- Homosexuality
- ⚢✖ Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Banned
- Censorship
- ✖ State-enforced
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Illegal
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✖ Banned
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- N/A
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- Unknown
- Military
- ✖ Illegal
- Donating Blood
- ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- N/A
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Public Opinion
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Homosexual activity in Kuwait is illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
Current status
Since Jan 1, 1960
Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
Article 193 of Kuwait's Penal Code explicitly prohibits male homosexual sex for up to seven years in prison.
For lesbians, there is no specific law criminalizing it, however it is still technically illegal. This is because in Kuwait you are not able to consent to sex unless you're married.
So, since gay marriage is not legal in Kuwait and you can't give consent until your married, lesbian sex is illegal.
For lesbians, there is no specific law criminalizing it, however it is still technically illegal. This is because in Kuwait you are not able to consent to sex unless you're married.
So, since gay marriage is not legal in Kuwait and you can't give consent until your married, lesbian sex is illegal.
Same-sex marriage in Kuwait is banned.
Current status
Banned
Article 1 of the Kuwaiti Personal Status Law (1984) defines marriage as a contract between a man and a woman who is legally available to him, for the purpose of cohabitation, matrimony and strengthening the power of the nation.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Kuwait is state-enforced.
Current status
Since Feb 16, 2022
State-enforced
The Kuwaiti Constitutional Court has overturned Article 198 of the Penal Code, which criminalized “imitation of the opposite sex”, because it violates Article 30 of the constitution that guarantees personal freedom. However, there's still censorship of LGBT issues under Article 21 of the Press and Publications Law (Law No. 3) (2006), which prohibits the publication of anything that would insult public morals. This law was extended to include online publications under the Law Regulating Electronic Media (Law No. 8) (2016). In August 2023, Kuwait banned the 'Barbie' movie, claiming it "promoted homosexuality." There is still prevalent deportations for transgender people they are defined as cross-dressers to police.
Until Feb 16, 2022
Imprisonment as punishment
Mass arrests , people could be sent to deportation or imprisonment under public morality or Islamic Laws.
LGBT cinema also censored publicly.
LGBT cinema also censored publicly.
Right to change legal gender in Kuwait is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
There are no known legal paths to change gender markers and there likely are none due to the Kuwaiti government's attitude towards transgender people.
Transgender people are still deported after the Constitutional Court ruled that penal code Article 198, which prohibited “imitating the opposite sex." is unconstitutional. HRW reported in 2022 that the Kuwait Times published an article stating the police deported 3,000 transgender and gay people because they "imitated" the opposite sex.
Transgender people are still deported after the Constitutional Court ruled that penal code Article 198, which prohibited “imitating the opposite sex." is unconstitutional. HRW reported in 2022 that the Kuwait Times published an article stating the police deported 3,000 transgender and gay people because they "imitated" the opposite sex.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Kuwait is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
In Kuwait, it is not possible to legally change one’s gender.
LGBT discrimination in Kuwait is no protections.
Current status
No protections
In Kuwait, neither sexual orientation nor gender identity is a protected class from discrimination.
LGBT employment discrimination in Kuwait is no protections.
Current status
No protections
In Kuwait, neither sexual orientation nor gender identity is a protected class from employment discrimination.
LGBT housing discrimination in Kuwait is no protections.
Current status
No protections
In Kuwait, neither sexual orientation nor gender identity is a protected class from housing discrimination.
Same-sex adoption in Kuwait is n/a.
Current status
N/A
Adoption is not legal for anyone in Kuwait, Article 190, 209 prohibits such.
Intersex infant surgery in Kuwait is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Serving openly in military in Kuwait is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
Homosexual Activity at any compacity is illegal and punishable up to 5 years in prison. Transgender people are still actively discriminated against, in 2023, over 3,000 were deported due to "cross-dressing". This also included gay men.
Blood donations by MSMs in Kuwait is banned (indefinite deferral).
Current status
Banned (indefinite deferral)
Homosexual activity is illegal in Kuwait, it is not possible to donate MSM.
Conversion therapy in Kuwait is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
There are no known laws banning conversion therapy in Kuwait.
Equal age of consent in Kuwait is n/a.
Current status
N/A
Homosexual activity is illegal in Kuwait, there are no known equal laws in Kuwait, sex out of marriage is illegal
LGBT Rights by Governorate
View the LGBT laws in each individual governorate of Kuwait.
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Alternative names: Al-Kuwayt (local name)
