Ash Sharqiyah is governed by federal Saudi Arabia law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✖ Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Banned
- Censorship
- ✖ Imprisonment as punishment
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Illegal
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✖ Banned
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Hate Crime Protections
- ✖ No protections
- Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- N/A
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✖ Don't Ask, Don't Tell
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- N/A
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Public Opinion
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Homosexual activity in Ash Sharqiyah is illegal (death penalty as punishment).
Current status
Since Sep 23, 1932
Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
Saudi Arabia has no written criminal code and has relied on interpretations of Sharia Law since its founding in 1932 to define criminal and immoral activities. The full extent of Saudi Arabian law is unclear as a result but it is commonly interpreted to punish homosexuality with death as a result of all sexual activity outside of marriage being punishable by death and the lack of recognition of same-sex marriage.
Same-sex marriage in Ash Sharqiyah is banned.
Current status
Since Sep 23, 1932
Banned
Saudi Arabia has no written criminal code and has relied on interpretations of Sharia Law since its founding in 1932 to define the law of the country. The full extent of Saudi Arabian law is unclear as a result but it is commonly interpreted to recognise a marriage as being between a man and a woman, effectively banning same-sex marriage.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Ash Sharqiyah is imprisonment as punishment.
Current status
Imprisonment as punishment
In Saudi Arabia, there are laws restricting freedom of Expression . While there is not a specific law that bans freedom of expression, a prominent number of figures have been sentenced to lashings , imprisonment due to promoting LGBTQ topics.
Right to change legal gender in Ash Sharqiyah is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
There is no legal gender recognition provided in Saudi Arabia.
Gender-affirming care in Ash Sharqiyah is banned.
Current status
Since May 2, 2014
Banned
Since 2014, Saudi Arabia has introduced several medical directives banning gender affirming care from being provided to trans Saudis and restricting it to only intersex Saudis as "sex correction" surgeries while banning sex change surgeries.
Restricted
Some may happen however it requires the approval of authorities and transgender people even after transition face abuse from peers and police alike. Additionally trans people are not allowed to make the pilgrimage to Mecca.
However since 2014, Saudi Arabia has passed multiple medical directives to ensure that only intersex people have access to such care while criminalising it for trans people.
However since 2014, Saudi Arabia has passed multiple medical directives to ensure that only intersex people have access to such care while criminalising it for trans people.
Restricted
In 1985, Saud Arabia legalized sterilization, which de facto meant legalizing sex reassignment surgery, however, medical records regarding transsexualism had to be obtained abroad.
Until 1985
Banned
Medical transition is not possible
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Ash Sharqiyah is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
There is no legal recognition provided for intersex or nonbinary people in Saudi Arabia.
Hate crime protections in Ash Sharqiyah is no protections.
Current status
No protections
Saudi Arabia does not provide hate crime protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
LGBT discrimination in Ash Sharqiyah is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no discrimination protections in place that protect someone's sexual orientation or gender identity.
LGBT employment discrimination in Ash Sharqiyah is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no employment discrimination protections in place that protect someone's sexual orientation or gender identity.
LGBT housing discrimination in Ash Sharqiyah is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no housing discrimination protections in place that protect someone's sexual orientation or gender identity.
Same-sex adoption in Ash Sharqiyah is n/a.
Current status
N/A
Adoption is prohibited for everybody in Saudi Arabia.
Intersex infant surgery in Ash Sharqiyah is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
There are no bodily protections for intersex individuals in Saudi Arabia. Many intersex infants born with ambiguous genitalia suffer from infanticide. The killing of intersex infants is primarily motivated by fears of the social shame of having an intersex child. Intersex genital surgery on newborns for cosmetic purposes is fully legal and encouraged.
Serving openly in military in Ash Sharqiyah is don't ask, don't tell.
Current status
Since Sep 23, 1932
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Saudi Arabia has no written criminal code and has relied on interpretations of Sharia Law since its founding in 1932 to define criminal and immoral activities. The full extent of Saudi Arabian law is unclear as a result but it is commonly interpreted to punish homosexuality with death as a result of all sexual activity outside of marriage being punishable by death and the lack of recognition of same-sex marriage. However, there is no explicit ban on LGBTIQ+ people serving in the military but soldiers who come out as such face discharge and criminal penalties due to the illegality of homosexuality and transgender expression.
Blood donations by MSMs in Ash Sharqiyah is legal.
Current status
Legal
According to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health's website, there's no specific ban on blood donation by MSMs. While homosexuality is illegal, this does not automatically mean that MSM blood donations are illegal as well.
Conversion therapy in Ash Sharqiyah is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Conversion therapy is currently not banned in Saudi Arabia.
Equal age of consent in Ash Sharqiyah is n/a.
Current status
Since Sep 23, 1932
N/A
Homosexuality and extramarital sexual relations are illegal in Saudi Arabia.
Legal Rights
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This region's Equality Index is based on legal rights alone. Please submit survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in Ash Sharqiyah to help improve its accuracy.
Top Contributors
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Ash Sharqiyah LGBT Organizations
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Common queries:
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Alternative names: Eastern, ash-Sharqiyah