This is a list of notable LGBTQ rights activists who have worked to advance LGBTQ rights through political change, legal action or publication. It is ordered by country, alphabetically.
Albania
Xheni Karaj, founder of Aleanca LGBT organization and recipient of the Civil Rights Defenders of the Year Award 2022 Kristi Pinderi, LGBT activist and journalist; founder of Pro-LGBT Alba Ahmetaj, LGBT activist, and co-founder of ProLGBT Edlira Mara, LGBT activist and co-founder of ProLGTB
Angola
Carlos Fernandes, LGBT activist and a founder/director of the Iris Angola Association Imanni Da Silva, Angolan model and transgender rights activist Titica, transgender Angolan singer and goodwill ambassador for UNAIDS
Argentina Mariana Alarcón, human rights activist who worked for labor rights for transgender women Claudia Pía Baudracco, led the movement to repeal laws criminalizing transgender identities; co-founder of the Argentine Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Trans Federation Lohana Berkins, founder of the Association for the Fight for Travesti and Transsexual Identity Lara María Bertolini, human rights activist advocating for the rights of travesti, transgender, and non-binary people Claudia Castrosín Verdú, she and her partner were the first lesbian couple to form a civil union in Latin America; vice president of FALGBT Carlos Jáuregui, gay activist. Roberto Jáuregui, gay activist, Carlos's brother. María Rachid, politician and LGBT rights activist, partner of Claudia Castrosín Verdú Diana Sacayán, board member of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association and a leader of the Antidiscrimination Liberation Movement Eugenio Talbot Wright, human rights and LGBTQ activist from Cordoba
Armenia
Lilit Martirosyan, trans right activist, founder of the Right Side NGO
Australia Ron Austin Peter Bonsall-Boone Bob Brown Lyle Chan, member of ACT UP Rodney Croome Peter De Waal Alex Greenwich Grace Hyland Craig Johnston Michael Kirby, justice of the High Court of Australia Julie McCrossin Sally Rugg Magda Szubanski Derek Williams, co-founder of GaLTaSSingerman, Deborah (18 January 1992). 'Testing Time for School Gays'. Page 36. The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
Austria Helmut Graupner, lawyer and LGBT activist Gery Keszler, organizer of the Life Ball Alex Jürgen Ulrike Lunacek Hermann von Teschenberg, barrister, translator, and LGBT rights activist
Bangladesh Xulhaz Mannan
Barbados
Ro-Ann Mohammed, co-founder of the organization Barbados - Gays, Lesbians and All-Sexuals against Discrimination (B-GLAD) Donnya Piggott, tech entrepreneur, human rights advocate, co-founder of the organization Barbados - Gays, Lesbians and All-Sexuals against Discrimination (B-GLAD)
Belgium
Sonja Eggerickx, teacher, women and LGBT rights advocate Eliane Morissens, teacher and LGBT activist for labor rights
Belize Derricia Castillo-Salazar Caleb Orozco
Botswana
Katlego Kai Kolanyane-Kesupile, performance artist, musician, writer and LGBT activist Monica Tabengwa, lawyer and researcher on LGBT rights issues in sub-Saharan Africa Caine Youngman, involved in court cases to legalize same-sex relationships
Brazil Míriam Martinho Luiz Mott Toni Reis João Silvério Trevisan Jean Wyllys
Bulgaria Desislava Petrova, LGBT activist, former president of Gemini Monika Pisankaneva, lecturer and activist; founder of Gemini
Cameroon Bandy Kiki, blogger and LGBTQ activist Joel Gustave Nana Ngongang Alice Nkom, first woman lawyer in Cameroon and LGBTQ rights activist
Canada Barry D. Adam (born 1952), sociologist, author, and HIV/AIDS prevention researcher Enza Anderson (born 1964), trans rights activist and journalist Florence Ashley, activist and academic who specializes in trans law and bioethics Chris Bearchell (1953–2007), gay liberation activist and right to privacy advocate Alec Butler (born 1959), filmmaker and playwright Michelle Douglas (born 1963), human rights activist who challenged military anti-LGBTQ discrimination policies Jim Egan (1921–2000), early LGBTQ rights activist known for his role in Egan v Canada Brent Hawkes (born 1950), gay rights activist and clergyman"Rev. Brent Hawkes receives honorary degree for LGBT social activism". File: York's Daily Bulletin online at YorkU.ca. 22 October 2009. Accessed 30 October 2009. Alan Herbert (1944–2003), LGBTQ rights activist and one of Canada's first out gay politicians George Hislop (1927–2005), gay rights activist and one of Canada's first out gay politicians k.d. lang (born 1961), musician and LGBTQ rights activist John Alan Lee (1933–2013), sociologist and early LGBTQ rights activist Michael Lynch (1944–1991), gay liberationist and AIDS activist Irshad Manji (born 1968), educator, human rights activist, and advocate for LGBTQ Muslims' rights Tim McCaskell (born 1951), gay rights and AIDS activist Christin Milloy, LGBTQ activist and Canada's first out transgender provincial-level political candidate Arsham Parsi, activist and founder of the International Railroad for Queer Refugees Gordon Price (born 1949), urban planner, gay rights activist, and former politician Svend Robinson (born 1952), Canada's first MP to come out as gay while in office Bill Siksay (born 1955), first out gay non-incumbent man to be elected to Canada's House of CommonsBill Siksay's biography at his personal Web site Clara Sorrenti (born 1994), Twitch streamer, political commentator, and trans rights activist Richard Summerbell (born 1956), scientist, author, and gay activist Jenna Talackova (born 1988), model who successfully waged a legal battle to be allowed to compete in the Miss Universe Canada Mark Tewksbury (born 1968), competitive swimmer who challenged homophobia in the sports world Kai Cheng Thom (born 1991), writer, performance artist, and activist Thomas Waugh (born 1948), academic, film critic, and activist
Chile Luis Larraín Pedro Lemebel Jaime Parada Pablo Salvador Juan Pablo Sutherland
China, People's Republic of Cui Zi'en Li Tingting, LGBT rights and feminist activist Li YinheCornelia Falenius, president of China 1998–2015《同性恋亚文化》 (Subculture of Homosexuality), China Today Press,1998. Xian, LGBT rights activist and founder of Beijing-based lesbian organization Tongyu
Colombia Virgilio Barco Isakson (b. 1965) Armando Benedetti Villaneda (b. 1962) Juliana Delgado Lopera Blanca Inés Durán Hernández Angélica Lozano Correa Tatiana de la Tierra
Costa Rica
Victor Madrigal-Borloz
Croatia Franko Dota Merlinka Mima Simić, LGBTQ activist and Croatia's first openly out LGBTIQ+ political candidate
Cuba
Ada Bello, LGBTQ rights activist and medical researcher Mariela Castro, director of the National Commission for Comprehensive Attention to Transsexual People
Denmark Axel and Eigil Axgil, Danish gay rights advocates Lili Elbe (b. 1882), Danish painter, transgender woman
Ecuador
Sandra Álvarez (born 1967), founder of the Ecuadorian Organization of Lesbian Women and the first openly LGBT person to hold an elected position in Ecuador's National Assembly Fernando Cerón (born 1989) Orlando Montoya, Colombian who led Ecuador's decriminalization of homosexuality Diane Rodríguez Carina Vance Mafla
Egypt Shrouk El-Attar Sarah Hegazi Maher Sabry Omar Sharif Jr.
El Salvador Ruby Corado, Salvadoran LGBTQ rights activist
Estonia Lisette Kampus Peeter Rebane
Fiji
Miki Wali
Finland Sakris Kupila Sofi Oksanen
France Camille Cabral Pierre Guénin Fabrice Houdart Christiane Taubira Lilian Thuram, former French soccer player Rama Yade, former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Human Rights of France
Germany Volker Beck Adolf Brand Manfred Bruns Benedict Friedlaender Magnus Hirschfeld Mahide Lein Corny Littmann Hakan Taş Karl Heinrich Ulrichs
Greece
Jason-Antigone Dane, LGBT activist, first person to ask for official recognition as a non-binary person Marina Galanou, trans activist, publisher, writer, and columnist Zak Kostopoulos, Greek-American LGBT, AIDS, refugee, sex-worker activist Panos H. Koutras, filmmaker and LGBT activist Menelas Siafakas, filmmaker and LGBT activist
Guatemala
Aldo Dávila, politician and first openly gay man and first HIV-positive member of Congress Sandra Morán, first out LGBT person ever elected to Congress; LGBT and human rights activist
Honduras
Erick Martínez Ávila, journalist and LGBT and AIDS activist Indyra Mendoza, LGBT activist Claudia Spellmant, LGBT and transgender activist Walter Tróchez, political activist and LGBT rights leader
Hungary
Gergely Homonnay, journalist and LGBT activist Ildikó Juhász Karl Maria Kertbeny, journalist and human rights activist who coined the terms "homosexual" and "heterosexual"
Iceland
Owl Fisher, youngest trans person to medically transition in Iceland; LGBT activist Hörður Torfason
India Sonal Giani Manvendra Singh Gohil Anjali Gopalan Anand Grover Menaka Guruswamy Ashok Row Kavi Harish Iyer Gopi Shankar Madurai Akkai Padmashali Sridhar Rangayan Ramachandrapurapu Raj Rao Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Rose Venkatesan
Indonesia Dede Oetomo
Iran Shadi Amin Elham Malekpoor Arsham Parsi Alireza Shojaian
Iraq Zhiar Ali Amir Ashour
Ireland Suzy Byrne Mary Dorcey Orla Egan Lydia Foy Arthur Leahy David Norris Tonie Walsh Katherine Zappone
Israel Imri Kalmann, former co-chairperson of the Israeli LGBT Association Yair Qedar, founder of Israel's first LGBT newspaper
Italy Imma Battaglia Franco Grillini Vladimir Luxuria
Jamaica
Maurice Tomlinson, LGBT and HIV/AIDS activist who challenged the homophobic Sodomy Law Brian Williamson, co-founded the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays
Japan Taiga Ishikawa Wataru Ishizaka Maki Muraki (born 1974), head of Nijiro Diversity in Osaka Kanako Otsuji, first openly lesbian politician in Japan
Kenya Edwin Chiloba (deceased) Denis Nzioka
Kyrgyzstan Dastan Kasmamytov
Latvia
Kristīne Garina, LGBT activist and co-founder of Mozaīka
Lebanon Georges Azzi Sandra Melhem Hamed Sinno
Lithuania Marija Aušrinė Pavilionienė Romas Zabarauskas
Malta
Ruth Baldacchino Gabi Calleja Mina Tolu
Mexico Ociel Baena, activist and Mexico's first non-binary magistrate Nancy Cardenas, playwright, director, and LGBT+ activist Gloria Angélica Careaga Pérez, social psychologist and activist Agnés Torres Hernández, psychologist and transgender activist Claudia Hinojosa, LGBT and human rights activist, academic Patria Jiménez, the first openly gay member of any Latin American legislature Julio César Martín-Trejo, Anglican bishop Bamby Salcedo, Mexican-American transgender activist
Morocco
Ibtissam Lachgar, psychologist and human rights and LGBT activist
Myanmar
John Lwin, model agency founder, LGBT rights activist Shin Thant, one of the leading LGBTQ+ rights activists in Myanmar
Nepal Sunil Babu Pant, first openly gay Nepali politician, former head of Blue Diamond Society Bhumika Shrestha
Netherlands Willem Arondeus Vera Bergkamp, former chair of the world's oldest LGBT organization John Blankenstein Noor van Crevel Boris Dittrich Coos Huijsen, first openly gay parliamentarian Henk Krol Betty Paërl Marjan Sax Leonne Zeegers
New Zealand Georgina Beyer, first openly transgender mayor in NZ Suran Dickson Kevin Hague Kassie Hartendorp Ngahuia Te Awekotuku Derek Williams, co-founder of GaLTaSSkiffington, Toni. (1 February 1997). 'Derek came out to find success and become a role model'. Page 14 (full page). Rotorua Daily Post, New Zealand)
Nigeria
Richard Akuson, lawyer and founder of Nigeria's first LGBT magazine Bisi Alimi, British-Nigerian LGBT and HIV/AIDS activist Aderonke Apata, LGBT activist and barrister Amara Ogara, filmmaker and content creator
Norway
Kim Friele Christian Møllerop, leader of the Oslo and Akershus LLH
Pakistan
Faisal Alam Nayyab Ali Almas Bobby Sara Gill Nadeem Kashish Aradhiya Khan