Millions of gay men and women continue to live in fear around the world because a huge number of countries still punish same-sex relationships with fines, lengthy spells in prison and even death.
This map, posted by a user on Reddit, illustrates where it is still illegal to be gay in the 21st century.
Homosexuality is outlawed in a jaw dropping 75 countries in total, and in eight – including Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia, Saudi Arabia and Iran – ‘offenders’ can face the death penalty.
‘Lesser’ sentences include flogging and imprisonment.
Countries marked in red show where all homosexual activity is illegal, orange marks where it is illegal between men.
Countries in black can sentence gay people to death.
Even in countries marked green on the map, including Russia, Lithuania and Jordan, homosexuality is technically legal but the ‘propaganda of homosexuality’ is still banned.
Overall, 40 per cent of the world’s population live in countries where gay people can be prosecuted for their sexual orientation. More than 400 million live in a country where being gay is punishable by execution.
Since 1990, 40 countries have decriminalised homosexuality and more than 30 have outlawed homophobic hate crimes.
More than 60 countries now legally protect LGBT people at work and 15 recognise same-sex marriage.
But for all the strides in LGBT rights in recent years, there is clearly a long way still to go.
