Map of Countries that Criminalise LGBT People

jurisdictions criminalise adult, consensual, same-sex activity. The majority of these countries explicitly criminalise sex between men via sodomy, buggery and unnatural offences laws. Almost half of them are Commonwealth countries.

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jurisdictions criminalise consensual sexual activity between women using laws against lesbianism, same-sex relations and gross indecency. Even in jurisdictions that clearly or likely do not criminalise women, lesbians and bisexual women have been subjected to arrest or threat of arrest.

jurisdictions have the death penalty on the books for consensual same-sex sexual activity. At least 8 of these implement the death penalty, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Sudan. Parts of Nigeria and Somalia also apply the death penalty for LGBT people.

jurisdictions criminalise the gender identity and/or expression of transgender people, using so-called ‘cross-dressing’, impersonation and disguise laws. In many more countries transgender people are targeted by a range of laws that criminalise same-sex activity and vagrancy, hooliganism and public order offences.