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
37
Somewhere in between
37 regions (19%)
Somewhere in between
45
Illegal
45 regions (23%)
Illegal
45
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
45 regions (23%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
58%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
29 regions (58%)
Somewhere in between
14 regions (28%)
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
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
20%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
11 regions (20%)
Somewhere in between
10 regions (19%)
Illegal
24 regions (44%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
9 regions (17%)
Asia
18%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
8 regions (18%)
Somewhere in between
7 regions (16%)
Illegal
16 regions (36%)
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

2020

2019

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 1990
  7. Thailand 2005
  8. Timor-Leste
  9. Vietnam 1992
  10. Europe (29)
  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. Hungary
  24. Ireland 2007
  25. Kosovo 2018
  26. Malta
  27. Moldova
  28. Montenegro 2017
  29. Netherlands 1974
  30. Norway 2001
  31. Portugal 2024
  32. Serbia 2008
  33. Slovakia 1993
  34. Slovenia 2007
  35. Spain 1977
  36. Sweden 2009
  37. Switzerland 1992
  38. Ukraine 2022
  39. United Kingdom 2000
  40. North America (9)
  41. Bahamas
  42. Belize
  43. Canada 1992
  44. Cuba 1993
  45. Guatemala
  46. Haiti 2017
  47. Honduras
  48. Mexico 2012
  49. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  50. Africa (11)
  51. Angola
  52. Botswana
  53. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  54. Lesotho
  55. Madagascar
  56. Mozambique
  57. Namibia
  58. Republic of the Congo
  59. Sao Tome and Principe
  60. Seychelles
  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
  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 18 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Mongolia
  3. Taiwan 2002
  4. Europe (12)
  5. Bulgaria 2004
  6. Georgia
  7. Greece 2005
  8. Italy 1986
  9. Latvia
  10. Lithuania
  11. Luxembourg
  12. North Macedonia
  13. Poland 1991
  14. Romania
  15. Russia 2003
  16. San Marino
  17. North America (2)
  18. El Salvador 2018
  19. United States 2025
  20. Africa (2)
  21. Gabon 2020
  22. Guinea-Bissau

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Serving openly in military is don't ask, don't tell in 19 regions.

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

Illegal

Serving openly in military is illegal in 45 regions.

  1. Asia (16)
  2. Bangladesh
  3. Brunei
  4. India
  5. Indonesia
  6. Iran
  7. Iraq 2007
  8. Kuwait
  9. Malaysia
  10. Oman 1979
  11. Pakistan
  12. Qatar 1915
  13. Saudi Arabia
  14. South Korea
  15. United Arab Emirates
  16. Uzbekistan
  17. Yemen
  18. Europe (1)
  19. Turkey
  20. North America (3)
  21. Barbados
  22. Dominican Republic
  23. Nicaragua
  24. Africa (24)
  25. Algeria
  26. Cameroon
  27. Central African Republic
  28. Chad
  29. Comoros
  30. Egypt
  31. Equatorial Guinea 1945
  32. Eritrea 1957
  33. Ethiopia
  34. Gambia
  35. Ghana
  36. Guinea
  37. Kenya 1941
  38. Mali
  39. Mauritania 1983
  40. Morocco
  41. Nigeria 2024
  42. Senegal
  43. Sierra Leone
  44. Somalia
  45. South Sudan 2011
  46. Togo
  47. Uganda
  48. Zambia 1964
  49. South America (1)
  50. 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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