Here are the countries where it is still illegal to be LGBTQ+

The fight for LGBTQ+ liberation is far from over.

WORDS BY HOLLIE WONG AND SAM DAMSHENAS

24th March 2022

It’s almost been 50 years since the American Psychiatric Association officially declassified homosexuality as a mental illness, yet there are still countries around the world that barbarically oppose – and at times, deny – the existence of LGBTQ+ people.

Although there’s been significant progress for LGBTQ+ issues in various global territories – such as same-sex marriage, protections in the workplace, the right to adopt and banning conversion therapy – 71 archaic countries continue to criminalise same-sex activity.

Even worse, there are 11 jurisdictions where being queer is punishable by death: Iran, Northern Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Brunei, Mauritania, Pakistan, Qatar and UAE.

It’s important to remember how far we’ve come but also, how far we have to go.⁠ See the full list of countries below that criminalise being LGBTQ+, and share this to remind others of the progress we still need to make.