Serving openly in military

LGBTQ+ people are banned from serving openly in the military in 98 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
51
Somewhere in between
51 regions (26%)
Somewhere in between
47
Illegal
47 regions (24%)
Illegal
28
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
28 regions (14%)
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
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
32%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
14 regions (32%)
Somewhere in between
10 regions (23%)
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

Serving openly in military by Country

Legal

Serving openly in military is legal in 72 regions.

  1. Asia (14)
  2. Bahrain
  3. Bhutan
  4. Cambodia
  5. Israel 1992
  6. Japan 1947
  7. Kazakhstan 2022
  8. Mongolia
  9. Nepal
  10. Philippines 2017
  11. Singapore 2023
  12. Taiwan 2026
  13. Thailand 2005
  14. Timor-Leste 2002
  15. Vietnam 1992
  16. Europe (30)
  17. Austria
  18. Belgium
  19. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  20. Croatia
  21. Czechia
  22. Denmark 1978
  23. Estonia
  24. Finland
  25. France
  26. Georgia
  27. Germany 2000
  28. Greece 2025
  29. Hungary
  30. Ireland 2007
  31. Kosovo 2018
  32. Lithuania
  33. Malta
  34. Moldova 1995
  35. Montenegro 2017
  36. Netherlands 1974
  37. Norway 1979
  38. Portugal 2024
  39. Serbia 2008
  40. Slovakia 1993
  41. Slovenia 2007
  42. Spain 1977
  43. Sweden 2009
  44. Switzerland 1992
  45. Ukraine 2022
  46. United Kingdom 2026
  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 26 regions.

  1. Asia (1)
  2. Laos 1949
  3. Europe (10)
  4. Albania 1995
  5. Bulgaria
  6. Italy 1986
  7. Latvia
  8. Luxembourg
  9. North Macedonia
  10. Poland 1991
  11. Romania
  12. Russia 2003
  13. San Marino
  14. North America (2)
  15. El Salvador 2018
  16. United States 2025
  17. Africa (13)
  18. Angola 2021
  19. Benin
  20. Cape Verde 2004
  21. Côte d’Ivoire
  22. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  23. Djibouti
  24. Guinea-Bissau 1993
  25. Madagascar
  26. Mauritius 2009
  27. Mozambique 2015
  28. Republic of the Congo
  29. Rwanda
  30. 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 28 regions.

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

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