Al ‘Aqabah is governed by federal Jordan law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Banned
- Censorship
- ✖ Imprisonment as punishment
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires surgery
- 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
- Unknown
- Military
- ✖ Don't Ask, Don't Tell
- Donating Blood
- Unknown
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
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Homosexual activity in Al ‘Aqabah is legal.
Current status
Since 1951
Legal
Homosexual activity has been legal in Jordan since 1951, however, the Penal Code includes vague provisions around "morality" and "indecent acts" that could be used to target LGBTQ+ people.
In 2014, for example, Jordan authorities arrested 10 gay men and women who were holding a reception at a party hall. A security official said it was to "prevent a disturbance of the peace" but did not elaborate.
Public opinion data shows that homosexuality is widely seen as unacceptable.
In 2014, for example, Jordan authorities arrested 10 gay men and women who were holding a reception at a party hall. A security official said it was to "prevent a disturbance of the peace" but did not elaborate.
Public opinion data shows that homosexuality is widely seen as unacceptable.
Same-sex marriage in Al ‘Aqabah is banned.
Current status
Banned
Article 5 of the Personal Status Law states that marriage is a contract between a man and a woman who are legally permitted to form a family.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Al ‘Aqabah is imprisonment as punishment.
Current status
Since Feb 1, 1960
Imprisonment as punishment
In Jordan, the government's Media Commission has used court orders to prohibit distribution of books that "violate public norms and values", which includes those that promote homosexuality citing Article 37 of the Press and Publication Law in 1998, which prohibits the publication of content that "encourages perversion or leads to moral corruption".
Additionally, the 1960 Penal Code criminalises “men who disguise themselves as women” entering women’s spaces with imprisonment, criminalising the gender expression of trans women and cross dressers.
Additionally, the 1960 Penal Code criminalises “men who disguise themselves as women” entering women’s spaces with imprisonment, criminalising the gender expression of trans women and cross dressers.
Right to change legal gender in Al ‘Aqabah is legal, but requires surgery.
Gender-affirming care in Al ‘Aqabah is banned.
Current status
Since Aug 31, 2018
Banned
The 2018 Medical Liability Law explicitly prohibits "gender change surgeries", which criminalise gender affirming care for trans people in Jordan with a penalty of 10 years' imprisonment with hard labour for surgeons who provide it.
The law points out a difference between gender change and gender reassignment, which is used for intersex people based on endosexnormative norms of correction and is legal.
The law points out a difference between gender change and gender reassignment, which is used for intersex people based on endosexnormative norms of correction and is legal.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Al ‘Aqabah is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
No legal recognition.
LGBT discrimination in Al ‘Aqabah is no protections.
Current status
No protections
No protection exist within the constitution for sexual orientation and gender identity
LGBT employment discrimination in Al ‘Aqabah is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no protections from discrimination in employment provided to LGBTIQ+ people in Jordan.
LGBT housing discrimination in Al ‘Aqabah is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no protections from discrimination in housing provided to LGBTIQ+ people in Jordan.
Same-sex adoption in Al ‘Aqabah is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
Adoption is illegal in Jordan unless you are married for five or more years. Currently, gay marriage is not legal and therefore adoption is not either.
Intersex infant surgery in Al ‘Aqabah is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Serving openly in military in Al ‘Aqabah is don't ask, don't tell.
Current status
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
LGBTQ+ personnel are not asked about their sexuality to serve in Jordan's military.
Blood donations by MSMs in Al ‘Aqabah is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Conversion therapy in Al ‘Aqabah is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Conversation therapy is not banned.
Equal age of consent in Al ‘Aqabah is equal.
Current status
Equal
Jordan has reduced the age of consensual relationships to 16, which is the same for heterosexuals.
Legal Rights
34 / 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 Al ‘Aqabah to help improve its accuracy.
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Al ‘Aqabah LGBT Organizations
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Common queries:
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Alternative names: Akaba, Aqaba, Aqqaba, al-Aqaba