LGBT rights in Jordan
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals in Jordan face legal challenges and discrimination not experienced by non-LGBT persons. However, Jordan remains one of few Arab countries where homosexual conduct is not criminalized.
LGBT rights in Jordan | |
|---|---|
| Status | Legal since 1951 |
| Gender identity | Medical Responsibility Law is ambiguous about who can undergo sex reassignment surgery |
| Discrimination protections | None |
| Family rights | |
| Recognition of relationships | No recognition of same-sex couples |
Same-sex sexual activity was illegal in Jordan under the British Mandate Criminal Code Ordinance (No. 74 of 1936) until 1951 when Jordan drafted its own penal code which did not criminalise homosexuality, after having gained independence in 1946. Homosexual conduct is legal in Jordan. But LGBT people, like their Heterosexual counterparts, displaying public affection can be prosecuted for "disrupting public morality" and most LGBT people face social discrimination not experienced by non-LGBT residents.
Recent reports suggest that although a large number of LGBT citizens are in the closet and often have to lead double lives, a new wave of younger LGBT people are beginning to come out of the closet and are becoming more visible in the country, working to establish an LGBT community of filmmakers, journalists, writers, artists and other young professionals.