Serving openly in military

LGBTQ+ people are banned from serving openly in the military in 97 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

72
Legal
72 regions (36%)
Legal
50
Somewhere in between
50 regions (25%)
Somewhere in between
47
Illegal
47 regions (24%)
Illegal
29
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
29 regions (15%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
58%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
29 regions (58%)
Somewhere in between
13 regions (26%)
Illegal
1 regions (2%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
7 regions (14%)
Oceania
21%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
3 regions (21%)
Somewhere in between
2 regions (14%)
Illegal
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
9 regions (64%)
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
39%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
9 regions (39%)
Somewhere in between
5 regions (22%)
Illegal
3 regions (13%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
6 regions (26%)
Africa
9%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
5 regions (9%)
Somewhere in between
21 regions (39%)
Illegal
26 regions (48%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
2 regions (4%)
Asia
34%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
15 regions (34%)
Somewhere in between
9 regions (21%)
Illegal
16 regions (36%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
4 regions (9%)

Timeline of serving openly in military

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

Recent Changes

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

Serving openly in military by Country

Legal

Serving openly in military is legal in 72 regions.

  1. Asia (15)
  2. Bahrain
  3. Bhutan
  4. Cambodia
  5. Israel 1992
  6. Japan 1947
  7. Kazakhstan 2022
  8. Laos 2012
  9. Mongolia
  10. Nepal
  11. Philippines 2017
  12. Singapore 2023
  13. Taiwan 2026
  14. Thailand 2005
  15. Timor-Leste 2002
  16. Vietnam 1992
  17. Europe (29)
  18. Austria
  19. Belgium
  20. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  21. Croatia
  22. Czechia
  23. Denmark 1978
  24. Estonia
  25. Finland
  26. France
  27. Georgia
  28. Germany 2000
  29. Greece 2025
  30. Hungary
  31. Ireland 2007
  32. Kosovo 2018
  33. Lithuania
  34. Malta
  35. Moldova 1995
  36. Montenegro 2017
  37. Netherlands 1974
  38. Norway 2001
  39. Portugal 2024
  40. Serbia 2008
  41. Slovakia 1993
  42. Slovenia 2007
  43. Spain 1977
  44. Sweden 2009
  45. Switzerland 1992
  46. Ukraine 2022
  47. North America (9)
  48. Bahamas 1991
  49. Belize 2016
  50. Canada 1992
  51. Cuba 1993
  52. Dominican Republic 2025
  53. Haiti 2022
  54. Honduras
  55. Mexico 2012
  56. Saint Kitts and Nevis 2022
  57. Africa (5)
  58. Botswana
  59. Lesotho 2012
  60. Namibia 2024
  61. Seychelles 2016
  62. South Africa 1996
  63. Oceania (3)
  64. Australia 2010
  65. Fiji
  66. New Zealand 1994
  67. South America (11)
  68. Argentina 2020
  69. Bolivia
  70. Brazil 2013
  71. Chile 2012
  72. Colombia 1999
  73. Ecuador 2009
  74. Paraguay 1990
  75. Peru 2009
  76. Suriname
  77. Uruguay 2009
  78. Venezuela 2023

Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned

Serving openly in military is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned in 25 regions.

  1. Europe (10)
  2. Albania 1995
  3. Bulgaria
  4. Italy 1986
  5. Latvia
  6. Luxembourg
  7. North Macedonia
  8. Poland 1991
  9. Romania
  10. Russia 2003
  11. San Marino
  12. North America (2)
  13. El Salvador 2018
  14. United States 2025
  15. Africa (13)
  16. Angola 2021
  17. Benin
  18. Cape Verde 2004
  19. Côte d’Ivoire
  20. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  21. Djibouti
  22. Guinea-Bissau 1993
  23. Madagascar
  24. Mauritius 2009
  25. Mozambique 2015
  26. Republic of the Congo
  27. Rwanda
  28. Sao Tome and Principe 2012

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Serving openly in military is don't ask, don't tell in 25 regions.

  1. Asia (9)
  2. Jordan
  3. Kyrgyzstan 1991
  4. Lebanon 2019
  5. Malaysia
  6. Myanmar
  7. North Korea
  8. Saudi Arabia 1932
  9. Syria
  10. Tajikistan 1992
  11. Europe (3)
  12. Armenia
  13. Azerbaijan
  14. Belarus
  15. North America (3)
  16. Antigua and Barbuda
  17. Jamaica
  18. Trinidad and Tobago
  19. Africa (8)
  20. Burundi 2009
  21. Ethiopia
  22. Liberia
  23. Libya
  24. Malawi
  25. Sudan
  26. Tanzania
  27. Zimbabwe
  28. Oceania (2)
  29. Papua New Guinea
  30. Tonga

Illegal

Serving openly in military is illegal in 47 regions.

  1. Asia (16)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bangladesh
  4. Brunei
  5. India
  6. Indonesia
  7. Iran
  8. Iraq 2007
  9. Kuwait
  10. Maldives
  11. Oman 1979
  12. Qatar
  13. South Korea
  14. Sri Lanka
  15. United Arab Emirates
  16. Uzbekistan
  17. Yemen
  18. Europe (1)
  19. Turkey
  20. North America (3)
  21. Barbados
  22. Guatemala
  23. Nicaragua
  24. Africa (26)
  25. Algeria
  26. Burkina Faso 2025
  27. Cameroon
  28. Central African Republic
  29. Chad
  30. Comoros
  31. Egypt
  32. Equatorial Guinea 1945
  33. Eritrea 1957
  34. Gabon 2021
  35. Gambia
  36. Ghana
  37. Guinea
  38. Kenya 1941
  39. Mali
  40. Mauritania 1983
  41. Morocco
  42. Niger 2026
  43. Nigeria 2024
  44. Senegal
  45. Sierra Leone
  46. Somalia
  47. South Sudan 2011
  48. Togo
  49. Uganda
  50. Zambia 1964
  51. South America (1)
  52. Guyana

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on serving openly in military is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 29 regions.

  1. Asia (4)
  2. China Ambiguous
  3. Pakistan Ambiguous
  4. Palestine N/A
  5. Turkmenistan Ambiguous
  6. Europe (7)
  7. Andorra N/A
  8. Cyprus Varies by Region
  9. Iceland N/A
  10. Liechtenstein N/A
  11. Monaco N/A
  12. United Kingdom Ambiguous
  13. Vatican City N/A
  14. North America (6)
  15. Costa Rica N/A
  16. Dominica N/A
  17. Grenada N/A
  18. Panama N/A
  19. Saint Lucia N/A
  20. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines N/A
  21. Africa (2)
  22. Eswatini Ambiguous
  23. Tunisia Ambiguous
  24. Oceania (9)
  25. Federated States of Micronesia N/A
  26. Kiribati N/A
  27. Marshall Islands N/A
  28. Nauru N/A
  29. Palau N/A
  30. Samoa N/A
  31. Solomon Islands N/A
  32. Tuvalu N/A
  33. Vanuatu N/A
  34. Antarctica (1)
  35. Antarctica N/A

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