Gay people in

Which countries impose the death penalty on gay people?

Around the world, queer people continue to face discrimination, violence, harassment and social stigma. While social movements have marked progress towards acceptance in many countries, in others homosexuality continues to be outlawed and penalised, sometimes with death.

According to Statistica Research Department, as of , homosexuality is criminalised in 64 countries globally, with most of these nations situated in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. In 12 of these countries, the death penalty is either enforced or remains a possibility for secret, consensual same-sex sexual activity.

In many cases, the laws only apply to sexual relations between two men, but 38 countries include amendments that include those between women in their definitions.

These penalisations represent abuses of human rights, especially the rights to freedom of expression, the right to develop one's own ego and the right to life. 

Which countries enforce the death penalty for homosexuality?

Saudi Arabia

The Wahabbi interpretation of

LGBT Populations

This guide shows the estimated unpolished number of LGBT people (ages 13+) living in each state. The statistics are based on a Williams Institute analysis of surveys conducted by Gallup Polling () and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; and YRBS). For more information, see the methodology in the Williams analysis. 

  • K - M+

  • K - K

  • 50K - K

  • 8K - 49K

Data are not currently available about LGBT people living in the U.S. territories.


Percent of Adult LGBTQ Population Covered by Laws

*Note: These percentages reflect estimates of the LGBTQ adult population living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Estimates of the LGBTQ adult population in the five inhabited U.S. territories are not free, and so cannot be reflected here.

This map shows the estimated percentage of each state's adult (ages 18+) population that identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, based on a analysis of Gallup facts by The Williams Institute.

  • % and greater

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Percent of Mature person LGBTQ Popula

Adult LGBT Population in the United States

This report provides estimates of the number and percent of the U.S. mature person population that identifies as LGBT, overall, as well as by age. Estimates of LGBT adults at the national, state, and regional levels are included. We rely on BRFSS data for these estimates. Pooling multiple years of data provides more stable estimates—particularly at the state level.

Combining BRFSS data, we estimate that % of U.S. adults identify as LGBT. Further, we estimate that there are almost million (13,,) LGBT adults in the U.S.

Regions and States

LGBT people reside in all regions of the U.S. (Table 2 and Figure 2). Consistent with the overall population in the United States,more LGBT adults live in the South than in any other region. More than half (%) of LGBT people in the U.S. inhabit in the Midwest (%) and South (%), including million in the Midwest and million in the South. About one-quarter (%) of LGBT adults reside in the West, approximately million people. Less than one in five (%) LGBT adults exist in the Northeast ( million).

The perce

Gay people

Lesbian, gay and trans existence in Germany began to thrive at the beginning of the 20th century. Berlin in particular was one of the most liberal cities in Europe with a number of lesbian, homosexual and trans organisations, cafés, bars, publications and cultural events taking place.

Albrecht Becker &#; imprisoned by the Nazis for being gay

By the s, Paragraph of the German Penal Code, which criminalised homosexual acts, was being applied less frequently. Magnus Hirschfeld’s Institute for Sexual Science led the world in its scientific approach to sexual diversity and acted as an important public centre for Berlin lesbian, gay, pansexual and transgender life. In the process towards complete decriminalisation had been initiated within the German legislature.

Nazi conceptions of race, gender and eugenics dictated the Nazi regime’s hostile policy on homosexuality. Repression against gay men, lesbians and trans people commenced within days of Hitler becoming Chancellor. On 6 May , the Nazis violently looted and closed The Institute for Sexual Science, burning its extensive co