know your rights

laws around the world

LGBTQIA+ rights differ hugely from country to country. Some countries have marriage equality and strong protections. Some still criminalise same-sex relations, and a few punish them very harshly. Laws on gender recognition and on intersex people vary just as much.

• ILGA World mapsWorld maps from the global federation of LGBTI organisations, covering criminalisation of consensual same-sex acts, legal gender recognition, recognition of same-sex couples and more.
• ILGA World DatabaseILGA's searchable database of laws and data on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics, country by country.
• EqualdexA collaborative knowledge base of LGBTQ+ laws and public opinion by country and region, with a travel guide.

discrimination

Many places protect you from being treated worse at work, in housing and in services like shops, healthcare and hotels because of your sexual orientation or gender identity. Some places protect people living with HIV too. In some countries, for example the UK and US, HIV is usually treated as a disability under equality law. Protections vary, and in many places kink itself isn't protected at all.

• Write things down. Keep dates, names, messages and emails. Notes made at the time are much more useful later.
• Check time limits. Many complaints have short deadlines, so get help early.

Start with the international groups below, then look for a national organisation where you live.

• Outright InternationalWorks with partners worldwide on LGBTIQ human rights, documenting abuses and publishing reports.

europe

• ILGA-EuropeILGA's European region. Its Rainbow Map ranks countries on LGBTI laws and policies.
• TGEUTransgender Europe, a trans network with a Trans Rights Index and Map and information on legal gender recognition.
• EquinetThe network of Europe's national equality bodies, which help people facing discrimination.
• Equality and Human Rights Commission (UK)The equality body for England, Scotland and Wales, with guidance for individuals on the Equality Act 2010.
• Stonewall (UK)A UK LGBTQ+ equality charity with information, resources and a list of other support services.

latin america & the caribbean

• ILGALACThe Latin America and Caribbean region of ILGA, a network working against discrimination.

africa

Many African countries criminalise same-sex relations, so we don't list national groups. Check the law with ILGA World. If you're in danger, you can ask Rainbow Railroad for help. Our support & crisis lines page lists local crisis lines in 110 countries.

• Pan Africa ILGAThe African region of ILGA, a federation of LGBTIQ+ organisations working on rights across the continent.

asia & the pacific

• ILGA AsiaThe Asian region of ILGA, a network of LGBTIQ+ member organisations across Asia.
• APTNThe Asia Pacific Transgender Network, led by trans people, works on trans and gender diverse people's rights.

middle east

Many countries here criminalise same-sex relations or target LGBTQ+ groups, so we don't list local organisations. The same advice as for Africa applies: ILGA World for the law, Rainbow Railroad if you're in danger, and our support page for local crisis lines.

north america

• Lambda Legal Help Desk (US)General legal information and resources about discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and HIV status. It isn't a crisis line.
• Egale (Canada)Canada's leading organisation for 2SLGBTQI people, with a resources directory and a "find support" section.

oceania

• Equality AustraliaA national organisation that uses legal, policy and communications expertise to protect the rights of LGBTIQ+ people in Australia.

being outed & privacy

Coming out, as queer, trans, ace or kinky, is your decision. Being outed by someone else can cost people jobs, homes, families and safety.

• Keep your circles separate if you need to. Use a scene name, a separate email and separate profiles.
• Check what your photos show: faces, tattoos, your home and location data.
• Protect others too. Never share someone's real name, photos or identity without asking.
• If someone threatens to out you, save the evidence and get support. In some places this can be harassment or blackmail. Our coming out page has more on doing it on your terms.

image abuse & sextortion

Sharing someone's intimate images without consent, sometimes called "revenge porn", and sextortion, where someone demands money or more images, are crimes in many countries. If it happens to you, it isn't your fault.

• Don't pay. Paying rarely ends it and often leads to more demands.
• Save evidence: screenshots, usernames, links and dates. Then block and report the account.
• Get support. Our support & crisis lines page has a section on sextortion and blackmail.

• StopNCII.orgA free tool from the Revenge Porn Helpline. It makes a digital fingerprint of your images on your own device and shares only that with partner platforms, so they can find and remove copies. It's for adults who were 18 or over in the image. If the image was taken when you were under 18, use Take It Down from NCMEC instead.

travel safety

• Research before you go. Check the maps above and your own government's travel advice for the country.
• Be careful with apps. In hostile countries, police and criminals have used dating apps to find people. Hide your face, turn off distance, and think twice about meeting.
• Pack with care. Gear, toys, explicit images and some medicines can cause problems at some borders. Check before you travel.
• Trans and nonbinary travellers may face extra checks if documents don't match. Carry what you need, and look up airport procedures.

• Rainbow RailroadHelps LGBTQI+ people at risk of violence in their own countries reach safety, through emergency relocation, crisis response and other support.
• Rainbow Railroad: request helpThe online form for LGBTQI+ people who need help to get safe.

kink & the law

In many places, consent may not be a legal defence if play causes an injury beyond something minor. In the UK, the 1993 case R v Brown, which involved a group of gay men, is still widely cited for this. In England and Wales, the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 put this rule into law for serious harm. Courts in many US states take a similar view. Kink can also come up in custody cases, at work and in the military.

• Negotiate clearly and keep play within what you both agreed. Our negotiation and playing safer pages can help.
• In the US, NCSF offers free, confidential incident help and legal resources. See our kink-aware professionals page for NCSF and kink-aware lawyers.

police & reporting

You have the right to report a crime, including hate crime, assault and image abuse. How safe and useful that feels depends on where you are.

• Bring someone with you, or ask a support service to help you report.
• You can get support without reporting. The support page has sexual assault and LGBTQIA+ services.
• If you're questioned or arrested, many countries give you a right to legal help. Find out what applies where you live before you ever need it.