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LGBT Rights in Brunei-Muara District

Brunei-Muara is governed by federal Brunei law. Learn more
    Homosexuality
    ⚢
    ✖ Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
    Gay Marriage
    ⚭
    ✖ Banned
    Censorship
    ✖ Other punishment
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Illegal
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✖ Restricted
    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
    ✖ Illegal
    Donating Blood
    ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    N/A
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Public Opinion

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History

Homosexual activity in Brunei-Muara

?

Homosexual activity in Brunei-Muara is illegal (imprisonment as punishment).

Current status
Since Apr 3, 2019
Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
On April 3rd, 2019, Brunei integrated more strict laws based off of Islam into its common law. The country immediately received heavy criticism, and some of Brunei’s buildings in other countries such as the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, and The Dorchester in London were boycotted. Due to international pressure, the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, placed a moratorium on the new law regarding homosexual acts, which allowed a maximum punishment of death by stoning. The moratorium is able to be dismantled at any moment by the Sultan due to his high level of power, but he has not done so yet.
Details
Sources:
npr.org/2019/05/06/72059800…
reuters.com/article/world/b…
cnn.com/2019/05/05/asia/bru…
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Jan 1, 1951–Apr 3, 2019
Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
The Penal Code of Brunei (revised edition 2001), Chapter 22, Page 152 states:

"Unnatural offences.
377. Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman, or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to fine. [S 12/97]"
Details
Sources:
unodc.org/tldb/pdf/Brunei_P…
old.ilga.org/Statehomophobi…
gayasianews.com/2014/05/02/…
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Same-sex marriage in Brunei-Muara

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Same-sex marriage in Brunei-Muara is banned.

Current status
Since 1951
Banned
Homosexuality is illegal.
Details
Sources:
(See sources listed for homosexual activity.)
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Censorship of LGBT issues in Brunei-Muara

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Censorship of LGBT issues in Brunei-Muara is other punishment.

Current status
Other punishment
In Brunei, censorship towards LGBT issues are state enforced since the country is based on Sharia Law and managed by the monarchy. Those who are sought to be deviant or critizizing the Bruneian government or promoting something contradictory to Islam could be subjected to imprisonment, fines or exile.

In 2019, an Indonesian Instagram account criticizing the Bruneian government on the topics of LGBT rights and freedom of opinion, was reported by the Sultan and Bruneian police authorities.
Details
Sources:
bbc.com/indonesia/majalah-42790219
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Right to change legal gender in Brunei-Muara

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Right to change legal gender in Brunei-Muara is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
Laws against men dressing as women and vice versa.
Details
Sources:
nationalgeographic.com/maga…
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Gender-affirming care in Brunei-Muara

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Gender-affirming care in Brunei-Muara is restricted.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1996
Restricted
In 1996, Brunei adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.

Brunei doesn't allow sex reassignment surgeries but hormonal treatment isn't banned.
Details
Sources:
web.archive.org/web/2019040…//www.outrightinternational.org/content/lgbtiq-rights-southeast-asia-where-we-stand-and-pathway-forward
ourworldindata.org/grapher/…
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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Brunei-Muara

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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Brunei-Muara is not legally recognized.

Current status
Not legally recognized
not recognized in Brunei
Details
Sources:
not recognized
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LGBT discrimination in Brunei-Muara

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LGBT discrimination in Brunei-Muara is no protections.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1951
No protections
None exist.
Details
Sources:
huffingtonpost.ca/entry/joh…
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LGBT employment discrimination in Brunei-Muara

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LGBT employment discrimination in Brunei-Muara is no protections.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1951
No protections
Unknown.
Details
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LGBT housing discrimination in Brunei-Muara

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LGBT housing discrimination in Brunei-Muara is no protections.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1951
No protections
None exist. As well Homosexuality is currently illegal.
Details
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Same-sex adoption in Brunei-Muara

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Same-sex adoption in Brunei-Muara is illegal.

Current status
Since 1951
Illegal
Details
Sources:
(See sources listed for homosexual activity.)
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Intersex infant surgery in Brunei-Muara

?

Intersex infant surgery in Brunei-Muara is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Serving openly in military in Brunei-Muara

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Serving openly in military in Brunei-Muara is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
Homosexuality is illegal.
Details
Sources:
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGB…
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Blood donations by MSMs in Brunei-Muara

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Blood donations by MSMs in Brunei-Muara is banned (indefinite deferral).

Current status
Banned (indefinite deferral)
Details
Sources:
sanquin.nl/bloed-geven/bloe…
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Conversion therapy in Brunei-Muara

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Conversion therapy in Brunei-Muara is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
According to the ILGA World, there's no ban on conversion therapy in Brunei.
Details
Sources:
ilga.org/downloads/ILGA_Wor… (page 327)
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Equal age of consent in Brunei-Muara

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Equal age of consent in Brunei-Muara is n/a.

Current status
Since 1951
N/A
Homosexual activity is illegal in Brunei.
Details
Sources:
(See sources listed for homosexual activity.)
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Equality Index ?
5 / 100
Legal Rights
5 / 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 Brunei-Muara to help improve its accuracy.

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Brunei-Muara LGBT Organizations

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Common queries:
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