Serving openly in military

LGBTQ+ people are banned from serving openly in the military in 82 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

71
Legal
71 regions (36%)
Legal
38
Somewhere in between
38 regions (19%)
Somewhere in between
44
Illegal
44 regions (22%)
Illegal
45
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
45 regions (23%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
60%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
30 regions (60%)
Somewhere in between
13 regions (26%)
Illegal
1 regions (2%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
6 regions (12%)
Oceania
21%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
3 regions (21%)
Somewhere in between
1 regions (7%)
Illegal
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
10 regions (71%)
South America
92%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
11 regions (92%)
Somewhere in between
regions (0%)
Illegal
1 regions (8%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
North America
35%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
8 regions (35%)
Somewhere in between
5 regions (22%)
Illegal
4 regions (17%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
6 regions (26%)
Africa
20%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
11 regions (20%)
Somewhere in between
11 regions (20%)
Illegal
23 regions (43%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
9 regions (17%)
Asia
18%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
8 regions (18%)
Somewhere in between
8 regions (18%)
Illegal
15 regions (34%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
13 regions (30%)

Timeline of serving openly in military

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

Recent Changes

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

Serving openly in military by Country

Legal

Serving openly in military is legal in 71 regions.

  1. Asia (8)
  2. Israel 1992
  3. Japan 1947
  4. Kazakhstan 2022
  5. Philippines 2017
  6. Singapore 2023
  7. Thailand 2005
  8. Timor-Leste 2002
  9. Vietnam 1992
  10. Europe (30)
  11. Albania 2008
  12. Austria
  13. Belgium
  14. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2006
  15. Croatia 2013
  16. Cyprus 2004
  17. Czechia
  18. Denmark 1978
  19. Estonia
  20. Finland
  21. France
  22. Germany 2000
  23. Greece 2025
  24. Hungary
  25. Ireland 2007
  26. Kosovo 2018
  27. Malta
  28. Moldova 1995
  29. Montenegro 2017
  30. Netherlands 1974
  31. Norway 2001
  32. Portugal 2024
  33. Serbia 2008
  34. Slovakia 1993
  35. Slovenia 2007
  36. Spain 1977
  37. Sweden 2009
  38. Switzerland 1992
  39. Ukraine 2022
  40. United Kingdom 2000
  41. North America (8)
  42. Bahamas 1991
  43. Belize 2016
  44. Canada 1992
  45. Cuba 1993
  46. Haiti 2017
  47. Honduras
  48. Mexico 2012
  49. Saint Kitts and Nevis 2022
  50. Africa (11)
  51. Angola 2019
  52. Botswana 2019
  53. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  54. Lesotho 2012
  55. Madagascar
  56. Mozambique 2015
  57. Namibia 2024
  58. Republic of the Congo
  59. Sao Tome and Principe 2012
  60. Seychelles 2016
  61. South Africa 1996
  62. Oceania (3)
  63. Australia 2010
  64. Fiji
  65. New Zealand 1994
  66. South America (11)
  67. Argentina 2020
  68. Bolivia
  69. Brazil 2013
  70. Chile 2012
  71. Colombia 1980
  72. Ecuador 2009
  73. Paraguay 1990
  74. Peru 2009
  75. Suriname
  76. Uruguay 2009
  77. Venezuela 2023

Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned

Serving openly in military is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned in 17 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Mongolia
  3. Taiwan 2002
  4. Europe (11)
  5. Bulgaria 2004
  6. Georgia
  7. Italy 1986
  8. Latvia
  9. Lithuania
  10. Luxembourg
  11. North Macedonia
  12. Poland 1991
  13. Romania
  14. Russia 2003
  15. San Marino
  16. North America (2)
  17. El Salvador 2018
  18. United States 2025
  19. Africa (2)
  20. Gabon 2020
  21. Guinea-Bissau

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Serving openly in military is don't ask, don't tell in 21 regions.

  1. Asia (6)
  2. Jordan
  3. Kyrgyzstan 1991
  4. Lebanon 2019
  5. Malaysia
  6. Syria
  7. Tajikistan 1992
  8. Europe (2)
  9. Armenia 2004
  10. Belarus
  11. North America (3)
  12. Antigua and Barbuda
  13. Jamaica
  14. Trinidad and Tobago
  15. Africa (9)
  16. Burundi 2009
  17. Ethiopia
  18. Liberia
  19. Libya
  20. Malawi
  21. Rwanda 2012
  22. Sudan
  23. Tanzania
  24. Zimbabwe
  25. Oceania (1)
  26. Papua New Guinea

Illegal

Serving openly in military is illegal in 44 regions.

  1. Asia (15)
  2. Bangladesh
  3. Brunei
  4. India
  5. Indonesia
  6. Iran
  7. Iraq 2007
  8. Kuwait
  9. Oman 1979
  10. Pakistan
  11. Qatar 1915
  12. Saudi Arabia
  13. South Korea
  14. United Arab Emirates
  15. Uzbekistan
  16. Yemen
  17. Europe (1)
  18. Turkey
  19. North America (4)
  20. Barbados
  21. Dominican Republic
  22. Guatemala
  23. Nicaragua
  24. Africa (23)
  25. Algeria
  26. Cameroon
  27. Central African Republic
  28. Chad
  29. Comoros
  30. Egypt
  31. Equatorial Guinea 1945
  32. Eritrea 1957
  33. Gambia
  34. Ghana
  35. Guinea
  36. Kenya 1941
  37. Mali
  38. Mauritania 1983
  39. Morocco
  40. Nigeria 2024
  41. Senegal
  42. Sierra Leone
  43. Somalia
  44. South Sudan 2011
  45. Togo
  46. Uganda
  47. Zambia 1964
  48. South America (1)
  49. Guyana

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on serving openly in military is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 45 regions.

  1. Asia (13)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bahrain
  4. Bhutan
  5. Cambodia
  6. China Ambiguous
  7. Laos Ambiguous
  8. Maldives
  9. Myanmar
  10. Nepal
  11. North Korea Ambiguous
  12. Palestine N/A
  13. Sri Lanka
  14. Turkmenistan Ambiguous
  15. Europe (6)
  16. Andorra N/A
  17. Azerbaijan
  18. Iceland N/A
  19. Liechtenstein N/A
  20. Monaco N/A
  21. Vatican City N/A
  22. North America (6)
  23. Costa Rica N/A
  24. Dominica N/A
  25. Grenada N/A
  26. Panama N/A
  27. Saint Lucia N/A
  28. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines N/A
  29. Africa (9)
  30. Benin Ambiguous
  31. Burkina Faso Ambiguous
  32. Cape Verde
  33. Côte d’Ivoire
  34. Djibouti
  35. Eswatini Ambiguous
  36. Mauritius N/A
  37. Niger Ambiguous
  38. Tunisia Ambiguous
  39. Oceania (10)
  40. Federated States of Micronesia N/A
  41. Kiribati N/A
  42. Marshall Islands N/A
  43. Nauru N/A
  44. Palau N/A
  45. Samoa N/A
  46. Solomon Islands N/A
  47. Tonga
  48. Tuvalu N/A
  49. Vanuatu N/A
  50. Antarctica (1)
  51. Antarctica N/A

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