In this article, we will look at the 25 straightest countries in the world.
The term ‘straight’ usually refers to heterosexual people. It originated in the mid-20th century as a slang used by homosexuals to refer to people who are only sexually attracted to the opposite gender. Today, we know that human sexuality is alot more fluid than either being homosexual or heterosexual. There are many forms of sexuality in between the two. However, one might ask the following question: what are the most common sexualities?
The two most common sexualities, as we all know, are heterosexuality and homosexuality. People who are romantically and sexually attracted to males and females are termed as bi-sexual. Those who identify themselves as bicurious are interested in having a sexual or romantic encounter with someone of the same gender but face some uncertainties. Then, there is asexuality. According to the LGBTQIA Resource Center, asexuality is a spectrum of its own. While some people may feel no sexual or romantic attraction toward anyone, others may feel varying degrees of sexual or romantic attraction to others.
Global perception regarding homosexuality is changing, and people all around the world are becoming more accepting of it. Pew Research Center conducted a survey across 34 countries, in which the respondents were asked whether they think society should accept homosexuality or not. This survey was first done in 2002, and then later in 2019. Many countries had a double-digit increase in the acceptance of homosexuality between the two years. The research also saw a clear correlation between wealth and acceptance of homosexuality. Generally, the higher the income per capita of the country, the higher the acceptance of homosexuality.
Despite significant global progress in accepting homosexuality, some countries still place legal sanctions on it. There are 63 countries which have outlawed homosexuality. It is worth noting that nearly half of these countries are in Africa. However, more recently, some countries where homosexuality was illegal have moved to decriminalize it. One such example is Singapore, which in 2022, repealed a controversial law criminalizing homosexuality. Mozambique and Seychelles are also examples of countries which have recently scraped homosexuality laws. However, on the opposite end of this spectrum are countries that have recently tightened their existing laws against homosexuality. These countries include Nigeria and Uganda.
Countries that place legal sanctions on homosexuality place varying degrees of restrictions. Some countries punish specific sexual acts, while others criminalize homosexuality in general, often having vague laws open to interpretation. These countries also differ in their punishment for homosexuality. Some only place a fine, while others even have death sentences. In some of these countries, law enforcement agencies actively target and persecute people belonging to the LGBTQ community. These countries are so anti-LGBTQ that they even criminalize posing as an opposing gender. It is also quite obvious that most of the countries that outlaw homosexuality have ended on our list of the straightest countries in the world. These are also some of the countries with the highest gay tax, a term used to refer to the additional housing prices for gay-friendly communities.
Although the United States is considered a progressive society, much needs to be done to counter homophobia. While the country does not criminalize homosexuality, a survey from the Pew Research Center indicates that 21% of the people in the country believe that homosexuality should not be accepted by society. This makes the United States a part of our list of the 25 straightest countries in the world. If you want to know what it ranks, read our list.
Methodology
To curate our list of the 25 straightest countries in the world, we used a survey by the Pew Research Center on the acceptance of homosexuality globally. The survey asked its respondents whether they believed that society should accept homosexuality or not. The higher the percentage of people who answered ‘no,’ the straighter the country.
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25 – Italy
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 20
Italy is at the bottom of our list of 25 straightest countries in the world. Homosexuality is generally more accepted in Italy compared to other countries on our list. The law of the country does not penalize homosexuality and recognizes same-sex marriage. However, there is a sizeable chunk of the population that still does not accept homosexuality in the country.
24 – United States
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 21
It might be surprising to see the United States in the list of the straightest countries in the world. While same-sex marriages are recognized in all states, more than one-fourth of the population is not accepting of homosexuality. There are often reports of hate crimes against people belonging to the LGBTQ community.
23 – Japan
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 22
Japan is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, yet that has done very little to eradicate anti-gay sentiments from the country’s ruling elites. The Labor Democratic party of the country seems reluctant to accept homosexuality, as more recently its representatives were quoted claiming the ‘LGBT issue’ a problem.
22 – Brazil
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 23
Brazil is one of the straightest countries in the world, with 23% of its people saying that society should not accept homosexuality. One research found that women in the country are more homophobic than men.
21 – Mexico
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 24
While Mexico is on our list of the straightest countries, with 24% of its population saying that the society should not accept homosexuality, it has made good progress in the recent past. The country is becoming increasingly accepting of same-sex relationships. However, it should be noted that it remains a country with strong catholicism, which has historically been hostile towards the LGBTQ community.
20 – Philippines
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 24
Philippines is a predominantly catholic country, with 85% of its population identifying with the faith. It is no surprise that a little less than one-fourth of the population is not accepting of homosexuality.
19 – Czech Republic
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 26
The Czech Republic is one of the very few European countries to end up on our list of the straightest countries in the world. According to a report by the European Network of Equality Bodies, people belonging to the LBTQ community suffer discrimination more than three times that of others.
18 – India
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 37
India is one of the top 20 straightest countries in the world. It is worth noting that the unacceptance of homosexuality took a sharp increase from the previous entry. Although the legal system and courts of the country seem increasingly accepting of homosexuality, the LGBTQ community faces discrimination and harassment.
17 – South Africa
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 38
South Africa has made the most significant progress in accepting homosexuality over the last two decades. However, it remains one of the straightest countries in the world, with 38% of its people believing that society should not accept homosexuality. Hate crimes against people belonging to the LGBTQ community are also quite common.
16 – Hungary
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 39
Hungary is another European country on the list of the straightest countries in the world. While homosexuality is not criminalized, some laws in the country put people belonging to the LGBTQ community at a disadvantage. Earlier this year, the European Union sued the country for an anti-gay law.
15 – Poland
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 42
With more than 42% of people not accepting of homosexuality, Poland is one of the top 15 straightest countries in the world. In addition, while the country does not criminalize homosexuality, the state often adopts and propagates homophobic rhetoric.
14 – Israel
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 45
Israel is a predominantly Jewish country with a significant portion of orthodox jews. So, it is unsurprising to see it in the list of straightest countries in the world. In 2022, the country saw a record number of anti-LGBTQ incidents.
13 – Lithuania
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 45
Lithuania is not only in the top 15 of our list of straightest countries, but it is also one of the most homophobic countries in the European Union. However, more recently, debates in the country regarding LGBTQ acceptance are starting to take place.
12 – Slovakia
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 46
Transphobia and homophobia are prevalent in Slovakia’s society. The first terrorist attack in modern Slovakia took place against two nonbinary people in 2022.
11 – Greece
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 47
Greece is one of the straightest countries in the world, as 47% of its people think that society should not accept homosexuality.
10 – Bulgaria
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 48
Bulgaria is among the top 10 straightest countries in the world. The LGBT community in the country is constantly targeted by violence and hate speeches. The right-wing Bulgarian National Movement is openly against homosexuality.
9 – South Korea
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 53
Although South Korea has made significant economic progress in the recent past, it remains one of the most anti-gay countries in the world. Homophobia and Transphobia are prevalent in the society and in the ruling elites of the country. Homosexuality remains a taboo in South Korea, where same-sex union is not legally recognized.
8 – Turkey
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 57
With 57% of people believing that society should not accept homosexuality, Turkey is among the top 10 straightest countries in the world. Each year, pride marches in the country are met with state deterrence, hate speeches, harassment, and violence. Its government even pursues extensive campaigns to propagate the anti-LGBTQ narrative.
7 – Ukraine
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality -69
A whopping 69% of people in Ukraine believe that homosexuality should not be accepted by society, making it the most anti-gay country in Europe. The LGBTQ community in Ukraine constantly faces attacks and violence from transphobic and homophobic people.
6 – Tunisia
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 72
With 72% of people unaccepting of homosexuality, Tunisia is one of the straightest countries in the world, second only to Russia, which is among the top 5. The country outlaws same-sex relationships and sentences up to three years in prison for homosexuality.
5 – Russia
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 74
Russia is among the top five straightest countries in the world. While its law does not criminalize same-sex acts and forms of gender expression, the country prohibits the so-called “LGBTQ propaganda”. The laws in the country prohibit public portrayal of the so-called “non-traditional sexual relationships”.
4 – Indonesia
Percentage of people who do not accept homosexuality – 80
Only one-fifth of the people in Indonesia are accepting of homosexuality. The LBBTQ community in the country constantly endures transphobic and homophobic rhetoric and faces discrimination.