Serving openly in military

LGBTQ+ people are banned from serving openly in the military in 83 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
39
Somewhere in between
39 regions (20%)
Somewhere in between
44
Illegal
44 regions (22%)
Illegal
43
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
43 regions (22%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
60%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
30 regions (60%)
Somewhere in between
14 regions (28%)
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
20%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
11 regions (20%)
Somewhere in between
11 regions (20%)
Illegal
23 regions (43%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
9 regions (17%)
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

Serving openly in military by Country

Legal

Serving openly in military is legal in 72 regions.

  1. Asia (8)
  2. Israel 1992
  3. Japan 1947
  4. Kazakhstan 2022
  5. Philippines 2017
  6. Singapore 2023
  7. Thailand 2005
  8. Timor-Leste 2002
  9. Vietnam 1992
  10. Europe (30)
  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. Greece 2025
  24. Hungary
  25. Ireland 2007
  26. Kosovo 2018
  27. Malta
  28. Moldova 1995
  29. Montenegro 2017
  30. Netherlands 1974
  31. Norway 2001
  32. Portugal 2024
  33. Serbia 2008
  34. Slovakia 1993
  35. Slovenia 2007
  36. Spain 1977
  37. Sweden 2009
  38. Switzerland 1992
  39. Ukraine 2022
  40. United Kingdom 2000
  41. North America (9)
  42. Bahamas 1991
  43. Belize 2016
  44. Canada 1992
  45. Cuba 1993
  46. Dominican Republic 2025
  47. Haiti 2017
  48. Honduras
  49. Mexico 2012
  50. Saint Kitts and Nevis 2022
  51. Africa (11)
  52. Angola 2019
  53. Botswana 2019
  54. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  55. Lesotho 2012
  56. Madagascar
  57. Mozambique 2015
  58. Namibia 2024
  59. Republic of the Congo
  60. Sao Tome and Principe 2012
  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 1980
  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 17 regions.

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

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 43 regions.

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

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