8 regions (57%)
Some protections
2 regions (14%)
No protections
4 regions (29%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
North America
42%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
15 regions (42%)
Some protections
7 regions (19%)
No protections
13 regions (36%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (3%)
Africa
15%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
9 regions (15%)
Some protections
13 regions (22%)
No protections
37 regions (63%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
Asia
7%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
3 regions (7%)
Some protections
10 regions (22%)
No protections
32 regions (70%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)

Progress over time

Number of countries with equality for lgbt discrimination over the past 60 years.

Recent changes

LGBT discrimination by country

(and dependent territories)

Illegal

LGBT discrimination is illegal in 79 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. India 2018
  3. Israel 1992
  4. Mongolia 2017
  5. Europe (34)
  6. Albania 2010
  7. Andorra 2005
  8. Austria 2004
  9. Belgium 2003
  10. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2009
  11. Bulgaria 2003
  12. Croatia 2003
  13. Cyprus 2013
  14. Czech Republic 2009
  15. Faroe Islands 2006
  16. Finland 2004
  17. France 2004
  18. Georgia 2012
  19. Germany 2006
  20. Greece 2015
  21. Hungary 1998
  22. Iceland
  23. Ireland 2015
  24. Isle of Man 2019
  25. Kosovo 2013
  26. Liechtenstein 2016
  27. Luxembourg 2006
  28. Malta 2012
  29. Montenegro 2010
  30. Netherlands 1993
  31. Norway
  32. Portugal 2004
  33. Romania 2002
  34. San Marino 2008
  35. Serbia 2009
  36. Slovenia 1995
  37. Spain 1995
  38. Switzerland 1999
  39. United Kingdom 2010
  40. North America (15)
  41. Belize 2016
  42. Bermuda 2013
  43. British Virgin Islands 2007
  44. Canada 2017
  45. Cuba 2019
  46. Greenland
  47. Guadeloupe
  48. Honduras 2013
  49. Martinique
  50. Mexico 2003
  51. Montserrat 2014
  52. Nicaragua 2007
  53. Saint Lucia 2006
  54. Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2005
  55. Turks and Caicos Islands 2011
  56. Africa (9)
  57. Angola 2013
  58. Botswana 2019
  59. British Indian Ocean Territory
  60. Cape Verde 2007
  61. Mauritius
  62. Mayotte 2005
  63. Réunion 2003
  64. Saint Helena 2009
  65. South Africa 1996
  66. Oceania (10)
  67. Christmas Island 2013
  68. Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  69. Fiji 2009
  70. French Polynesia
  71. New Caledonia 2005
  72. Niue
  73. Norfolk Island
  74. Pitcairn Islands 2010
  75. Vanuatu 2013
  76. Wallis and Futuna
  77. South America (8)
  78. Bolivia 2010
  79. Brazil 2019
  80. Chile 2012
  81. Colombia 2011
  82. Ecuador 1998
  83. Falkland Islands 2008
  84. French Guiana 2004
  85. Uruguay 2003

No protections

LGBT discrimination is no protections in 97 regions.

  1. Asia (32)
  2. Afghanistan 1919
  3. Bahrain 1976
  4. Bangladesh
  5. Bhutan 2006
  6. Brunei 1951
  7. Cambodia
  8. China
  9. Iran 1979
  10. Iraq
  11. Japan 1947
  12. Jordan 1952
  13. Kazakhstan 1991
  14. Kuwait 1960
  15. Kyrgyzstan 1991
  16. Laos 1953
  17. Lebanon
  18. Malaysia 1826
  19. Maldives 2017
  20. Myanmar 1886
  21. North Korea 1948
  22. Oman 1996
  23. Palestine 1992
  24. Qatar 1915
  25. Saudi Arabia 1932
  26. Singapore
  27. South Korea 1948
  28. Syria 1964
  29. Tajikistan 1994
  30. Turkmenistan 1992
  31. United Arab Emirates 1971
  32. Uzbekistan 1992
  33. Yemen 1994
  34. Europe (5)
  35. Armenia 1995
  36. Azerbaijan
  37. Belarus 1991
  38. Russia 2013
  39. Turkey 1858
  40. North America (13)
  41. Anguilla 2001
  42. Antigua and Barbuda
  43. Aruba
  44. Barbados
  45. Cayman Islands
  46. Curaçao
  47. Dominica
  48. Haiti 1987
  49. Jamaica 1962
  50. Panama 1972
  51. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  52. Sint Maarten
  53. Trinidad and Tobago 2001
  54. Africa (37)
  55. Algeria 1966
  56. Benin 1900
  57. Cameroon 1972
  58. Central African Republic 2003
  59. Chad 1958
  60. Comoros
  61. Côte d’Ivoire 2000
  62. Democratic Republic of the Congo 1960
  63. Egypt 1971
  64. Equatorial Guinea 1968
  65. Eritrea 1957
  66. Eswatini 1907
  67. Ethiopia
  68. Gambia
  69. Ghana 1960
  70. Guinea 1988
  71. Guinea-Bissau
  72. Kenya 1930
  73. Libya 1951
  74. Mali 1960
  75. Mauritania 1991
  76. Morocco
  77. Niger
  78. Nigeria 1999
  79. Republic of the Congo
  80. Sao Tome and Principe
  81. Senegal 1966
  82. Somalia 1962
  83. South Sudan 2011
  84. Sudan 1956
  85. Tanzania 1977
  86. Togo 1980
  87. Tunisia 1957
  88. Uganda 1904
  89. Western Sahara
  90. Zambia 1931
  91. Zimbabwe 1980
  92. Oceania (6)
  93. Federated States of Micronesia
  94. Nauru 2016
  95. Papua New Guinea 2002
  96. Solomon Islands 1978
  97. Tokelau
  98. Tuvalu
  99. South America (4)
  100. Guyana 1980
  101. Paraguay 1992
  102. Peru 1993
  103. Suriname 1975

Illegal in some contexts

LGBT discrimination is illegal in some contexts in 52 regions.

  1. Asia (10)
  2. Hong Kong
  3. Indonesia 2015
  4. Macau 2008
  5. Nepal 2007
  6. Pakistan 2018
  7. Philippines 2003
  8. Taiwan 2007
  9. Thailand
  10. Timor-Leste 2009
  11. Vietnam 1992
  12. Europe (12)
  13. Denmark 1996
  14. Estonia 2009
  15. Italy 2003
  16. Latvia 2006
  17. Lithuania 2009
  18. Moldova 2013
  19. Monaco 2005
  20. North Macedonia 2010
  21. Poland 2003
  22. Slovakia 2013
  23. Ukraine 2015
  24. Vatican City
  25. North America (7)
  26. Bahamas
  27. Costa Rica 2015
  28. Dominican Republic 2000
  29. El Salvador
  30. Grenada
  31. Guatemala 1997
  32. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  33. Africa (13)
  34. Burkina Faso 1991
  35. Burundi 2001
  36. Djibouti
  37. Gabon 2016
  38. Lesotho 2012
  39. Liberia
  40. Madagascar
  41. Malawi
  42. Mozambique 2007
  43. Namibia 2021
  44. Rwanda
  45. Seychelles
  46. Sierra Leone
  47. Oceania (8)
  48. Australia 1986
  49. Cook Islands 2013
  50. Kiribati 2015
  51. Marshall Islands
  52. New Zealand 1994
  53. Palau
  54. Samoa 2013
  55. Tonga
  56. South America (2)
  57. Argentina 2009
  58. Venezuela 2012

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

Data on lgbt discrimination is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 4 regions.

  1. Asia (1)
  2. Sri Lanka
  3. Europe (1)
  4. Sweden
  5. North America (1)
  6. United States
  7. Antarctica (1)
  8. Antarctica

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