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Public Opinion

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Public opinion polls in particular regions of United Arab Emirates have found that homophobic beliefs persist.

Survey

(The ILGA-RIWI, 2016)
of Emiratis strongly or somewhat agree that being LGBTI should be a crime
of Emiratis strongly or somewhat disagree that being LGBTI should be a crime
of Emiratis neither agree nor disagree that being LGBTI should be a crime

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History

Homosexual activity in United Arab Emirates

?

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.
Details
Sources:
www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/…
www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/10…
www.towleroad.com/2015/12/g…
www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/…
web.archive.org/web/2019051…
www.nytimes.com/2017/11/11/…
www.thejournal.ie/same-sex-…
www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/10…
www.refworld.org/docid/4a30…
www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/…
www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl…
www.nytimes.com/2017/11/11/…
www.thejournal.ie/same-sex-…
www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/12/22/judge-blocks-extradition-of-gay-british-man-to-uae-where-gays-can-face-death-penalty/
www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/10…
www.wsj.com/articles/islams…
www.mambaonline.com/2012/03…
www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/08…
www.queerty.com/gays-in-the…
www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/12/…
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Same-sex marriage in United Arab Emirates

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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.
Details
Sources:
u.ae/en/information-and-ser…
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Censorship of LGBT issues in United Arab Emirates

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Censorship of LGBT issues in United Arab Emirates is imprisonment as punishment.

Current status
Imprisonment as punishment
In United Arab Emirates access to many websites discussing LGBTQ+ topics is blocked by ISPs.
Details
Sources:
outrightinternational.org/s…
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Right to change legal gender in United Arab Emirates

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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.
Details
Sources:
www.hrw.org/news/2017/09/07…
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Dec 28, 2016–Sep 5, 2019
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.
Details
Sources:
manaramagazine.org/2022/03/…
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Gender-affirming care in United Arab Emirates

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Gender-affirming care in United Arab Emirates is banned.

Current status
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.
Details
Sources:
manaramagazine.org/2022/03/…
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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in United Arab Emirates

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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
Details
Sources:
www.alrowaad.ae/legal-blog/…
www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/10…
www.climatechangenews.com/2…
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LGBT discrimination in United Arab Emirates

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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.
Details
Sources:
www.refugeelegalaidinformat…
www.refworld.org/type,LEGIS…
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LGBT employment discrimination in United Arab Emirates

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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.
Details
Sources:
www.refugeelegalaidinformat…
www.refworld.org/type,LEGIS…
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LGBT housing discrimination in United Arab Emirates

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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.
Details
Sources:
www.refugeelegalaidinformat…
www.refworld.org/type,LEGIS…
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Same-sex adoption in United Arab Emirates

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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.
Details
Sources:
uk.practicallaw.thomsonreut…
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Intersex infant surgery in United Arab Emirates

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Intersex infant surgery in United Arab Emirates is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
The law specifically permits intersex infant surgery.
Details
Sources:
manaramagazine.org/2022/03/…
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Serving openly in military in United Arab Emirates

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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.
Details
Sources:
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGB…
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Blood donations by MSMs in United Arab Emirates

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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
Details
Sources:
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGB…
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Conversion therapy in United Arab Emirates

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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.
Details
Sources:
www.bramptoncollege.com/202…
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Equal age of consent in United Arab Emirates

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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.
Details
Sources:
www.humandignitytrust.org/c…
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LGBT Rights by Emirate

View the LGBT laws in each individual emirate of United Arab Emirates.

    Equality Index ?
    13 / 100
    Legal Rights
    0 / 100
    Public Opinion
    25 / 100

    Equality Rank

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    #46
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    Top Contributors

    4 Users Live in United Arab Emirates

    Hussein123
    SamMarius
    yashraj
    demudann

    United Arab Emirates LGBT Organizations

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