Abu Dhabi is governed by federal United Arab Emirates law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✖ Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Banned
- Censorship
- ✖ Imprisonment as punishment
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Illegal
- 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
- ✖ Not banned
- 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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Homosexual activity in Abu Dhabi 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.
Same-sex marriage in Abu Dhabi 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.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Abu Dhabi is imprisonment as punishment.
Current status
Since Dec 8, 1987
Imprisonment as punishment
In the United Arab Emirates, access to many websites discussing LGBTQ+ topics is blocked by ISPs. The 2012 Law on Combating Cybercrimes criminalises the "condoning, provoking, or promoting of sin through the computer network or any information technology means or a website".
In 2016, an amendment to the Federal Penal Code punishes production, possession or display of any material "against public morals" with imprisonment. This is frequently used against the LGBTIQ+ community.
Additionally, trans women are effectively criminalised in terms of gender expression due to the Federal Penal Code of 1987 containing Article 359 which punishes “any male disguised in a female apparel” entering a women-only space with up to one year in prison.
In 2016, an amendment to the Federal Penal Code punishes production, possession or display of any material "against public morals" with imprisonment. This is frequently used against the LGBTIQ+ community.
Additionally, trans women are effectively criminalised in terms of gender expression due to the Federal Penal Code of 1987 containing Article 359 which punishes “any male disguised in a female apparel” entering a women-only space with up to one year in prison.
Right to change legal gender in Abu Dhabi is illegal.
Current status
Since Sep 6, 2019
Illegal
There is no longer a right to change one’s legal gender.
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.
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.
Gender-affirming care in Abu Dhabi 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.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Abu Dhabi is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Non-binary genders are not recognised on legal documents in the United Arab Emirates
LGBT discrimination in Abu Dhabi 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.
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.
LGBT employment discrimination in Abu Dhabi 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.
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.
LGBT housing discrimination in Abu Dhabi 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.
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.
Same-sex adoption in Abu Dhabi 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.
Intersex infant surgery in Abu Dhabi is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
The law specifically permits intersex infant surgery.
Serving openly in military in Abu Dhabi is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
If one says they are homosexual it is punishable by death penalty.
Blood donations by MSMs in Abu Dhabi is banned (indefinite deferral).
Current status
Banned (indefinite deferral)
It is illegal to be gay in the UAE
Conversion therapy in Abu Dhabi is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Conversion therapy is not banned in the United Arab Emirates and is even sanctioned by the government.
Equal age of consent in Abu Dhabi is n/a.
Current status
N/A
Age of consent is not applicable because homosexuality is illegal in the United Arab Emirates.
Legal Rights
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Alternative names: Abu Zabi, Abu Zaby, Abū Z̨abī, Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi