Serving openly in military

LGBTQ+ people are banned from serving openly in the military in 89 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

58
Legal
58 regions (29%)
Legal
39
Somewhere in between
39 regions (20%)
Somewhere in between
50
Illegal
50 regions (25%)
Illegal
51
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
51 regions (26%)
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
regions (0%)
Illegal
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
11 regions (79%)
South America
75%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
9 regions (75%)
Somewhere in between
regions (0%)
Illegal
1 regions (8%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
2 regions (17%)
North America
30%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
7 regions (30%)
Somewhere in between
4 regions (17%)
Illegal
3 regions (13%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
9 regions (39%)
Africa
4%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
2 regions (4%)
Somewhere in between
13 regions (24%)
Illegal
29 regions (54%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
10 regions (19%)
Asia
18%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
8 regions (18%)
Somewhere in between
8 regions (18%)
Illegal
16 regions (36%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
12 regions (27%)

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 58 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 (7)
  41. Bahamas 1998
  42. Canada 1992
  43. Cuba 1993
  44. Haiti 2017
  45. Mexico 2012
  46. Trinidad and Tobago 1962
  47. United States 2025
  48. Africa (2)
  49. Republic of the Congo
  50. South Africa 1996
  51. Oceania (3)
  52. Australia 1992
  53. Fiji
  54. New Zealand 1994
  55. South America (9)
  56. Argentina 2020
  57. Bolivia
  58. Brazil 2013
  59. Chile 2012
  60. Colombia
  61. Paraguay
  62. Peru 2009
  63. Uruguay 2009
  64. 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 (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 (3)
  18. El Salvador 2018
  19. Guatemala
  20. Honduras
  21. Africa (9)
  22. Angola
  23. Gabon 2020
  24. Guinea-Bissau
  25. Lesotho
  26. Madagascar
  27. Mozambique
  28. Sao Tome and Principe
  29. Seychelles
  30. Zimbabwe

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Serving openly in military is don't ask, don't tell in 13 regions.

  1. Asia (6)
  2. Jordan
  3. Kyrgyzstan 1991
  4. Lebanon 2019
  5. Maldives
  6. Syria
  7. Tajikistan 1992
  8. Europe (2)
  9. Armenia 2004
  10. Belarus
  11. North America (1)
  12. Antigua and Barbuda
  13. Africa (4)
  14. Côte d’Ivoire
  15. Liberia
  16. Mali
  17. Rwanda 2012

Illegal

Serving openly in military is illegal in 50 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 (29)
  25. Algeria 1966
  26. Burundi
  27. Cameroon
  28. Central African Republic
  29. Chad
  30. Comoros
  31. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  32. Egypt
  33. Equatorial Guinea 1945
  34. Eritrea 1957
  35. Ethiopia
  36. Gambia
  37. Ghana
  38. Guinea
  39. Kenya 1941
  40. Libya 1953
  41. Malawi
  42. Mauritania 1983
  43. Morocco
  44. Nigeria 2024
  45. Senegal
  46. Sierra Leone
  47. Somalia
  48. South Sudan 2011
  49. Sudan
  50. Tanzania 1998
  51. Togo
  52. Uganda
  53. Zambia 1964
  54. South America (1)
  55. Guyana 2021

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on serving openly in military is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 51 regions.

  1. Asia (12)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bahrain
  4. Bhutan
  5. Cambodia
  6. China Ambiguous
  7. Laos Ambiguous
  8. Myanmar
  9. Nepal
  10. North Korea Ambiguous
  11. Palestine N/A
  12. Sri Lanka
  13. Turkmenistan Ambiguous
  14. Europe (6)
  15. Andorra N/A
  16. Azerbaijan
  17. Iceland N/A
  18. Liechtenstein N/A
  19. Monaco N/A
  20. Vatican City N/A
  21. North America (9)
  22. Belize Ambiguous
  23. Costa Rica N/A
  24. Dominica N/A
  25. Grenada N/A
  26. Jamaica
  27. Panama N/A
  28. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  29. Saint Lucia N/A
  30. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  31. Africa (10)
  32. Benin Ambiguous
  33. Botswana
  34. Burkina Faso Ambiguous
  35. Cape Verde
  36. Djibouti
  37. Eswatini Ambiguous
  38. Mauritius N/A
  39. Namibia Ambiguous
  40. Niger Ambiguous
  41. Tunisia Ambiguous
  42. Oceania (11)
  43. Federated States of Micronesia N/A
  44. Kiribati N/A
  45. Marshall Islands N/A
  46. Nauru N/A
  47. Palau N/A
  48. Papua New Guinea
  49. Samoa N/A
  50. Solomon Islands N/A
  51. Tonga
  52. Tuvalu N/A
  53. Vanuatu N/A
  54. South America (2)
  55. Ecuador
  56. Suriname
  57. Antarctica (1)
  58. Antarctica N/A

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