In 2025, LGBT+ rights are under significant threat globally, despite progress in some regions. Political repression, cultural and religious conservatism, disinformation, and economic inequality have combined to erode hard-won freedoms in many countries. The Peter Tatchell Foundation examines nature and the factors behind these threats, using real-world examples to illustrate the challenges faced by LGBT+ communities in 2025.
Political Repression and Authoritarianism
Many authoritarian parties and regimes have intensified their attacks on LGBT+ rights, using them as political scapegoats to win bigoted votes and consolidate power. In Uganda, the Anti-Homosexuality Act was reintroduced with harsher penalties, including life imprisonment and even the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality.” This law not only endangers the lives of LGBT+ individuals but also empowers vigilantes to persecute them with impunity. It is being used to create an ‘enemy within’ to deflect attention from the economic failings of the Uganda dictatorship.
In Russia, LGBTs are scapegoated by homophobic politicians seeking Putin’s favour. The expansion of its “anti-gay propaganda” law and designation of LGBTs as “extremist” bans all public expressions of LGBT+ identities, including social media posts and educational resources. This legal repression has led to police raids on LGBT+ venues. It forces activists into silence and eliminates safe spaces for the community. Similarly, spearheaded by the Catholic church in Poland, “LGBT-free sones” continue to thrive, with local governments passing resolutions that effectively exclude LGBT+ individuals from public life and prevent education and support for LGBTs.
Cultural and Religious Conservatism
Deeply rooted cultural and religious beliefs often fuel discrimination and violence against LGBT+ individuals. In Saudi Arabia, homosexuality remains punishable by death. Discrimination is rife and so-called ‘honour’ killings are an ever-present danger. The state’s adherence to conservative Islamic doctrines leaves no room for LGBT+ advocacy or dialogue.
In India, despite the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 2018, cultural stigma persists, fuelled by ignorance and religious zealots. Transgender individuals, for instance, frequently face ostracism, and incidents of anti-LGBT+ violence are underreported due to fear of societal backlash. Honour-based violence against LGBT+ people remains a hidden epidemic in many rural areas of India and other parts of South Asia.
Even in countries with established LGBT+ protections, religious and cultural conservatism can stall progress. In the United States, the Christian and Republican right have forced the removal of LGBT+ books from some schools and public libraries. States like Florida and Texas have introduced laws banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth, effectively criminalising necessary medical support. This is often justified as “protecting children” but disproportionately harms vulnerable individuals.
Disinformation and Social Media
Social media platforms have become both a lifeline and a battlefield for LGBT+ rights. While they amplify the case for equality, they also serve as channels for disinformation campaigns. Far-right groups have spread false claims that drag shows “groom children” or that gender-affirming care is “experimental and harmful.”
In the UK, coordinated far right and Christian extremist online campaigns have targeted Pride events with fabricated claims that they are “sexualising public spaces.” These narratives embolden physical protests and attacks, such as those witnessed at London Pride in 2024. Similarly, in Brazil, fake news circulated on WhatsApp has fuelled social cleansing and violence against LGBTs; often framing them as a ‘perverted’ and ‘deviant’ threat to religious and cultural norms.
Economic Inequality and Marginalisation
Economic instability continues to disproportionately affect LGBT+ individuals, exacerbating their vulnerabilities. In Kenya, many LGBT+ individuals live in poverty due to employment discrimination and a lack of legal protections. The criminalisation of homosexuality in Kenya further isolates them, making it difficult to access healthcare, housing or justice when they are the victims of hate crimes. This state of affairs is maintained by pressure from Christian and Islamic clerics – and homophobic MPs.
In refugee camps worldwide, LGBT+ refugees face harassment, violence and exclusion. In 2025, reports from camps in Turkey highlighted that LGBT+ refugees who had fled persecution in Syria were often denied basic resources and targeted for violent attack by other camp residents. Their plight is compounded by inaction by the UN refugee agency and the lack of international funding for specific protections.
Backlash to Progress
Progress in some parts of the world has triggered a backlash in others. When Taiwan legalised same-sex marriage in 2019, it became a beacon of hope in Asia. However, this progress sparked counter-movements in neighbouring countries like Indonesia, where new laws criminalising extramarital sex (including same-sex relationships) were passed in 2022.
In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has framed LGBT+ rights as a “Western threat,” banning educational content and media that portrays LGBT+ identities. Such moves undermine progress elsewhere by fostering a narrative that LGBT+ rights are incompatible with national or cultural values.
Resistance and Solidarity
Despite these challenges, the global LGBT+ community continues to resist. Grassroots organisations in countries like Nigeria and Iran, where same-sex relationships are criminalised, have found creative ways to organise, using encrypted messaging apps to avoid detection. International solidarity campaigns, such as those led by Amnesty International or the United Nations Free & Equal campaign, work to highlight abuses and pressure governments to act.
Conclusion
The threats to LGBT+ rights in 2025 are real. They highlight the fragility of progress and the need for ongoing vigilance.
To counter these dangers, global solidarity is essential. Governments, human rights organisations and activists must collaborate to protect LGBT+ people, amplify their voices, and hold oppressive regimes accountable. Only through collective action can we ensure that LGBT+ rights are not just preserved but expanded, creating a world where everyone can live free from fear and discrimination.
The Peter Tatchell Foundation is dedicated to advancing LGBT+ human rights worldwide. Building on Peter Tatchell’s 58 years of fearless activism, our Foundation campaigns tirelessly to challenge discrimination, promote legal reforms and give a platform to marginalised LGBT+ communities.
Whether advocating decriminalisation and equal marriage or supporting hate crime victims and refugees fleeing persecution, our Foundation strives to create a fairer, more inclusive planet. By engaging in public education, lobbying efforts and direct action protest, with your support the PTF remains at the forefront of the global fight for justice and equality for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity – and regardless of race, sex, disability and belief.
ENDS