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Serving openly in military

LGBTQ+ people are banned from serving openly in the military in 65 countries and territories.

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  • Legal
  • Don't Ask, Don't Tell
  • Illegal
  • Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
  • Unknown, N/A, or ambiguous

Recent Changes

  • Mar 16 2023Became Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned in Venezuela
  • Jan 1 2022Became Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned in Zhambyl oblysy
  • Jan 1 2022Became Legal in Kazakhstan
  • Sep 15 2021Became Illegal in Kābul
  • Aug 5 2021Became Illegal in Kandahār
  • Feb 26 2021Became Legal in United States
  • Jan 26 2021Became Legal in Texas
  • Jun 29 2020Became Legal in Gabon

Serving openly in military

The ability for homosexuals to serve in the military and be open about their sexuality.

Summary

121
Legal
121 regions (52%)
Legal
22
Somewhere in between
22 regions (9%)
Somewhere in between
43
Illegal
43 regions (19%)
Illegal
46
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
46 regions (20%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
Europe
64%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
33 regions (64%)
Somewhere in between
12 regions (23%)
Illegal
1 regions (2%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
6 regions (12%)
Oceania
50%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
12 regions (50%)
Somewhere in between
regions (0%)
Illegal
regions (0%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
12 regions (50%)
South America
93%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
13 regions (93%)
Somewhere in between
1 regions (7%)
Illegal
regions (0%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
North America
72%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
26 regions (72%)
Somewhere in between
1 regions (3%)
Illegal
1 regions (3%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
8 regions (22%)
Africa
39%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
23 regions (39%)
Somewhere in between
2 regions (3%)
Illegal
26 regions (44%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
8 regions (14%)
Asia
30%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
14 regions (30%)
Somewhere in between
6 regions (13%)
Illegal
15 regions (33%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
11 regions (24%)

Progress over time

Number of countries with equality for serving openly in military over the past 60 years.

Recent changes

Serving openly in military by country

(and dependent territories)

Legal

Serving openly in military is legal in 121 regions.

  1. Asia (14)
  2. Bhutan
  3. Cambodia
  4. India 2018
  5. Israel 1992
  6. Japan 1947
  7. Kazakhstan 2022
  8. Kyrgyzstan 1991
  9. Macau
  10. Mongolia
  11. Nepal 2007
  12. Philippines 2009
  13. Singapore 2017
  14. Thailand 2005
  15. Vietnam 1992
  16. Europe (33)
  17. Albania 2013
  18. Austria
  19. Belgium
  20. Bulgaria 2004
  21. Croatia
  22. Cyprus 2004
  23. Czech Republic
  24. Denmark 1987
  25. Estonia
  26. Faroe Islands
  27. Finland
  28. France
  29. Georgia
  30. Germany 2000
  31. Greece
  32. Hungary
  33. Ireland 2007
  34. Isle of Man
  35. Latvia
  36. Luxembourg
  37. Malta 2002
  38. Montenegro
  39. Netherlands 1974
  40. Norway
  41. Poland 1991
  42. Portugal 1999
  43. Romania
  44. San Marino
  45. Spain 1977
  46. Sweden 2009
  47. Switzerland 1992
  48. Ukraine
  49. United Kingdom 2000
  50. North America (26)
  51. Anguilla
  52. Antigua and Barbuda
  53. Aruba 1974
  54. Bahamas 1998
  55. Barbados
  56. Belize
  57. Bermuda
  58. British Virgin Islands
  59. Canada 1992
  60. Cayman Islands 2000
  61. Cuba 1993
  62. Curaçao 1974
  63. Greenland 1986
  64. Guadeloupe
  65. Guatemala
  66. Honduras
  67. Jamaica
  68. Mexico 2012
  69. Montserrat
  70. Nicaragua
  71. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  72. Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  73. Sint Maarten 1974
  74. Trinidad and Tobago 1962
  75. Turks and Caicos Islands
  76. United States 2021
  77. Africa (23)
  78. Angola
  79. Benin
  80. Botswana 2010
  81. Burkina Faso
  82. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  83. Equatorial Guinea
  84. Eswatini
  85. Gabon 2020
  86. Guinea-Bissau
  87. Lesotho
  88. Liberia
  89. Madagascar
  90. Mali
  91. Mayotte
  92. Mozambique
  93. Republic of the Congo
  94. Réunion
  95. Rwanda
  96. Sao Tome and Principe
  97. Seychelles
  98. South Africa 1996
  99. Western Sahara
  100. Zimbabwe
  101. Oceania (12)
  102. Australia 1992
  103. Christmas Island
  104. Cook Islands 1994
  105. Fiji
  106. French Polynesia
  107. New Caledonia
  108. New Zealand 1994
  109. Niue 1994
  110. Papua New Guinea
  111. Pitcairn Islands 2000
  112. Tokelau 1994
  113. Tonga
  114. South America (13)
  115. Argentina 2007
  116. Bolivia 2002
  117. Brazil 2005
  118. Chile 2014
  119. Colombia 1999
  120. Ecuador
  121. Falkland Islands 2000
  122. French Guiana
  123. Guyana 2012
  124. Paraguay 2010
  125. Peru 2009
  126. Suriname
  127. Uruguay 2009

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Serving openly in military is don't ask, don't tell in 11 regions.

  1. Asia (5)
  2. Jordan
  3. Lebanon 2019
  4. Maldives
  5. Syria
  6. Tajikistan
  7. Europe (3)
  8. Armenia 2004
  9. Belarus
  10. Russia 2003
  11. North America (1)
  12. El Salvador
  13. Africa (2)
  14. Côte d’Ivoire
  15. Zambia

Illegal

Serving openly in military is illegal in 43 regions.

  1. Asia (15)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bangladesh
  4. Brunei
  5. Indonesia
  6. Iran
  7. Iraq 2007
  8. Kuwait
  9. Malaysia
  10. Myanmar
  11. Pakistan
  12. Qatar 1915
  13. Saudi Arabia
  14. Sri Lanka
  15. United Arab Emirates
  16. Yemen
  17. Europe (1)
  18. Turkey
  19. North America (1)
  20. Dominican Republic
  21. Africa (26)
  22. Algeria 1966
  23. Burundi
  24. Cameroon
  25. Chad
  26. Comoros
  27. Egypt
  28. Eritrea 1957
  29. Ethiopia
  30. Gambia
  31. Ghana
  32. Guinea
  33. Kenya
  34. Libya 1953
  35. Malawi
  36. Mauritania 1983
  37. Morocco
  38. Namibia
  39. Nigeria
  40. Senegal
  41. Sierra Leone
  42. Somalia
  43. South Sudan 2011
  44. Sudan
  45. Tanzania 1998
  46. Togo
  47. Uganda

Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned

Serving openly in military is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned in 11 regions.

  1. Asia (1)
  2. Taiwan 2002
  3. Europe (9)
  4. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  5. Italy 1947
  6. Kosovo
  7. Lithuania
  8. Moldova
  9. North Macedonia
  10. Serbia
  11. Slovakia
  12. Slovenia
  13. South America (1)
  14. Venezuela 2023

No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous

Data on serving openly in military is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 46 regions.

  1. Asia (11)
  2. Bahrain
  3. China
  4. Hong Kong
  5. Laos
  6. North Korea
  7. Oman
  8. Palestine
  9. South Korea
  10. Timor-Leste
  11. Turkmenistan
  12. Uzbekistan
  13. Europe (6)
  14. Andorra
  15. Azerbaijan
  16. Iceland
  17. Liechtenstein
  18. Monaco
  19. Vatican City
  20. North America (8)
  21. Costa Rica
  22. Dominica
  23. Grenada
  24. Haiti
  25. Martinique
  26. Panama
  27. Saint Lucia
  28. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  29. Africa (8)
  30. British Indian Ocean Territory
  31. Cape Verde
  32. Central African Republic
  33. Djibouti
  34. Mauritius
  35. Niger
  36. Saint Helena
  37. Tunisia
  38. Oceania (12)
  39. Cocos
  40. Federated States of Micronesia
  41. Kiribati
  42. Marshall Islands
  43. Nauru
  44. Norfolk Island
  45. Palau
  46. Samoa
  47. Solomon Islands
  48. Tuvalu
  49. Vanuatu
  50. Wallis and Futuna
  51. Antarctica (1)
  52. Antarctica

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