Serving openly in military

LGBTQ+ people are banned from serving openly in the military in 96 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

59
Legal
59 regions (30%)
Legal
50
Somewhere in between
50 regions (25%)
Somewhere in between
46
Illegal
46 regions (23%)
Illegal
42
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
42 regions (21%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
56%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
28 regions (56%)
Somewhere in between
17 regions (34%)
Illegal
1 regions (2%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
4 regions (8%)
Oceania
36%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
5 regions (36%)
Somewhere in between
regions (0%)
Illegal
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
9 regions (64%)
South America
67%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
8 regions (67%)
Somewhere in between
2 regions (17%)
Illegal
1 regions (8%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (8%)
North America
35%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
8 regions (35%)
Somewhere in between
4 regions (17%)
Illegal
2 regions (9%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
9 regions (39%)
Africa
2%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
1 regions (2%)
Somewhere in between
18 regions (34%)
Illegal
25 regions (47%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
9 regions (17%)
Asia
21%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
9 regions (21%)
Somewhere in between
9 regions (21%)
Illegal
17 regions (39%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
9 regions (21%)

Timeline of serving openly in military

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

Recent Changes

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

Serving openly in military by Country

Legal

Serving openly in military is legal in 59 regions.

  1. Asia (9)
  2. Bhutan
  3. Israel 1992
  4. Japan 1947
  5. Kazakhstan 2022
  6. Nepal 2007
  7. Philippines 2009
  8. Singapore
  9. Thailand 2005
  10. Vietnam 1992
  11. Europe (28)
  12. Albania 2008
  13. Austria
  14. Belgium
  15. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2006
  16. Croatia 2013
  17. Cyprus 2004
  18. Czech Republic
  19. Denmark 1987
  20. Estonia
  21. Finland
  22. France
  23. Germany 2000
  24. Greece
  25. Hungary
  26. Ireland 2007
  27. Luxembourg
  28. Malta
  29. Montenegro 2017
  30. Netherlands 1974
  31. Norway 2001
  32. Portugal 2024
  33. Serbia 2008
  34. Slovakia 1993
  35. Slovenia 2007
  36. Spain 1977
  37. Sweden 2009
  38. Ukraine 2022
  39. United Kingdom 2000
  40. North America (8)
  41. Bahamas 1998
  42. Barbados
  43. Canada 1992
  44. Cuba 1993
  45. Jamaica
  46. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  47. Trinidad and Tobago 1962
  48. United States 2021
  49. Africa (1)
  50. South Africa 1996
  51. Oceania (5)
  52. Australia 1992
  53. Fiji
  54. New Zealand 1994
  55. Papua New Guinea
  56. Tonga
  57. South America (8)
  58. Argentina 2020
  59. Bolivia 2002
  60. Brazil 2013
  61. Chile 2012
  62. Colombia
  63. Ecuador
  64. Suriname
  65. Uruguay 2009

Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned

Serving openly in military is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned in 38 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. Cambodia
  3. Mongolia
  4. Taiwan 2002
  5. Europe (14)
  6. Bulgaria 2004
  7. Georgia
  8. Italy 1986
  9. Kosovo
  10. Latvia
  11. Lithuania
  12. Moldova
  13. North Macedonia
  14. Poland 1991
  15. Romania
  16. Russia 2003
  17. San Marino
  18. Switzerland 1992
  19. Vatican City
  20. North America (4)
  21. El Salvador 2018
  22. Guatemala
  23. Honduras
  24. Mexico 2012
  25. Africa (15)
  26. Angola
  27. Benin
  28. Botswana 2010
  29. Burkina Faso
  30. Equatorial Guinea
  31. Gabon 2020
  32. Guinea-Bissau
  33. Lesotho
  34. Madagascar
  35. Mozambique
  36. Republic of the Congo
  37. Rwanda
  38. Sao Tome and Principe
  39. Seychelles
  40. Zimbabwe
  41. South America (2)
  42. Peru 2009
  43. Venezuela 2023

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Serving openly in military is don't ask, don't tell in 12 regions.

  1. Asia (6)
  2. Jordan
  3. Kyrgyzstan 1991
  4. Lebanon 2019
  5. Maldives
  6. Syria
  7. Tajikistan 1992
  8. Europe (3)
  9. Armenia 2004
  10. Azerbaijan
  11. Belarus
  12. Africa (3)
  13. Côte d’Ivoire
  14. Liberia
  15. Zambia

Illegal

Serving openly in military is illegal in 46 regions.

  1. Asia (17)
  2. Bangladesh
  3. Brunei
  4. India
  5. Iran
  6. Iraq 2007
  7. Kuwait
  8. Malaysia
  9. Myanmar
  10. Oman 1979
  11. Pakistan
  12. Qatar 1915
  13. Saudi Arabia
  14. South Korea
  15. Sri Lanka
  16. United Arab Emirates
  17. Uzbekistan
  18. Yemen
  19. Europe (1)
  20. Turkey
  21. North America (2)
  22. Dominican Republic
  23. Nicaragua
  24. Africa (25)
  25. Algeria 1966
  26. Burundi
  27. Cameroon
  28. Chad
  29. Comoros
  30. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  31. Egypt
  32. Eritrea 1957
  33. Ethiopia
  34. Gambia
  35. Ghana
  36. Guinea
  37. Kenya 1941
  38. Libya 1953
  39. Malawi
  40. Mauritania 1983
  41. Morocco
  42. Senegal
  43. Sierra Leone
  44. Somalia
  45. South Sudan 2011
  46. Sudan
  47. Tanzania 1998
  48. Togo
  49. Uganda
  50. South America (1)
  51. Guyana 2021

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on serving openly in military is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 42 regions.

  1. Asia (9)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bahrain
  4. China Ambiguous
  5. Indonesia Ambiguous
  6. Laos Ambiguous
  7. North Korea Ambiguous
  8. Palestine N/A
  9. Timor-Leste Ambiguous
  10. Turkmenistan Ambiguous
  11. Europe (4)
  12. Andorra N/A
  13. Iceland N/A
  14. Liechtenstein N/A
  15. Monaco N/A
  16. North America (9)
  17. Antigua and Barbuda
  18. Belize Ambiguous
  19. Costa Rica N/A
  20. Dominica N/A
  21. Grenada N/A
  22. Haiti Ambiguous
  23. Panama N/A
  24. Saint Lucia N/A
  25. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines N/A
  26. Africa (9)
  27. Cape Verde Ambiguous
  28. Central African Republic Ambiguous
  29. Djibouti
  30. Eswatini N/A
  31. Mauritius N/A
  32. Namibia Ambiguous
  33. Niger Ambiguous
  34. Nigeria
  35. Tunisia Ambiguous
  36. Oceania (9)
  37. Federated States of Micronesia N/A
  38. Kiribati N/A
  39. Marshall Islands N/A
  40. Nauru N/A
  41. Palau N/A
  42. Samoa N/A
  43. Solomon Islands N/A
  44. Tuvalu N/A
  45. Vanuatu N/A
  46. South America (1)
  47. Paraguay Ambiguous
  48. Antarctica (1)
  49. Antarctica N/A

Spot an error? Visit the region and select "Accurate?: No" so Equaldex's editors can review it.