LGBT rights by country or territory

State acceptance of homosexuality

Same-sex marriage   Other type of partnership (or unregistered cohabitation)   Marriage recognized, not performed   Federal recognition of marriage in non-recognition states

Same-sex unions not recognized   Restrictions on freedom of expression   Unenforced penalty   Imprisonment   Up to life in prison   Death penalty

Rings indicate local or case-by-case application. ----

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LGBT rights at the United Nations   Support: Countries which have signed an LGBT rights Declaration in the General Assembly, sponsored the 2011 LGBT rights resolution in the UNHRC, or both (94 member-states)   Oppose: Countries which had signed a statement opposing LGBT rights in 2008; initially 57, but 3 countries switched to supporting LGBT rights (54 member-states)   Neither: Countries which have not officially opposed or supported LGBT rights in the UN (46 member-states)

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Laws affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or territory—everything from legal recognition of same-sex marriage or other types of partnerships, to the death penalty as punishment for same-sex romantic/sexual activity or identity.

LGBT rights are human rights^[1] and civil rights.^[2] LGBT rights laws include, but are not limited to, the following: government recognition of same-sex relationships (such as via same-sex marriage or civil unions), LGBT adoption, recognition of LGBT parenting, anti-bullying legislation and student non-discrimination laws to protect LGBT children and/or students, immigration equality laws, anti-discrimination laws for employment and housing, hate crime laws providing enhanced criminal penalties for prejudice-motivated violence against LGBT people, equal age of consent laws, and laws related to sexual orientation and military service.

Anti-LGBT laws include, but are not limited to, the following: sodomy laws penalizing consensual same-sex sexual activity with fines, jail terms, or the death penalty, anti-'lesbianism' laws, and higher ages of consent for same-sex activity.

In 2011, the United Nations Human Rights Council passed its first resolution recognizing LGBT rights, which was followed up with a report from the UN Human Rights Commission documenting violations of the rights of LGBT people, including hate crime, criminalization of homosexuality, and discrimination. Following up on the report, the UN Human Rights Commission urged all countries which had not yet done so to enact laws protecting basic LGBT rights.^[3][4]

History of LGBT-related laws

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Ancient Celts

According to Aristotle, although most "belligerent nations" were strongly influenced by their women, the Celts were unusual because their men openly preferred male lovers (Politics II 1269b).^[5] H. D. Rankin in Celts and the Classical World notes that "Athenaeus echoes this comment (603a) and so does Ammianus (30.9). It seems to be the general opinion of antiquity."^[6] In book XIII of his Deipnosophists, the Roman Greek rhetorician and grammarian Athenaeus, repeating assertions made by Diodorus Siculus in the 1st century BC (Bibliotheca historica 5:32), wrote that Celtic women were beautiful but that the men preferred to sleep together. Diodorus went further, stating that "the young men will offer themselves to strangers and are insulted if the offer is refused". Rankin argues that the ultimate source of these assertions is likely to be Poseidonius and speculates that these authors may be recording male "bonding rituals".^[7]

Ancient India

Throughout Hindu and Vedic texts there are many descriptions of saints, demigods, and even the Supreme Lord transcending gender norms and manifesting multiple combinations of sex and gender.^[8] There are several instances in ancient Indian epic poetry of same sex depictions and unions by gods and goddesses. There are several stories of depicting love between same sexes especially among kings and queens. Kamasutra, the ancient Indian treatise on love talks about feelings for same sexes. Transsexuals are also venerated e.g. Lord Vishnu as Mohini and Lord Shiva as Ardhanarishwara (which means half woman).^[9]

Ancient Israel and West Asia

The ancient Law of Moses (the Torah) forbids men lying with men (intercourse) in Leviticus 18 and gives a story of attempted homosexual rape in Genesis in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities being soon destroyed after that. The death penalty was prescribed.

Middle Assyrian Law Codes dating 1075 BC states: "If a man have intercourse with his brother-in-arms, they shall turn him into a eunuch.^{[citation needed]}

Ancient Persia

In Persia homosexuality and homoerotic expressions were tolerated in numerous public places, from monasteries and seminaries to taverns, military camps, bathhouses, and coffee houses. In the early Safavid era (1501–1723), male houses of prostitution (amrad khane) were legally recognized and paid taxes. Persian poets, such as Sa’di (d. 1291), Hafiz (d. 1389), and Jami (d. 1492), wrote poems replete with homoerotic allusions. The two most commonly documented forms were commercial sex with transgender young males or males enacting transgender roles exemplified by the köçeks and the bacchás, and Sufi spiritual practices in which the practitioner admired the form of a beautiful boy in order to enter ecstatic states and glimpse the beauty of God.

Ancient Rome

The "conquest mentality" of the ancient Romans shaped Roman homosexual practices.^[10] In the Roman Republic, a citizen's political liberty was defined in part by the right to preserve his body from physical compulsion or use by others;^[11] for the male citizen to submit his body to the giving of pleasure was considered servile.^[12] As long as a man played the penetrative role, it was socially acceptable and considered natural for him to have same-sex relations, without a perceived loss of his masculinity or social standing.^[13] The bodies of citizen youths were strictly off-limits, and the Lex Scantinia imposed penalites on those who committed a sex crime (stuprum) against a freeborn male minor.^[14] Acceptable same-sex partners were males excluded from legal protections as citizens: slaves, male prostitutes, and the infames, entertainers or others who might be technically free but whose lifestyles set them outside the law.

"Homosexual" and "heterosexual" were thus not categories of Roman sexuality, and no words exist in Latin that would precisely translate these concepts.^[15] A male citizen who willingly performed oral sex or received anal sex was disparaged, but there is only limited evidence of legal penalties against these men, who were presumably "homosexual" in the modern sense.^[16] In courtroom and political rhetoric, charges of effeminacy and passive sexual behaviors were directed particularly at "democratic" politicians (populares) such as Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.^[17]

Roman law addressed the rape of a male citizen as early as the 2nd century BC, when a ruling was issued in a case that may have involved a man of same-sex orientation. It was ruled that even a man who was "disreputable and questionable" had the same right as other citizens not to have his body subjected to forced sex.^[18] A law probably dating to the dictatorship of Julius Caesar defined rape as forced sex against "boy, woman, or anyone"; the rapist was subject to execution, a rare penalty in Roman law.^[19] A male classified as infamis, such as a prostitute or actor, could not as a matter of law be raped, nor could a slave, who was legally classified as property; the slave's owner, however, could prosecute the rapist for property damage.^[20]

In the Roman army of the Republic, sex among fellow soldiers violated the decorum against intercourse with citizens and was subject to harsh penalties, including death,^[21] as a violation of military discipline.^[22] The Greek historian Polybius (2nd century BC) lists deserters, thieves, perjurers, and "those who in youth have abused their persons" as subject to the fustuarium, clubbing to death.^[23] Ancient sources are most concerned with the effects of sexual harassment by officers, but the young soldier who brought an accusation against his superior needed to show that he had not willingly taken the passive role or prostituted himself.^[24] Soldiers were free to have relations with their male slaves;^[25] the use of a fellow citizen-soldier's body was prohibited, not homosexual behaviors per se.^[26] By the late Republic and throughout the Imperial period, there is increasing evidence that men whose lifestyle marked them as "homosexual" in the modern sense served openly.^[27]

Although Roman law did not recognize marriage between men, and in general Romans regarded marriage as a heterosexual union with the primary purpose of producing children, in the early Imperial period some male couples were celebrating traditional marriage rites. Juvenal remarks with disapproval that his friends often attended such ceremonies.^[28] The emperor Nero had two marriages to men, once as the bride (with a freedman Pythagoras) and once as the groom. His consort Sporus appeared in public as Nero's wife wearing the regalia that was customary for the Roman empress.^[29]

Apart from measures to protect the prerogatives of citizens, the prosecution of homosexuality as a general crime began in the 3rd century of the Christian era when male prostitution was banned by Philip the Arab. By the end of the 4th century, after the Roman Empire had come under Christian rule, passive homosexuality was punishable by burning.^[30] "Death by sword" was the punishment for a "man coupling like a woman" under the Theodosian Code.^[31] Under Justinian, all same-sex acts, passive or active, no matter who the partners, were declared contrary to nature and punishable by death.^[32]

Congo

E. E. Evans-Pritchard recorded that in the past male Azande warriors in the northern Congo routinely took on young male lovers between the ages of twelve and twenty, who helped with household tasks and participated in intercrural sex with their older husbands. The practice had died out by the early 20th century, after Europeans had gained control of African countries, but was recounted to Evans-Pritchard by the elders to whom he spoke.^[33]

Feudal Japan

In feudal Japan, homosexuality was recognized, between equals (bi-do), in terms of pederasty (wakashudo), and in terms of prostitution. The younger partner in a pederastic relationship often was expected to make the first move; the opposite was true in ancient Greece. In religious circles, same-sex love spread to the warrior (samurai) class, where it was customary for a boy in the wakashū age category to undergo training in the martial arts by apprenticing to a more experienced adult man. The man was permitted, if the boy agreed, to take the boy as his lover until he came of age; this relationship, often formalized in a "brotherhood contract",^[34] was expected to be exclusive, with both partners swearing to take no other (male) lovers. The Samurai period was one in which homosexuality was seen as particularly positive. Later when Japanese society became pacified, the middle classes adopted many of the practices of the warrior class.

Lesotho

Anthropologists Stephen Murray and Will Roscoe reported that women in Lesotho engaged in socially sanctioned "long term, erotic relationships" called motsoalle.^[35]

Papua New Guinea

In Papua New Guinea, same-sex relationships were an integral part of the culture until the middle of the last century. The Etoro and Marind-anim for example, even viewed heterosexuality as sinful and celebrated homosexuality instead. In many traditional Melanesian cultures a prepubertal boy would be paired with an older adolescent who would become his mentor and who would "inseminate" him (orally, anally, or topically, depending on the tribe) over a number of years in order for the younger to also reach puberty.^[36]

LGBT-related laws by country or territory

Decriminalization of homosexuality by country

Blood Donation policies for men who have sex with men

  Men who have sex with men may donate blood; No deferral

  Men who have sex with men may donate blood; Temporary deferral

  Men who have sex with men may not donate blood; Permanent deferral

  No Data

Africa

Northern Africa

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex relationships	Same-sex marriage	Adoption by same-sex couples	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (Sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Algeria	Illegal (Penalty: Fine - Up to 2 years prison or viligante executions)[37]
Egypt	Not specifically illegal, but is illegalized through broadly written morality laws (Penalty: Fines, torture, up to 17 years in jail with or without hard labor, or viligante executions)|
Libya	Illegal (Penalty: Up to 5 years prison).[37]
Morocco (incl. Western Sahara)	Illegal (Penalty: Up to 3 years)
South Sudan	Illegal (Penalty: Up to 10 years.)		Constitutional ban since 2011
Sudan	Illegal (Penalty: Corporal Punishment. Death penalty for men on third offense. Death penalty on fourth offense for women)
Tunisia	Illegal (Penalty: Fine - 3 years)

Western Africa

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex relationships	Same-sex marriage	Adoption by same-sex couples	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (Sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Benin	Legal[37]
Burkina Faso	Legal		Constitutional ban since 1991
Cape Verde	Legal since 2004 + UN decl. sign.					Bans some anti-gay discrimination[37]
Côte d'Ivoire	Legal
Gambia	Illegal (Penalty: up to 14 years imprisonment)			No specific prohibition
Ghana	Male illegal (Penalty: up to 3 years imprisonment for consensual acts) Female uncertain
Guinea	Illegal (Penalty: 6 months to 3 years imprisonment)
Guinea-Bissau	Legal since 1993[37] + UN decl. sign.
Liberia	Illegal (Penalty: 1 year imprisonment)
Mali	Legal
Mauritania	Illegal (Penalty: Death penalty. However, no executions for any crime since 1987)
Niger	Legal
Nigeria	Illegal (Penalty: Prison time, fines, corporal punishment, to death penalty)						Illegal in northern states Unclear in southern states
Senegal	Illegal (Penalty: 1 to 5 years imprisonment)
Sierra Leone	Male illegal (Penalty: Life imprisonment) Female legal[37] + UN decl. sign.
Togo	Illegal (Penalty: Fine and/or a 3 year prison sentence)

Middle Africa

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex relationships	Same-sex marriage	Adoption by same-sex couples	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (Sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Cameroon	Illegal (Penalty: Fine to 5 years prison)
Central African Republic	Legal[37] + UN decl. sign.
Chad	Legal since 1967
Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire)	Legal[37]		Constitutional ban since 2005
Equatorial Guinea	Legal[37]
Gabon	Legal[37] + UN decl. sign.
Republic of the Congo	Legal[37]
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (Overseas territory of the United Kingdom)	Legal[37]				(as part of the Military of the United Kingdom)	Bans anti-gay discrimination (under the United Kingdom Equality Act 2010)	Transsexuals can change legal sex since 2013
São Tomé and Príncipe	Since 2012 + UN decl. sign.[38]

Eastern Africa

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex relationships	Same-sex marriage	Adoption by same-sex couples	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (Sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Burundi	Illegal since 2009 (Penalty: 3 months to 2 years imprisonment and/or fine) [39]		Constitutional ban since 2005
Djibouti	Legal[37]
Eritrea	Illegal (Penalty: Up to 3 years imprisonment) [37]
Ethiopia	Illegal[37]
Kenya	Male illegal (Penalty: up to 14 years imprisonment) Female presumed to be illegal.		Constitution since 2010 specifically mentions only opposite sex marriage[40]
Rwanda	Legal[37] + UN decl. sign.		Constitutional ban in Article 26 since 2003
Somalia	Illegal[37]
Uganda	Male Illegal (Penalty: Up to life imprisonment) Female Illegal since 2000. (Penalty: Up to 7 years imprisonment)		Constitutional ban since 2005
Tanzania	Illegal (Penalty: Up to life imprisonment)[37]			A couple must be married to adopt a child jointly.

Indian Ocean States

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex relationships	Same-sex marriage	Adoption by same-sex couples	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (Sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Comoros	Illegal[37] (Penalty: 5 years imprisonment and/or fine)
Madagascar	Legal
Mauritius	Male illegal (Penalty: Up to 5 years imprisonment) Female legal (national debate over repeal of the law)[37][41] + UN decl. sign.					Bans some anti-gay discrimination[42][43]
Mayotte (Overseas department of France since 2011)	Legal since 1791	Civil solidarity pact	Legal since 2013	Legal since 2013		Bans all anti-gay discrimination
Réunion (Overseas department of France)	Legal since 1791	Civil solidarity pact since 1999	Legal since 2013	Legal since 2013		Bans all anti-gay discrimination
Seychelles	Male illegal (Penalty: Up to 14 years imprisonment) Female legal (decriminalisation proposed ) + UN decl. sign.					Bans some anti-gay discrimination[37]

Southern Africa

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex relationships	Same-sex marriage	Adoption by same-sex couples	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (Sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Angola	Illegal[37]
Botswana	Illegal (Penalty: Fine - 7 years, Though never enforced)					Bans some anti-gay discrimination[37]
Lesotho	Male illegal Female legal[37]
Malawi	Illegal (Penalty: Up to 14 years imprisonment and/or whippings)
Mozambique	Legal[44]					Bans some anti-gay discrimination[37][42]
Namibia	Illegal (not enforced)[37][45]
South Africa	Male legal since 1998 (retroactive to 1994) Female always legal + UN decl. sign.	Limited recognition of unregistered partnerships since 1998; marriage since 2006	Legal since 2006	Legal since 2002 (joint and step-parent)	Since 1998	Bans all discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, including hate speech	Anti-discrimination laws are interpreted to include gender identity; legal gender may be changed after surgical or medical treatment
Swaziland	Male illegal Female legal Pending law includes outlawing lesbian sex conduct.[37]
Zambia	Illegal (Penalty: up to 14 years imprisonment)
Zimbabwe	Male illegal Female legal[37]		Constitutional ban since 2013

Partially recognised states

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex relationships	Same-sex marriage	Adoption by same-sex couples	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (Sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Western Sahara (80% controlled by Morocco)	Illegal (Penalty: up to 3 years prison)
Somaliland	Illegal (Penalty: expulsion from country, prison - up to life, in various regions and districts; death penalty)

The Americas

North America

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex unions	Same-sex marriage	Same-sex adoption	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination Laws (sexual orientation)	Anti-discrimination Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Bermuda (Overseas territory of the United Kingdom)	Legal since 1994 (Age of consent discrepancy)				UK responsible for defence	Bans some anti-gay discrimination[46]
Canada	Legal since 1969 (Age of consent discrepancy, prohibition of anal intercourse in some cases)[47] + UN decl. sign.		Legal since 2003, Mandatory legal status nationwide since 2005	[48][49]	Since 1992[50]	Bans all anti-gay discrimination, including hate speech	Legal recognition but only granted after completion of medical intervention in most provinces and territories (not required in Ontario); Explicit anti-discrimination protections only in NWT, Manitoba, and Ontario, implicit elsewhere;[51][52]
Mexico	Legal since 1872[37] + UN decl. sign.	PACS in Coahuila since 2007. All states are obliged to honour same-sex marriages performed in Mexico City.[53]	/ Legal in Mexico City since 2010 and in Quintana Roo since 2012. Conyugal unions, a legal equivalent, in Colima since 2013[54] [55][56] All states are obliged to honour same-sex marriages performed in Mexico City.[53] Nationwide status proposed in November 2013. [57] [58]	/ Joint adoption legal in Mexico City (2010)[55] and Coahuila.[59] Nationwide, single gay persons may adopt.[60]	/ No explicit ban. However, LGB persons have been reportedly discharged on the grounds of "immorality."[61]	Nationwide since 2003.[62]	/ Transgender persons can change their legal gender and name in Mexico City since 2008.[63]
Saint Pierre et Miquelon (overseas collectivity of France)	Legal since 1791 + UN decl. sign.	Pacte civil de solidarité since 1999	Legal since 2013	Legal since 2013		Bans some anti-gay discrimination
United States	Legal nationwide since 2003. + UN decl. sign. See Lawrence v. Texas	/ Varies by state, recognized by federal gov't Since SCOTUS overturned DOMA, 26th June 2013, if performed in a state where legal][64]. (Legal in Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, and Wisconsin)	/ Varies by state, recognized by federal gov't. (Legal in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire,New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Eight Native American Tribal Jurisdictions and the District of Columbia; recognized in Oregon	/ Single gay persons may adopt, laws on couples vary by state	Since 2011	/ No federal protections. Varying protections in 21 states. Included in the federal hate crimes law since 2009. See Matthew Shepard Act	/ Anti-transgender discrimination in healthcare insurance banned. No other federal protections. Varying protections in 17 states. Included in the federal hate crimes law since 2009. See Matthew Shepard Act

Central America

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex unions	Same-sex marriage	Same-sex adoption	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination Laws (sexual orientation)	Anti- discrimination Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Belize	Male llegal since September 19, 2003 (Penalty: 10 year prison sentence). Female legal. (Foreign gay males and females are rejected from entering the country due to the Belize Immigration Act)
Costa Rica	Legal since 1971 + UN decl. sign.	/ De Facto Unions may apply [65]			N/A	Bans some anti-gay discrimination
El Salvador	Legal since 1800's[37] + UN decl. sign.					Bans some anti-gay discrimination
Guatemala	Legal since 1871[37] + UN decl. sign.					Bans some anti-gay discrimination
Honduras	Legal since 1899[37] + UN decl. sign.		(Constitutional ban)	(Constitutional ban)
Nicaragua	Legal since 2008 + UN decl. sign.					Bans some anti-gay discrimination[37]
Panama	Legal since 2008 + UN decl. sign.

Caribbean islands

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex unions	Same-sex marriage	Same-sex adoption	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination Laws (sexual orientation)	Anti-discrimination Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Anguilla (Overseas territory of the United Kingdom)	Legal since 2000				UK responsible for defence
Antigua and Barbuda	Illegal (Penalty: 15 year prison sentence)
Aruba (Autonomous country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands)	Legal	Only unions made in the Netherlands recognised	Only same-sex marriages made in the Netherlands recognised		The Netherlands responsible for defence
Bahamas	Legal since 1991 (Age of consent discrepancy)
Barbados	Illegal (Penalty: life sentence, Not enforced)
British Virgin Islands (Overseas territory of the United Kingdom)	Legal since 2000				UK responsible for defence	Bans some anti-gay discrimination
Caribbean Netherlands (part of the Netherlands)	Legal		Legal since 2012	[66]	The Netherlands responsible for defence
Cayman Islands (Overseas territory of the United Kingdom)	Legal since 2000				UK responsible for defence
Cuba	Legal since 1979 + UN decl. sign.	(but proposed)
Curaçao (Autonomous country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands)	Legal	Only unions made in the Netherlands recognised	Only same-sex marriages made in the Netherlands recognised		The Netherlands responsible for defence
Dominica	Illegal (Penalty: 10 year prison sentence or incarceration in a psychiatric institution ) + UN decl. sign.
Dominican Republic	Legal since 1822[37] + UN decl. sign.		Constitutional ban since 2010
Grenada	Male illegal (Penalty: 10 year prison sentence) Female legal
Guadeloupe (Overseas department of France)	Legal since 1791 + UN decl. sign.	Pacte civil de solidarité since 1999	Legal since 2013	Legal since 2013		Bans some anti-gay discrimination
Haiti	Legal since 1986
Jamaica	Male Illegal (Penalty: 10 years hard labor) Female legal
Martinique (Overseas department of France)	Legal since 1791 + UN decl. sign.	Pacte civil de solidarité since 1999	Legal since 2013	Legal since 2013		Bans some anti-gay discrimination
Montserrat (Overseas territory of the United Kingdom)	Legal since 2000				UK responsible for defence
Puerto Rico (Commonwealth of the United States)	Legal since 2003				Since 2011	Bans hate crimes since 2002, anti–employment discrimination since 2013. U.S. hate crime laws also apply	Bans hate crimes since 2002, anti–employment discrimination since 2013. U.S. hate crime laws also apply
Saint Barthélemy (overseas collectivity of France since 2007)	Legal since 1791 + UN decl. sign.	Pacte civil de solidarité since 1999	Legal since 2013	Legal since 2013		Bans some anti-gay discrimination
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Male illegal (Penalty: 10 years) Female legal
Saint Lucia	Male illegal (Penalty: fine and/or 10 year prison sentence) Female legal
Saint Martin (overseas collectivity of France since 2007)	Legal since 1791 + UN decl. sign.	Pacte civil de solidarité since 1999	Legal since 2013	Legal since 2013		Bans some anti-gay discrimination
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Illegal (Penalty: fine and/or 10 year prison sentence)
Sint Maarten (Autonomous country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands)	Legal	Only unions made in the Netherlands recognised	Only same-sex marriages made in the Netherlands recognised		The Netherlands responsible for defence
Trinidad and Tobago	Illegal (Penalty: 25 year prison sentence, Not enforced)
Turks and Caicos Islands (Overseas territory of the United Kingdom)	Legal since 2000				UK responsible for defence
United States Virgin Islands (Insular area of the United States)	Legal since 1984				Since 2011	The US hate crime laws also apply to all US external territories as well	The US hate crime laws also apply to all US external territories as well

South America

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex relationships	Same-sex marriage	Same-sex adoption	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination Laws (sexual orientation)	Anti- discrimination Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Argentina	Legal since 1887[37] + UN decl. sign.	Unregistered cohabitation throughout the country.	Legal since 2010.[67]	Legal since 2010.	Since 2009.[68]		Transgender persons can change their legal gender and name without surgeries or judicial permission[69]
Bolivia	Legal + UN decl. sign.	(Proposed)	(Constitutional ban)			Bans all anti-gay discrimination	Bans all discrimination based on gender identity[70]
Brazil	Legal since 1830[37] + UN decl. sign.	Legal since 2011.[71][72]	Legal since 2013. [73][74]	Legal since 2010.[75]	Since 1969,[76] Official discrimination illegal since 1988, Pathologization or attempted treatment of sexual orientation by mental health professionals illegal since 1999[77][78]	/ All state-sanctioned social discrimination of citizens since 1988, Legal protection in many jurisdictions, expansion of anti-discrimination (all) national Constitutional amendment discussed in the Senate.[79]	Legal gender and name changes since 2009, though SRS – legal in loco only for diagnosed transsexuals – is required for male-to-female and HRT for female-to-male.[80][81][82]
Chile	Legal since 1998[37] (Age of consent discrepancy) + UN decl. sign.	(Registered cohabitation vote pending by congress) [83]	(Proposed [84], currently under consideration)	/ Single gay persons may adopt	[85][86]	Bans all anti-gay discrimination [87]	since 2007. Whether surgical intervention is necessary depends on the judge at the moment of request. Currently, a broader gender identity law (which would not require any surgeries or judicial permission) is being discussed by the congress.[88] [89]
Colombia	Legal since 1981 + UN decl. sign.	Legal since 2007	/ Judges are able to marry same-sex couples using a 2011 Court Ruling.[90]	single person, no matter her/his sexual orientation may adopt. First case of step-child adoption, Court ordered.[91]	since 1999. Since 2009: the military special social security system can be used by same sex couples in the army	Bans all anti-gay discrimination, including hate speech [92]	[93] Since 1993. The name's gender can be changed easily in the National ID Card, to change the sex field a surgery is required.
Ecuador	Legal since 1997 + UN decl. sign.	Civil unions legal since 2009[94]	(Constitutional ban)	(Constitutional ban)		Bans some anti-gay discrimination	Bans all discrimination based on gender identity
Falkland Islands (Overseas territory of the United Kingdom)	Legal			[citation needed]	UK responsible for defence	Bans some anti-gay discrimination
French Guiana (Overseas department of France)	Legal since 1791 + UN decl. sign.	Pacte civil de solidarité since 1999	Legal since 2013	Legal since 2013		Bans some anti-gay discrimination
Guyana	Illegal (Penalty: Up to life imprisonment)				[95]	Added to constitution in 2004, but withdrawn afterwards by the government.
Paraguay	Legal since 1880[37] + UN decl. sign.	(Constitutional ban since 1992)[96]	(Constitutional ban since 1992)[96]
Peru	Legal since 1836-37[37]				Since 2009[97]	Bans all anti-gay discrimination. Penalized with 2-4 years in jail.	Possible via Civil Code and Legal Process, but no specific law.
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Overseas territory of the United Kingdom)	Legal				UK responsible for defence	Bans some anti-gay discrimination
Suriname	Legal since 1869[37]
Uruguay	Legal since 1934 + UN decl. sign.	Civil unions since 2008.[98]	Legal since 2013.[99]	Legal since 2009.[100]	Since 2009.[101]	Legal protection since 2004.[102]	Legal protection since 2004.[102] Transgender persons can change their legal gender and name since 2009.[103]
Venezuela	Legal since 1997[104][105]. + UN decl. sign.		(Constitutional ban)	(Constitutional ban)	Since 1999	Bans some anti-gay discrimination[37]

Asia

Central Asia

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of relationships	Same-sex marriage	Same-sex adoption	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (Sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Kazakhstan	Legal since 1998[37]				[106]
Kyrgyzstan	Legal since 1998[37]
Tajikistan	Legal since 1998[37]
Turkmenistan	Male illegal (Penalty: up to 2 year prison sentence) Female legal[37]
Uzbekistan	Male illegal (Penalty: up to 3 year prison sentence) Female legal[37]

Middle East

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of relationships	Same-sex marriage	Same-sex adoption	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (Sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Bahrain	Legal since 1976[37]
Iraq	Legal since 2003
Israel	Legal since 1963 de facto 1988 de jure[107] + UN decl. sign.	Unregistered cohabitation	Cannot be performed in the country, but foreign same-sex marriages are recognised	/ step adoptions prohibited[108]		Bans some anti-gay discrimination [109][110]	[citation needed]
Jordan	Legal since 1951
Kuwait	Male illegal (Penalty: Fines or up to 6 year prison sentence) Female legal[111]
Lebanon	Illegal (Penalty: Up to 6 months in prison)
Oman	Illegal (Penalty: fines, prison sentence up to 3 years; however, only enforced when dealing with "public scandal")
Palestinian territories (Gaza)	Male illegal (Penalty: up to 10 year prison sentence) Female legal
Palestinian territories (West Bank)	Legal since 1951[37]			[citation needed]
Qatar	Male illegal (Penalty: fines, prison sentence up to 5 years) Female legal
Saudi Arabia	Illegal (Penalty: death or life imprisonment)
Syria	Illegal (Penalty: prison sentence up to 3 years)
United Arab Emirates	Illegal (Penalty: deportation, fines or prison time)
Yemen	Illegal (Penalty: Death)

South Asia

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of relationships	Same-sex marriage	Same-sex adoption	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (Sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Afghanistan	Illegal (Penalty: Death)
Bangladesh	Illegal (Penalty: 10 years to life)
Bhutan	Illegal (Penalty: prison sentence up to 1 year; no cases of penalty actually enforced)
India	Illegal since 1860[112]. Penalties up to life imprisonment.	No explicit recognition.[113]	No explicit recognition.[113]		[114]		There are no laws to protect from discrimination.
Iran	Illegal (Penalty: Death)						Legal gender recognition in Iran is legal if accompanied by a medical intervention.[115]
Maldives	Up to death[116]. Shariah law applies. Whippings, house arrest, deportation, and up to 6 years in jail. Vigilante attacks and executions occur.				[citation needed]
Nepal	Legal since 2007[37] + UN decl. sign.		Under consideration	Under consideration		Supreme Court ruled discrimination laws apply to homosexuals	"Third gender" cards have been issued since September 2007, legally protected class[117]
Pakistan	Illegal (Penalty: 2 years to life sentence)						'Third gender' officially protected from discrimination by Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2010
Sri Lanka	Illegal[37]				[citation needed]

East Asia

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of relationships	Same-sex marriage	Same-sex adoption	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (Sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
China (People's Republic of)	Legal since 1997						Transsexuals allowed to change legal gender
Hong Kong (Special administrative region of China)	Legal since 1991 (equal age of consent of 16 for both heterosexual and homosexual sex since 2006)				The People's Republic of China is in charge of Hong Kong's defence affairs. Regardless of sexual orientation, military personnel are not recruited from Hong Kong.	Government employment, goods and services only	Transsexuals allowed to change legal gender
Japan	Legal since 1880 (was illegal from 1872-1880; before that there were no laws forbidding same sex relationships) + UN decl. sign.				[118]	No nationwide protections, but some cities ban some anti-gay discriminations[37]	Transsexuals allowed to change legal gender, but only after sex reassignment surgery and in case that the transsexual has no child under 20 years old
Macau (Special administrative region of China)	Legal since 1996				The People's Republic of China is in charge of Macau's defence affairs. Regardless of sexual orientation, military personnel are not recruited from Macau.
Mongolia	Legal since 2002
North Korea	Legal[37]						Unknown although there are heavily obeyed gender roles for both male and female. See Let's trim our hair in accordance with the socialist lifestyle
South Korea	Legal + UN decl. sign.				Due to conscription, but gays subject to discrimination	Human Rights Committee Law prohibits discrimination on sexual orientation[119]	Transsexuals allowed to change legal gender

Partially recognised states

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex relationships	Same-sex marriage	Same-sex adoption	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Taiwan (China, Republic of)	Legal		(Pending law allows civil unions or same-sex marriage)		Due to military draft	Bans some anti-gay discrimination (in work and education)	Transsexuals allowed to change legal gender, but only after sex reassignment surgery

Southeast Asia

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of relationships	Same-sex marriage	Same-sex adoption	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (Sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Brunei	Illegal (Penalty: fine or prison sentence up to 10 years)
Burma	Illegal (Penalty: up to life sentence)
Cambodia	Legal		Technically prohibited, though there has been at least one recorded case of a legally registered and recognized same-sex marriage	[citation needed]
East Timor	Legal since 1975 + UN decl. sign.
Indonesia	Legal[120] except for Muslims in Aceh Province[121]				[122]
Laos	Legal
Malaysia	Illegal (Penalty: fines, prison sentence (2-20 years), or whippings)
Philippines	Legal[123] except for Muslims in Marawi City	[123]			Since 2009	No national protections, but Cebu[124], Quezon City and Albay have anti-discrimination ordinances[125] National bill pending but still not made into law
Singapore	Male illegal (Penalty: up to 2 years prison sentence; no plan to repeal 377A and not enforced since 1999) Female legal				Due to conscription, but gays are not allowed to go to command school or serve in sensitive units.		Transsexuals allowed to change legal gender
Thailand	Legal since 1956	proposed on 2013			Since 2005
Vietnam	Legal (no laws against homosexuality have ever existed)	(Proposed)	(Proposed for 2014)[126]

Europe

European Union

European Union member states are indicated with the EU flag in regional European sub-divisions.

See: LGBT rights in the European Union European Union law forbids discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. All EU states are required to legalise homosexual activity and implement anti-discrimination laws.[127][128]

Central Europe

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex relationships	Same-sex marriage	Same-sex adoption	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Austria	Legal since 1971 + UN decl. sign.	Registered partnership since 2010		/ Biological step-child adoption only[129]		Bans some anti-gay discrimination
Croatia	Legal since 1977 + UN decl. sign.	Legal since 2003	Constitution defines marriage as "a union between a man and a woman"	/ Gay individuals may adopt (Institution similar to biological step-child adoption in exceptional cases proposed)		Bans all anti-gay discrimination[130][131]	Act on the elimination of discrimination, The Law on volunteering, Electronic media Law (all including both gender identity and gender expression)
Czech Republic	Legal since 1962 + UN decl. sign.	Registered partnership since 2006.		/ Gay individuals may adopt (both when in registered partnership or single)		Bans some anti-gay discrimination	legal recognition granted and amendment of birth certificate after reassignment surgery/
Germany	Legal since 1969 (since 1968 in East Germany) + UN decl. sign.	Registered partnership since 2001	(proposed)	/ Step-child adoption only (full joint adoption proposed)		Bans some anti-gay discrimination	/
Hungary	Legal since 1962 + UN decl. sign.	Registered partnership since 2009	Constitutional ban since 2012[132]			Bans some anti-gay discrimination
Liechtenstein	Legal since 1989 + UN decl. sign.	Registered partnership since 2011			N/A
Poland	Legal Never punished (Legal until 18th century, criminalized in 19th by laws of Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary, legal again since 1932) + UN decl. sign.		Constitution defines marriage as "a union between a man and a woman"[133]	/ Gay individuals may adopt		Bans some anti-gay discrimination	legal recognition and birth certificates amended, including. In 1983, the Supreme Court ruled reassignment surgery is not a prerequisite for legal recognition.[134]
Romania	Legal since 1996 Previously legal from 1864 to 1968. + UN decl. sign.	(proposed)[135]		/ Gay individuals may adopt.		Bans all anti-gay discrimination[131]	/ Legal recognition and birth certificates amended after reassignment surgery[136]
Slovakia	Legal since 1962 + UN decl. sign.					Bans all anti-gay discrimination[137][138]
Slovenia	Legal since 1977 + UN decl. sign.	Registered partnership since 2006				Bans all anti-gay discrimination	Gender change not legal.[139]
Switzerland	Legal (Geneva, Vaud, Valais and Ticino: since 1798 Nationwide since 1942) + UN decl. sign.	Registered partnership since 2007	(proposed)	/ Biological step-child adoption only.[citation needed]		Bans some anti-gay discrimination	Legal documents can be issued based on a person's new gender identity. Sterilization technically required not enforced since 2012. Registered Partnership can become Marriage between the new opposite-sex couple[140].

Eastern Europe

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex relationships	Same-sex marriage	Same-sex adoption	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Armenia	Legal since 2003[37] + UN decl. sign.				/ No explicit ban. However, LGB persons have been reportedly discharged because of their sexual orientation.[141]
Azerbaijan	Legal since 2000						(Requires sterilization for change).[139]
Belarus	Legal since 1994		Constitutional ban since 1994.		/ Banned from military service during peacetime, but during wartime homosexuals are permitted to enlist as partially able.[142]	LGBT activism/expression deemed terrorism[143]
Georgia	Legal since 2000 + UN decl. sign.					Bans some anti-gay discrimination	(Requires sterilization for change).[139]
Russia (incl. all constituent regions)	Legal since 1993 (Previously legal from 1917 to 1930)					Bans homosexual "propaganda"	(Requires sterilization for change).[139]
Ukraine	Legal since 1991 + UN decl. sign.		Constitution defines marriage as "a union between a man and a woman"			(proposed)[144]	(Requires sterilization for change).[139]

Northern Europe

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex relationships	Same-sex marriage	Same-sex adoption	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Denmark	Legal since 1933 + UN decl. sign.	Legal since 1986	Legal since 2012			Bans all anti-gay discrimination[37][131]	/ Legal gender change and recognition is possible only with sterilization[145] Name change possible without sterilization[146]
Estonia	Legal since 1992 + UN decl. sign.	(proposed)		Single persons may adopt. Two people can adopt a child only if they are married.[147]		Bans some anti-gay discrimination[131]
Faroe Islands (constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark)	Legal since 1933	(pending)	(pending)		(Denmark responsible for defence)	Bans some anti-gay discrimination[131]
Finland	Legal since 1971 + UN decl. sign.	Legal since 2002	(under consideration)	/ Step-child adoption only (full joint adoption under consideration)		Bans some anti-gay discrimination[131]	Legal change and recognition is possible only with sterilization[148]
Greenland (constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark)	Legal since 1933 + UN decl. sign via Denmark	Legal since 1996		/ Step-child adoption only	(Denmark responsible for defence)	Bans some anti-gay discrimination
Iceland	Legal since 1940 + UN decl. sign.	Legal since 1996	Legal since 2010	Legal since 2006	N/A	Bans all anti-gay discrimination[131]	Documents can be amended to the recognised gender.
Latvia	Legal since 1992 + UN decl. sign.		Constitutional ban since 2006	An unmarried person may adopt child alone. Adoption by multiple persons that are not married banned.		Bans some anti-gay discrimination	Documents are amended accordingly, no medical intervention required.[149]
Lithuania	Legal since 1993 + UN decl. sign.		Constitutional ban since 1992	Only married couples can adopt		Bans all anti-gay discrimination[131]	Gender change not legal.[139]
Norway	Legal since 1972 + UN decl. sign.	Legal since 1993	Legal since 2009	Legal since 2009		Bans all anti-gay discrimination.[150][131]	All documents can be amended to the recognised gender.
Sweden	Legal since 1944 + UN decl. sign.	Legal since 1995	Legal since 2009	Legal since 2003		Bans all anti-gay discrimination[37]

Southern Europe

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex relationships	Same-sex marriage	Same-sex adoption	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Albania	Legal since 1995 + UN decl. sign.	(proposed)				Bans all anti-gay discrimination[151]	Forbids discrimination based on gender identity. Gender change not legal.[139]
Andorra	Legal since 1791 (as part of France) + UN decl. sign.	Legal since 2005		Legal since 2005	N/A	Bans all anti-gay discrimination[131]	Gender change not legal.[139]
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Legal since 1998 + UN decl. sign.					Bans some anti-gay discrimination
Bulgaria	Legal since 1968[37] + UN decl. sign.		Constitution defines marriage as "a union between a man and a woman"	/ Single gay persons may adopt.		Bans all anti-gay discrimination
Cyprus	Legal since 1998 + UN decl. sign.	(proposed)			Homosexuals are barred from serving in the military, on the grounds that homosexuality is a mental illness.	Bans all anti-gay discrimination	Forbids discrimination based on gender identity.
Gibraltar (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)	Legal since 1993	(proposed)		Legal since 2013[152][153]	UK responsible for defence	Bans some anti-gay discrimination
Greece	Legal in 1951 (Age of consent discrepancy).[37] + UN decl. sign.	(proposed)				Bans some anti-gay discrimination
Italy	Legal since 1890 + UN decl. sign.	(proposed)		Only married couples can adopt		Bans some anti-gay discrimination	Since 1982 legal recognition and documents can be amended to the recognised gender.[154]
Macedonia	Legal since 1996[37] + UN decl. sign.					In 2008 there were anti-discrimination laws set in place to protect members of the LGBT community from discrimination. But in early 2010, the law was revisited and sexual orientation was removed from the laws protected grounds. [155]
Malta	Legal since 1973 + UN decl. sign.	(Civil union bill pending a vote by parliament)		/ Single gay persons can adopt		Bans some anti-gay discrimination	All documents can be amended to the recognised gender.
Moldova	Legal since 1995[37]		Constitutional ban since 1994.			Bans some anti-gay discrimination	(Requires sterilization for change).[139]
Montenegro	Legal since 1977 + UN decl. sign.		Constitutional ban since 2007.			Bans all anti-gay discrimination[156]	(Requires sterilization for change).[139] Forbids discrimination based on gender identity.
Portugal	Legal since 1983[37] + UN decl. sign.	Legal since 2001	Legal since 2010	Stepchild adoption and full joint adoption referendum pending[157]		Bans all anti-gay discrimination, according to national Constitution.[131]	Since 2011, All documents can be amended to the recognised gender.
San Marino	Legal since 2001 + UN decl. sign.	/ (Only immigration right)					Gender change not legal.[139]
Serbia	Legal since 1994 + UN decl. sign.		Constitution defines marriage as "a union between a man and a woman"			Bans all anti-gay discrimination[158]
Spain	Legal since 1979[37] + UN decl. sign.	Legal since 1998	Legal since 2005			Bans all anti-gay discrimination[131]	Since 2007, all documents can be amended to the recognised gender[159]
Turkey	Legal since 1858					(Constitutional protection is drafted, awaits to be enacted)	(Requires sterilization for change).[139]
Vatican City	Legal[37]

Western Europe

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex relationships	Same-sex marriage	Same-sex adoption	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Belgium	Legal since 1795[37] (as part of France) + UN decl. sign.	Legal since 2000	Legal since 2003	Legal since 2006		Bans all anti-gay discrimination[131]	The 2007 law concerning transsexuality grants the right to a legal name and gender change
France	Legal since 1791 + UN decl. sign.	Civil solidarity pact since 1999	Legal since 2013	Legal since 2013		Bans all anti-gay discrimination[37][131]	(Requires sterilization for change).[139] Gender identity protected from discrimination.[160] Not a mental illness.[161]
Guernsey (incl. Alderney, Herm and Sark) (Crown dependency of the United Kingdom)	Legal since 1983, age of consent unequal[37][162]	(proposed)			UK responsible for defence	Bans some anti-gay discrimination[163]	[163]
Ireland	Legal since 1993 + UN decl. sign.	Legal since 2011	(pending a scheduled referendum)	/ Single gay persons may adopt. Step Child adoption under consideration.		Bans all anti-gay discrimination[164][165][166]	Legislation to recognise gender identity pending after High Court ruling in favour.
Isle of Man (Crown dependencies of the United Kingdom)	Legal since 1992 + UN decl. sign			Legal since 2011	UK responsible for defence	Bans all anti-gay discrimination
Jersey (Crown dependency of the United Kingdom)	Legal since 1990[37]	Legal since 2012			UK responsible for defence	[167]	Gender Recognition (Jersey) Law 2010[168]
Luxembourg	Legal since 1795 (as part of France) + UN decl. sign.	Legal since 2004	(pending)			Bans some anti-gay discrimination
Monaco	Legal since 1793 (as part of France)				France responsible for defence
Netherlands	Legal since 1811 (as part of France) + UN decl. sign.	Legal since 1979[169]	Legal since 2001.			Bans all anti-gay discrimination[131]
United Kingdom	Legal in England and Wales since 1967 in Scotland since 1981 in Northern Ireland since 1982 + UN decl. sign.	Civil partnership since 2005	Legal in England and Wales from 2014 Pending in Scotland for 2014 Illegal in Northern Ireland	Legal in England and Wales since 2005, in Scotland since 2009 and Northern Ireland since 2013		Bans all anti-gay discrimination[170][37]	Gender Recognition Act 2004

Partially or unrecognised states

LGBT rights in:	Same-sex sexual activity	Recognition of same-sex relationships	Same-sex marriage	Same-sex adoption	Allows gays to serve openly in military?	Anti-discrimination (sexual orientation)	Laws concerning gender identity/expression
Kosovo	Legal since 1994[37] (as part of Yugoslavia)					Banned by the constitution[171]	The transgendered community are not acknowledged by the Constitution and while there are no known laws outlawing or criminalizing transsexuals, their rights are not protected by the Constitution despite there being no laws for or against them in the Constitution. [172]
TRNC (recognised only by the Republic of Turkey)	Legal since 2014[173]					Any form of individual or group hate speech, insult, physical or verbal assault through media or social media is banned by law under section 37 of the Criminal Code in January 2014. [174] [175]	Discrimination or hate speech illegal via the Criminal Code passed in January 2014. [176] [177] Unknown if gender change is legal.

Oceania

Australasia