UK plummets down rankings for LGBT+ rights in Europe | EUROtoday

The UK has plummeted to a brand new low in European rankings for LGBT+ rights, having topped the checklist only a decade in the past.

Britain dropped six locations to twenty second in 2025’s rankings – its lowest place – in The Rainbow Map and Index, which has been revealed yearly since 2009.

The UK was ranked on the prime of the checklist from 2011 to 2015, however has had all authorized gender recognition-related factors deducted following the current Supreme Court ruling, which has outlined a girl strictly by organic intercourse underneath the Equality Act.

The UK was given an general rating of 45.65 per cent within the rankings, that means it has an above-average rating for Europe, which is 41.85 per cent, however is decrease than the European Union members’ common of 51.13 per cent.

The rankings give international locations in Europe a rating between zero and 100 per cent. A rating of zero would imply the nation grossly violates human rights for LGBT+ folks, whereas 100 per cent means it champions them.

Malta tops the 2025 checklist with a rating of 89 per cent, adopted by Belgium in second with 85 per cent, Iceland with 84 per cent, Denmark with 80 per cent and Spain with 78 per cent.

ILGA Europe, the advocacy group that publishes the rankings, mentioned it had eliminated all authorized gender recognition-related factors from the UK’s rating in 2025, because the ruling had meant “legal gender recognition is no longer fully effective”.

“Legal gender recognition should enable a person to legally function and be recognised in their affirmed gender in all areas of life; this is no longer the case in the UK,” it mentioned.

“The ruling, along with interim guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), means that individuals with a gender recognition certificate are not fully recognised as their affirmed gender in important legal contexts.

“It is, in fact, impossible for a trans person to be fully legally recognised in their gender identity within the legal framework created by the judgment and interim update.”

Britain additionally misplaced factors for not but having a ban on conversion remedy, and having restricted choices for healthcare for younger trans folks.

The UK additionally scored low on points reminiscent of rights for intersex folks and the draft authorities steerage advising academics in England to not educate schoolchildren about gender identification, and proposing a ban on intercourse schooling for youngsters underneath 9.

A low rating of 16.67 per cent was additionally given for the UK’s file over LGBT+ asylum seekers, with such refugees usually going through homelessness and abuse.

LGBT+ rights group Stonewall mentioned the rankings ought to be a “wake-up call” for the federal government because it “undermines our position on the global stage”.

“No country can afford to be on autopilot during these turbulent times,” a spokesperson mentioned.

“The UK has reached an all-time low position of 22 out of 49. Warm words and empty promises from the government won’t restore the UK’s global reputation on LGBTQ+ rights. Action will.”

The Good Law Project’s executive director, Jo Maugham, said the sharp fall in the UK’s ranking came as little surprise.

“Only 10 years ago, we were the best in the world in the annual LGBTI Rights Ranking,” he said.

“We’re now 22nd and making all the wrong headlines, alongside Hungary and Georgia, for the biggest decline in protections. This is not just an embarrassment abroad – it’s also a tragedy at home for tens of thousands of people struggling to live lives of quiet dignity.”

The UK did score highly in some categories, such as family and civil society space.

It was given a score of 85.67 per cent for LGBT+ families, with the Marriage Act 2013 cited as a reason.

Civil society space was given 100 per cent, as the UK was deemed to have laws, policies and practices in place which allow for full exercise of freedom of assembly, association and expression for LGBT+ people.

Equality and non-discrimination were given an average score of 49.13 per cent, while hate crime and hate speech were given a score of 40.55 per cent.

Hungary and Georgia have also dropped significantly in the annual rankings.

Hungary has prohibited Pride events and criminalised participants, and both it and Georgia have removed references to “gender identity and expression” from their legislation.

Despite falling within the rankings, the UK remains to be far above these on the backside of the checklist.

Russia got here in final with a rating of simply 2 per cent, adopted by Azerbaijan on 2.25 per cent and Turkey on 4.75 per cent.

In 2023, Russia’s Supreme Court successfully outlawed any LGBT+ activism in a ruling that designated “the international LGBT movement” as extremist.

A UK authorities spokesperson mentioned: “The UK has long championed the rights of LGBT+ people at home and abroad. We proudly uphold a clear and robust expansive legislative framework.

“We are working to advance the rights afforded to LGBT+ people, including bringing forward legislation to finally ban conversion practices and strengthening protections against hate crime.”

A spokesperson for the EHRC advised The Independent: “At the EHRC we uphold and enforce the Equality Act. Our response to the Supreme Court’s judgment has been, and will continue to be, firmly grounded in the law. Those who rely on us are reassured that every explanation of equality law from the EHRC will be accurate and authoritative. That is our job, as Britain’s independent and expert equality regulator.

“We know there is uncertainty among duty-bearers and affected groups. The EHRC has been visible in providing clarity on the consequences of the judgment and will continue to be so.”