Serving openly in military

LGBTQ+ people are banned from serving openly in the military in 78 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

79
Legal
79 regions (40%)
Legal
34
Somewhere in between
34 regions (17%)
Somewhere in between
44
Illegal
44 regions (22%)
Illegal
41
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
41 regions (21%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
62%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
31 regions (62%)
Somewhere in between
13 regions (26%)
Illegal
1 regions (2%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
5 regions (10%)
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
24%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
13 regions (24%)
Somewhere in between
9 regions (17%)
Illegal
23 regions (43%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
9 regions (17%)
Asia
27%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
12 regions (27%)
Somewhere in between
6 regions (14%)
Illegal
16 regions (36%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
10 regions (23%)

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 79 regions.

  1. Asia (12)
  2. Bahrain
  3. Bhutan
  4. Israel 1992
  5. Japan 1947
  6. Kazakhstan 2022
  7. Mongolia
  8. Philippines 2017
  9. Singapore 2023
  10. Taiwan 2026
  11. Thailand 2005
  12. Timor-Leste 2002
  13. Vietnam 1992
  14. Europe (31)
  15. Albania 2008
  16. Austria
  17. Belgium
  18. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2006
  19. Croatia 2013
  20. Cyprus 2004
  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. Malta
  33. Moldova 1995
  34. Montenegro 2017
  35. Netherlands 1974
  36. Norway 2001
  37. Portugal 2024
  38. Serbia 2008
  39. Slovakia 1993
  40. Slovenia 2007
  41. Spain 1977
  42. Sweden 2009
  43. Switzerland 1992
  44. Ukraine 2022
  45. United Kingdom 2000
  46. North America (9)
  47. Bahamas 1991
  48. Belize 2016
  49. Canada 1992
  50. Cuba 1993
  51. Dominican Republic 2025
  52. Haiti 2017
  53. Honduras
  54. Mexico 2012
  55. Saint Kitts and Nevis 2022
  56. Africa (13)
  57. Angola 2019
  58. Botswana 2019
  59. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  60. Gabon 2020
  61. Guinea-Bissau
  62. Lesotho 2012
  63. Madagascar
  64. Mozambique 2015
  65. Namibia 2024
  66. Republic of the Congo
  67. Sao Tome and Principe 2012
  68. Seychelles 2016
  69. South Africa 1996
  70. Oceania (3)
  71. Australia 2010
  72. Fiji
  73. New Zealand 1994
  74. South America (11)
  75. Argentina 2020
  76. Bolivia
  77. Brazil 2013
  78. Chile 2012
  79. Colombia 1980
  80. Ecuador 2009
  81. Paraguay 1990
  82. Peru 2009
  83. Suriname
  84. Uruguay 2009
  85. Venezuela 2023

Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned

Serving openly in military is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned in 12 regions.

  1. Europe (10)
  2. Bulgaria 2004
  3. Italy 1986
  4. Latvia
  5. Lithuania
  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

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Serving openly in military is don't ask, don't tell in 22 regions.

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

Illegal

Serving openly in military is illegal in 44 regions.

  1. Asia (16)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bangladesh
  4. Brunei
  5. India
  6. Indonesia
  7. Iran
  8. Iraq 2007
  9. Kuwait
  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. 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 41 regions.

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

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