by Paul Heney
Last updated: 10:45 AM ET, Mon April 1, 2024
As of today, about three dozen countries across the world recognize the rights of same-sex couples to marry. And while this is significant progress over the past two decades since the Netherlands became the first in 2001, much work is left to do for LGBTQ folks.
In many countries, same-sex intercourse or even “promoting” queerness is illegal, with penalties ranging from long prison terms to even death.
The worst of these countries where the death penalty is involved are Iran, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Yemen, Brunei, and Mauritania. In some places, that ultimate penalty is rarely enforced, but the possibility means that many travelers will never risk visiting these countries. Clearly, travel for LGBTQ people involves an added layer of scrutiny at the destination—for our basic safety.
But progress marches on, and some destinations continue to improve for the community. Greece legalized same-sex marriage in February 2024, the 16th European Union member to do so. Other countries where same-sex marriage has become legal in recent years include Estonia (2024), Andorra (2023), and a handful in 2022: Mexico, Cuba, Chile, Switzerland, and Slovenia. And notably, Taiwan became the first Asian country to do so in 2019. Nepal may become the second, depending on an interim Supreme Court ruling.
In the Caribbean, many countries have long had sodomy (often called “buggery”) laws on the books since British colonial rule. And some places, like Jamaica, have evolved cultures that are outwardly hostile to gay people—evidenced by the extremely homophobic lyrics easily found in its popular music and the occasional murders of queer people on the island nation.
However, the legality of same-sex intimacy, even in this problematic region, is changing. In July 2022, the high court in Antigua and Barbuda ruled that laws criminalizing same-sex relations were unconstitutional and violated the fundamental rights of liberty and privacy. Similarly, Barbados’ high court decriminalized same-sex relations in December 2022. And in St. Kitts and Nevis, similar laws were thrown out by courts.
Much of this was put into motion by the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, which presides over six nations in the region, as well as three British Overseas Territories. The court has found that “the selection of an intimate partner is a private and a personal choice” and forced many member countries to re-examine their history of these types of laws.
The author and his husband on one of La Digue's beaches in The Seychelles. (Photo Credit: Paul J. Heney)
In Africa, the nation of South Africa has been a leader in queer rights since its post-apartheid era, legalizing same-sex marriage in 2006. But few LGBTQ travelers seem to be aware that the Seychelles, an African nation comprised of a group of islands off the continent’s eastern coast, also have some protections. As of 2016, the Seychelles government has afforded protections to queer residents, allowing same-sex intimate relations, not allowing discrimination against LGBTQ people in employment, and being able to serve openly in the military.
Additionally, while much work remains to be done on the continent, five other African countries—Botswana, Angola, Mauritius, Lesotho, and Mozambique—have legalized some types of same-sex relations since 2015.
For more information about safety in travel and how it affects the LGBTQ community, see this recent article addressing the topic.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
