Serving openly in military

LGBTQ+ people are banned from serving openly in the military in 94 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
49
Somewhere in between
49 regions (25%)
Somewhere in between
45
Illegal
45 regions (23%)
Illegal
33
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
33 regions (17%)
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
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
8 regions (18%)
Illegal
14 regions (32%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
8 regions (18%)

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 71 regions.

  1. Asia (14)
  2. Bahrain
  3. Bhutan
  4. Cambodia
  5. Israel 1992
  6. Japan 1947
  7. Kazakhstan 2022
  8. Laos 2012
  9. Mongolia
  10. Philippines 2017
  11. Singapore 2023
  12. Taiwan 2026
  13. Thailand 2005
  14. Timor-Leste 2002
  15. Vietnam 1992
  16. Europe (29)
  17. Austria
  18. Belgium
  19. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2006
  20. Croatia 2013
  21. Cyprus 2004
  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. Malta
  34. Moldova 1995
  35. Montenegro 2017
  36. Netherlands 1974
  37. Norway 2001
  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. North America (9)
  47. Bahamas 1991
  48. Belize 2016
  49. Canada 1992
  50. Cuba 1993
  51. Dominican Republic 2025
  52. Haiti 2022
  53. Honduras
  54. Mexico 2012
  55. Saint Kitts and Nevis 2022
  56. Africa (5)
  57. Botswana 2019
  58. Lesotho 2012
  59. Namibia 2024
  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 26 regions.

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

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Serving openly in military is don't ask, don't tell in 23 regions.

  1. Asia (8)
  2. Jordan
  3. Kyrgyzstan 1991
  4. Lebanon 2019
  5. Malaysia
  6. Myanmar
  7. Saudi Arabia 1932
  8. Syria
  9. Tajikistan 1992
  10. Europe (3)
  11. Armenia 2004
  12. Azerbaijan
  13. Belarus
  14. North America (3)
  15. Antigua and Barbuda
  16. Jamaica
  17. Trinidad and Tobago
  18. Africa (8)
  19. Burundi 2009
  20. Ethiopia
  21. Liberia
  22. Libya
  23. Malawi
  24. Sudan
  25. Tanzania
  26. Zimbabwe
  27. Oceania (1)
  28. Papua New Guinea

Illegal

Serving openly in military is illegal in 45 regions.

  1. Asia (14)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bangladesh
  4. Brunei
  5. India
  6. Indonesia
  7. Iran
  8. Iraq 2007
  9. Kuwait
  10. Oman 1979
  11. Qatar 1915
  12. South Korea
  13. United Arab Emirates
  14. Uzbekistan
  15. Yemen
  16. Europe (1)
  17. Turkey
  18. North America (3)
  19. Barbados
  20. Guatemala
  21. Nicaragua
  22. Africa (26)
  23. Algeria
  24. Burkina Faso 2025
  25. Cameroon
  26. Central African Republic
  27. Chad
  28. Comoros
  29. Egypt
  30. Equatorial Guinea 1945
  31. Eritrea 1957
  32. Gabon 2021
  33. Gambia
  34. Ghana
  35. Guinea
  36. Kenya 1941
  37. Mali
  38. Mauritania 1983
  39. Morocco
  40. Niger 2026
  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 33 regions.

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

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