Every country on the map is shaded by its composite GayOut Index — legal reality (max 60 points) plus the measured LGBTQ+ scene on the ground (max 40 points), scored out of 100. Hover for the breakdown, click through for the country profile.
The two halves of the Index measure different things: what the statute book says, and what a Saturday night actually looks like. These tables rank the biggest gaps — countries whose queer scene punches far above their legal protections, and countries with strong laws on paper but a thin scene on the ground. Only countries with a fully measured scene component are ranked.
| # | Country | Legal /60 | Scene /40 | Index | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States Some caution | 46 | 35 | 81 | +11 pts |
| 2 | Japan Some caution | 42 | 30 | 72 | +5 pts |
| 3 | Philippines Some caution | 38 | 27 | 65 | +4 pts |
| 4 | Italy Some caution | 47 | 33 | 80 | +4 pts |
| 5 | Russia High risk | 14 | 10 | 24 | +2 pts |
| 6 | India Some caution | 40 | 26 | 66 | +-2 pts |
| 7 | Peru Some caution | 40 | 24 | 64 | +-7 pts |
| 8 | Turkey Some caution | 36 | 21 | 57 | +-8 pts |
| 9 | Thailand Welcoming | 50 | 30 | 80 | +-8 pts |
| 10 | United Kingdom Welcoming | 58 | 35 | 93 | +-9 pts |
| # | Country | Legal /60 | Scene /40 | Index | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monaco Some caution | 43 | 1 | 44 | -69 pts |
| 2 | Cuba Welcoming | 55 | 12 | 67 | -62 pts |
| 3 | Lesotho Some caution | 37 | 1 | 38 | -59 pts |
| 4 | Botswana Some caution | 46 | 8 | 54 | -57 pts |
| 5 | Nicaragua Some caution | 35 | 2 | 37 | -53 pts |
| 6 | Bolivia Some caution | 50 | 14 | 64 | -48 pts |
| 7 | Costa Rica Welcoming | 60 | 21 | 81 | -48 pts |
| 8 | Cambodia Some caution | 35 | 5 | 40 | -46 pts |
| 9 | Uruguay Welcoming | 60 | 22 | 82 | -45 pts |
| 10 | Malta Welcoming | 60 | 22 | 82 | -45 pts |