Dubai lgbt friendly

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Last updated: 17 December

Types of criminalisation

  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
  • Criminalises the gender expression of trans people
  • Imposes the death penalty

Summary

Same-sex sexual activity is prohibited under the Criminal Codes of the Emirates of Abu Dhabi, which criminalises ‘unnatural sex with another person’, and Dubai, which criminalises acts of ‘sodomy’. The Federal Penal Code criminalises ‘voluntary debasement’, but it is not clear what acts this covers. These provisions transport a maximum penalty of fourteen years’ imprisonment. Both men and women are criminalised under the law. Same-sex sexual activity may also be penalised under Sharia law, under which the death penalty is feasible, though there is no evidence that this has been used against LGBT people.

In addition to potentially being captured by laws that criminalise same-sex a

Gay Dubai

The public beach in Jumeirah, or JBR Beach, dwelling to several Western chain hotels (see below) - ©


As you'd expect, the United Arab Emirates is not a particularly gay-friendly destination. It has sodomy laws punishable with imprisonment, but with such a diverse population everyone knows there's plenty of gay locals and visitors. It's also slightly more liberal than other Arab states, with no internet control, although many Western sites are blocked and foreigners have been jailed and deported for simply attending private "gay parties." It's strongly advised that you respect local customs and laws, and verb public displays of affection.
The town has a growing and exciting nightlife, mostly frequented by Western expatriates and wealthy Saudis. Obviously there are no gay bars and clubs in town, but everyone mixes at the top spots, usually connected to hotels. Gay crowds also recline at the cafés of the Dubai Mall, using bluetooth connection on their cell phones to "connect" with others.


Gay-Friendlier Beach

The best beach for people-watching and meeting people is

With its futuristic skyline and ambitious architectural landscape, it doesn’t take long to see that Dubai is a urban area of superlatives. The biggest this. The tallest that. At times dubbed a Disneyland for adults, there’s no denying this evocative desert city is a veritable playground, overflowing with engineering wonders, diverse cuisine and designer boutiques. Dubai’s limitless verve isn’t slated to lethargic down anytime soon—meaning there’s never been a better period to visit this multicultural mecca of design and innovation. That said, we would be remiss not to bring up that homosexuality remains illegal throughout the United Arab Emirates. As a gay tourist, you are unlikely to encounter any problems, provided that you verb all public displays of affection. With that in mind, discover the foremost this ritzy Middle Eastern city has to offer with our definite gay Dubai guide. 

Trip Design

Where to stay in Dubai

Before booking your Dubai hotel, it’s important to dial to mind our above note that homosexuality is illegal in the United Arab Emirates. As a result, many hotels will r

How can a sense of belonging be forged in a setting where one’s existence is forbidden? That is the question that LSE’s Dr Centner and his co-author Harvard’s Manoel Pereira Neto explore in their groundbreaking research into Dubai’s expatriate gay men’s nightlife.

But it was not an easy topic to research. Dr Centner explains: “It's an illegal, or criminalised, identity and establish of behaviours and practices, so in a very general sense, it's a taboo. And taboo subjects are very often under-researched, sometimes because people possess a hard second gaining access, gaining that trust, but also because, even if people obtain that access, there could be significant repercussions for themselves as researchers, or for the people who are the research participants.

“As two queer researchers, we were able to enter the worlds of relatively privileged Western gay expatriates. Secrecy is often the norm, but the field was familiar to us, through previous visits and research projects.”

These were indeed ‘parties’ [but] not bars identified as gay. Not a