Serving openly in military

LGBTQ+ people are banned from serving openly in the military in 85 countries.

DATE

Serving openly in military

The issue of serving openly in the military concerns the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals to serve in the armed forces without hiding their sexual orientation or gender identity. Historically, many countries enforced policies that either banned LGBTQ+ individuals from military service or required them to conceal their identity as a condition of service. Policies can restrict individuals from serving based on their sexual orientation, their gender identity, or both. Notable examples include the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy formerly in place in the United States, which allowed gay people to serve provided they did not openly disclose their sexual orientation.

As the LGBTQ+ rights movement progresses, more countries have revised their military policies to allow LGBTQ+ individuals to serve openly. These changes often occur after extensive advocacy, shifts in public opinion, and recognition of the need for equality and respect for human rights within the armed forces.

Summary

73
Legal
73 regions (37%)
Legal
42
Somewhere in between
42 regions (21%)
Somewhere in between
43
Illegal
43 regions (22%)
Illegal
40
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
40 regions (20%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
62%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
31 regions (62%)
Somewhere in between
13 regions (26%)
Illegal
1 regions (2%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
5 regions (10%)
Oceania
21%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
3 regions (21%)
Somewhere in between
1 regions (7%)
Illegal
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
10 regions (71%)
South America
92%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
11 regions (92%)
Somewhere in between
regions (0%)
Illegal
1 regions (8%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
North America
39%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
9 regions (39%)
Somewhere in between
5 regions (22%)
Illegal
3 regions (13%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
6 regions (26%)
Africa
13%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
7 regions (13%)
Somewhere in between
16 regions (30%)
Illegal
24 regions (44%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
7 regions (13%)
Asia
27%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
12 regions (27%)
Somewhere in between
7 regions (16%)
Illegal
14 regions (32%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
11 regions (25%)

Timeline of serving openly in military

Number of countries to allow serving openly in the military over the past 61 years.

Recent Changes

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

Serving openly in military by Country

Legal

Serving openly in military is legal in 73 regions.

  1. Asia (12)
  2. Bahrain
  3. Bhutan
  4. Israel 1992
  5. Japan 1947
  6. Kazakhstan 2022
  7. Mongolia
  8. Philippines 2017
  9. Singapore 2023
  10. Taiwan 2026
  11. Thailand 2005
  12. Timor-Leste 2002
  13. Vietnam 1992
  14. Europe (31)
  15. Albania 2008
  16. Austria
  17. Belgium
  18. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2006
  19. Croatia 2013
  20. Cyprus 2004
  21. Czechia
  22. Denmark 1978
  23. Estonia
  24. Finland
  25. France
  26. Georgia
  27. Germany 2000
  28. Greece 2025
  29. Hungary
  30. Ireland 2007
  31. Kosovo 2018
  32. Malta
  33. Moldova 1995
  34. Montenegro 2017
  35. Netherlands 1974
  36. Norway 2001
  37. Portugal 2024
  38. Serbia 2008
  39. Slovakia 1993
  40. Slovenia 2007
  41. Spain 1977
  42. Sweden 2009
  43. Switzerland 1992
  44. Ukraine 2022
  45. United Kingdom 2000
  46. North America (9)
  47. Bahamas 1991
  48. Belize 2016
  49. Canada 1992
  50. Cuba 1993
  51. Dominican Republic 2025
  52. Haiti 2017
  53. Honduras
  54. Mexico 2012
  55. Saint Kitts and Nevis 2022
  56. Africa (7)
  57. Botswana 2019
  58. Lesotho 2012
  59. Madagascar
  60. Mozambique 2015
  61. Namibia 2024
  62. Seychelles 2016
  63. South Africa 1996
  64. Oceania (3)
  65. Australia 2010
  66. Fiji
  67. New Zealand 1994
  68. South America (11)
  69. Argentina 2020
  70. Bolivia
  71. Brazil 2013
  72. Chile 2012
  73. Colombia 1980
  74. Ecuador 2009
  75. Paraguay 1990
  76. Peru 2009
  77. Suriname
  78. Uruguay 2009
  79. Venezuela 2023

Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned

Serving openly in military is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned in 19 regions.

  1. Europe (10)
  2. Bulgaria 2004
  3. Italy 1986
  4. Latvia
  5. Lithuania
  6. Luxembourg
  7. North Macedonia
  8. Poland 1991
  9. Romania
  10. Russia 2003
  11. San Marino
  12. North America (2)
  13. El Salvador 2018
  14. United States 2025
  15. Africa (7)
  16. Angola 2021
  17. Benin
  18. Cape Verde 2004
  19. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  20. Guinea-Bissau 1993
  21. Republic of the Congo
  22. Sao Tome and Principe 2012

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Serving openly in military is don't ask, don't tell in 23 regions.

  1. Asia (7)
  2. Jordan
  3. Kyrgyzstan 1991
  4. Lebanon 2019
  5. Malaysia
  6. Saudi Arabia 1932
  7. Syria
  8. Tajikistan 1992
  9. Europe (3)
  10. Armenia 2004
  11. Azerbaijan
  12. Belarus
  13. North America (3)
  14. Antigua and Barbuda
  15. Jamaica
  16. Trinidad and Tobago
  17. Africa (9)
  18. Burundi 2009
  19. Ethiopia
  20. Liberia
  21. Libya
  22. Malawi
  23. Rwanda 2012
  24. Sudan
  25. Tanzania
  26. Zimbabwe
  27. Oceania (1)
  28. Papua New Guinea

Illegal

Serving openly in military is illegal in 43 regions.

  1. Asia (14)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bangladesh
  4. Brunei
  5. India
  6. Indonesia
  7. Iran
  8. Iraq 2007
  9. Kuwait
  10. Oman 1979
  11. Qatar 1915
  12. South Korea
  13. United Arab Emirates
  14. Uzbekistan
  15. Yemen
  16. Europe (1)
  17. Turkey
  18. North America (3)
  19. Barbados
  20. Guatemala
  21. Nicaragua
  22. Africa (24)
  23. Algeria
  24. Cameroon
  25. Central African Republic
  26. Chad
  27. Comoros
  28. Egypt
  29. Equatorial Guinea 1945
  30. Eritrea 1957
  31. Gabon 2021
  32. Gambia
  33. Ghana
  34. Guinea
  35. Kenya 1941
  36. Mali
  37. Mauritania 1983
  38. Morocco
  39. Nigeria 2024
  40. Senegal
  41. Sierra Leone
  42. Somalia
  43. South Sudan 2011
  44. Togo
  45. Uganda
  46. Zambia 1964
  47. South America (1)
  48. Guyana

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on serving openly in military is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 40 regions.

  1. Asia (11)
  2. Cambodia
  3. China Ambiguous
  4. Laos Ambiguous
  5. Maldives
  6. Myanmar
  7. Nepal
  8. North Korea Ambiguous
  9. Pakistan Ambiguous
  10. Palestine N/A
  11. Sri Lanka
  12. Turkmenistan Ambiguous
  13. Europe (5)
  14. Andorra N/A
  15. Iceland N/A
  16. Liechtenstein N/A
  17. Monaco N/A
  18. Vatican City N/A
  19. North America (6)
  20. Costa Rica N/A
  21. Dominica N/A
  22. Grenada N/A
  23. Panama N/A
  24. Saint Lucia N/A
  25. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines N/A
  26. Africa (7)
  27. Burkina Faso Ambiguous
  28. Côte d’Ivoire
  29. Djibouti
  30. Eswatini Ambiguous
  31. Mauritius N/A
  32. Niger Ambiguous
  33. Tunisia Ambiguous
  34. Oceania (10)
  35. Federated States of Micronesia N/A
  36. Kiribati N/A
  37. Marshall Islands N/A
  38. Nauru N/A
  39. Palau N/A
  40. Samoa N/A
  41. Solomon Islands N/A
  42. Tonga
  43. Tuvalu N/A
  44. Vanuatu N/A
  45. Antarctica (1)
  46. Antarctica N/A

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