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Regions  ▸  Asia

LGBT Rights in Kuwait

    Homosexuality
    ⚢
    ✖ Illegal (other penalty)
    Gay Marriage
    ⚭
    ✖ Unrecognized
    Censorship
    ✖ State-enforced
    Changing Gender
    N/A
    Non-binary gender recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✖ Single only
    Military
    ✖ Illegal
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    N/A

Public Opinion

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History

Homosexual activity in Kuwait

?

Homosexual activity in Kuwait is illegal (other penalty).

Current status
Since Jun 2, 1960
Illegal (other penalty)
fine and up to 6 years in prison. Not enforced. Decimalization pending. There is no law protecting either genders from discrimination. It truly depends on which police officer or individuals you encounter. No gay man or woman can ask for protection and imprisonment is applied to anyone breaking sharia law. "
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
76crimes.com/76-countries-w…


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter…


pinknews.co.uk/2018/09/06/h…
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jun 2, 1960–Jun 2, 1960
Male illegal, female legal
Imprisonment of up to 7 years. If the offender is an adult (>21) male who has sex with an individual less than 21 years old, imprisonment of up to 10 years.

For female same sexual activity is legal.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
gaylawnet.com/laws/kw.htm
Added by vviet93  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Kuwait

?

Same-sex marriage in Kuwait is unrecognized.

Current status
Since Jun 2, 1960
Unrecognized
Homosexuality is currently illegal.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
humandignitytrust.org/count…
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Kuwait

?

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 and Lebanon banned the 'Barbie' movie, claiming it "promoted homosexuality."
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
amnesty.org/en/latest/news/…
latimes.com/entertainment-a…
web.archive.org/web/2022021…//www.cck.moj.gov.kw/ar/news/Pages/newsdetails.aspx?newsid=28

ilga.org/downloads/ILGA_Wor… (page 155)
Added by Markissik  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

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.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
cbc.ca/strombo/news/kuwaiti…
Added by equaldex  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Kuwait

?

Right to change legal gender in Kuwait is n/a.

Current status
Since 2022
N/A
There are no laws criminalizing transgender people, but they are still not allowed to change their legal gender.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
nytimes.com/2022/02/16/worl…
Added by billyjames  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Until Oct 15, 2021
Legal, surgery not required
As well documents can be changed. Missing non binary options.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_…
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Kuwait

?

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.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
Source possibly needed/Legal gender change is not possible
Added by Samanthos  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Kuwait

?

LGBT discrimination in Kuwait is no protections.

Current status
Since Jun 2, 1960
No protections
Homosexuality is illegal there. Homosexuality is currently illegal.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
hrw.org/video-photos/intera…
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Kuwait

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Kuwait is no protections.

Current status
Since Jun 2, 1960
No protections
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Kuwait

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Kuwait is no protections.

Current status
Since Jun 2, 1960
No protections
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Kuwait

?

Same-sex adoption in Kuwait is single only.

Current status
Single only
No laws in place for same sex couples.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in Kuwait

?

Serving openly in military in Kuwait is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
LGBT people can not serve the military
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
kuwait times newspaper
Added by billyjames  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Kuwait

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Kuwait is legal.

Current status
Legal
No deferral.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
militaryblood.dod.mil/Donor…
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Kuwait

?

Conversion therapy in Kuwait is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
According to the ILGA World, there's no ban on conversion therapy in Kuwait.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
ilga.org/downloads/ILGA_Wor… (page 327)
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Kuwait

?

Equal age of consent in Kuwait is n/a.

Current status
N/A
Homosexuality is illegal.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
(See sources listed for homosexual activity.)
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT Rights by Governorate

View the LGBT laws in each individual governorate of Kuwait.

    Equality Index ?
    15 / 100
    Legal Rights
    15 / 100
    This region's Equality Index is based on legal rights alone. Please submit survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in Kuwait to help improve its accuracy.

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