- 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
- Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✖ Illegal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✖ Illegal
- Donating Blood
- ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- N/A
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Public Opinion
Public opinion polls in particular regions of United Arab Emirates have found that homophobic beliefs persist.
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Homosexual activity in United Arab Emirates is illegal (death penalty as punishment).
Current status
Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
LGBT activities are illegal in the UAE. Punishments (under sharia law) include death, life in prison, floggings, fines, deportation, chemical castration, forced psychological treatments, honor killings, beatings, forced anal examinations, forced hormone injections, and torture.
Same-sex marriage in United Arab Emirates is banned.
Current status
Banned
Marriage in the United Arab Emirates is defined as between a man and a woman, as there are separate requirements for each.
Censorship of LGBT issues in United Arab Emirates is imprisonment as punishment.
Current status
Since Dec 8, 1987
Imprisonment as punishment
In the United Arab Emirates, access to many websites discussing LGBTQ+ topics is blocked by ISPs. The 2012 Law on Combating Cybercrimes criminalises the "condoning, provoking, or promoting of sin through the computer network or any information technology means or a website".
In 2016, an amendment to the Federal Penal Code punishes production, possession or display of any material "against public morals" with imprisonment. This is frequently used against the LGBTIQ+ community.
Additionally, trans women are effectively criminalised in terms of gender expression due to the Federal Penal Code of 1987 containing Article 359 which punishes “any male disguised in a female apparel” entering a women-only space with up to one year in prison.
In 2016, an amendment to the Federal Penal Code punishes production, possession or display of any material "against public morals" with imprisonment. This is frequently used against the LGBTIQ+ community.
Additionally, trans women are effectively criminalised in terms of gender expression due to the Federal Penal Code of 1987 containing Article 359 which punishes “any male disguised in a female apparel” entering a women-only space with up to one year in prison.
Right to change legal gender in United Arab Emirates is illegal.
Current status
Since Sep 6, 2019
Illegal
There is no longer a right to change one’s legal gender.
Legal, but requires surgery
In 2016, the UAE amended its federal medical liability law to permit sex reassignment surgery, but only in certain circumstances. The law specifies that these procedures should only be permitted for intersex individuals and not for purely psychiatric ones.
The law also states that surgeons who operate on people who don't fit the requirements set forth by the same statute would be held criminally liable.
The law also states that surgeons who operate on people who don't fit the requirements set forth by the same statute would be held criminally liable.
Gender-affirming care in United Arab Emirates is banned.
Current status
Since Aug 15, 2016
Banned
Gender-affirming care for transgender people in the UAE is explicitly banned. The law specifically states only intersex individuals may be approved for gender-affirming care.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in United Arab Emirates is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Non-binary genders are not recognised on legal documents in the United Arab Emirates
LGBT discrimination in United Arab Emirates is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no discrimination protections for LGBTQ people in the UAE.
The UAE constitution, which came into effect on December 2, 1971, does not reference any protections against discrimination on the basis of gender or sexuality.
The UAE constitution, which came into effect on December 2, 1971, does not reference any protections against discrimination on the basis of gender or sexuality.
LGBT employment discrimination in United Arab Emirates is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no discrimination protections for LGBTQ people in the UAE.
The UAE constitution, which came into effect on December 2, 1971, does not reference any protections against employment discrimination on the basis of gender or sexuality.
The UAE constitution, which came into effect on December 2, 1971, does not reference any protections against employment discrimination on the basis of gender or sexuality.
LGBT housing discrimination in United Arab Emirates is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no discrimination protections for LGBTQ people in the UAE.
The UAE constitution, which came into effect on December 2, 1971, does not reference any protections against housing discrimination on the basis of gender or sexuality.
The UAE constitution, which came into effect on December 2, 1971, does not reference any protections against housing discrimination on the basis of gender or sexuality.
Same-sex adoption in United Arab Emirates is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
Adoption for same-sex couples or single LGBT people is banned in the country due to anti-LGBT hate laws.
Intersex infant surgery in United Arab Emirates is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
The law specifically permits intersex infant surgery.
Serving openly in military in United Arab Emirates is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
If one says they are homosexual it is punishable by death penalty.
Blood donations by MSMs in United Arab Emirates is banned (indefinite deferral).
Current status
Banned (indefinite deferral)
It is illegal to be gay in the UAE
Conversion therapy in United Arab Emirates is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Conversion therapy is not banned in the United Arab Emirates and is even sanctioned by the government.
Equal age of consent in United Arab Emirates is n/a.
Current status
N/A
Age of consent is not applicable because homosexuality is illegal in the United Arab Emirates.
LGBT Rights by Emirate
View the LGBT laws in each individual emirate of United Arab Emirates.
Equality Rank
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#170 Saudi Arabia12
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#171 Tanzania12
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#172 Ethiopia12
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#173 United Arab Emirates11
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#174 Tonga11
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#175 Yemen10
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#176 Burundi10
#46
Interest Rank based on Equaldex traffic ?
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4 Users Live in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates LGBT Organizations
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Alternative names: Al-Imarat al-´Arabiya al-Muttahida (local name)
