New study names IDF world\’s 9th most gay-friendly army

The Israel Defense Forces ranked ninth in an international security and defense think tank\’s global list of how open and accepting countries\’ armed forces are of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender service members.

The Hague-based Center for Strategic Studies ranked the IDF ninth out of 103 militaries it researched. The first-ever LGBT Military Index ranked countries according to 19 indicators based on five categories — inclusion, admission, tolerance, exclusion, and persecution. The IDF scored 92 points out of on the survey\’s 100-point scale.

New Zealand topped the list, followed by the Netherlands, Britain, Sweden and Australia, while the United States came in 40th. The Nigerian army was named as the least tolerant military, ranking at 103. Arab, Muslim and African countries made up much of the index\’s lowest ranking, with Iran, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Saudi Arabia rounding up the bottom five.