Serving openly in military

LGBTQ+ people are banned from serving openly in the military in 65 countries and territories.

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  • Legal
  • Don't Ask, Don't Tell
  • Illegal
  • Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
  • Unknown, N/A, or ambiguous

Recent Changes

  • Mar 16 2023Became Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned in Venezuela
  • Jan 1 2022Became Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned in Zhambyl oblysy
  • Jan 1 2022Became Legal in Kazakhstan
  • Sep 15 2021Became Illegal in Kābul
  • Aug 5 2021Became Illegal in Kandahār
  • Feb 26 2021Became Legal in United States
  • Jan 26 2021Became Legal in Texas
  • Jun 29 2020Became Legal in Gabon

Serving openly in military

The ability for homosexuals to serve in the military and be open about their sexuality.

Summary

121
Legal
121 regions (52%)
Legal
22
Somewhere in between
22 regions (9%)
Somewhere in between
43
Illegal
43 regions (19%)
Illegal
46
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
46 regions (20%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
Europe
64%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
33 regions (64%)
Somewhere in between
12 regions (23%)
Illegal
1 regions (2%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
6 regions (12%)
Oceania
50%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
12 regions (50%)
Somewhere in between
regions (0%)
Illegal
regions (0%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
12 regions (50%)
South America
93%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
13 regions (93%)
Somewhere in between
1 regions (7%)
Illegal
regions (0%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
North America
72%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
26 regions (72%)
Somewhere in between
1 regions (3%)
Illegal
1 regions (3%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
8 regions (22%)
Africa
39%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
23 regions (39%)
Somewhere in between
2 regions (3%)
Illegal
26 regions (44%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
8 regions (14%)
Asia
30%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
14 regions (30%)
Somewhere in between
6 regions (13%)
Illegal
15 regions (33%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
11 regions (24%)

Progress over time

Number of countries with equality for serving openly in military over the past 60 years.

Recent changes

Serving openly in military by country

(and dependent territories)

Legal

Serving openly in military is legal in 121 regions.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Serving openly in military is don't ask, don't tell in 11 regions.

  1. Europe (3)
  2. Armenia 2004
  3. Belarus
  4. Russia 2003
  5. North America (1)
  6. El Salvador

Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned

Serving openly in military is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned in 11 regions.

  1. Asia (1)
  2. Taiwan 2002
  3. South America (1)
  4. Venezuela 2023

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