LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer) people in Oman face significant social and legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Homosexuality in the Sultanate of Oman is illegal. It is clearly stated so in çç 33 and 223 of the penal code. The punishment for this crime is a prison sentence of up to three years. This law applies to both men and women. The code is clear: "The suspects of homosexual or lesbian" intercourse shall be prosecuted without a prior complaint, if the act results in a public scandal.
In September 2013, it was announced that all Gulf Cooperative Countries had agreed to discuss a proposal to devise a test for homosexuality intended to single out gay foreigners and prevent them from entering any of the countries. However, it has been suggested that concern for hosting 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and fears for controversy in a case that football fans would have been screened, made officials backtrack the plans and insist that it was a mere proposal.
In 2018, four men who cross-dressed as women in Salalah were arrested and punished. They were imprisoned and fined maximum amounts under laws against "indecent" dress and behaviour.
Like in other Gulf countries, advocacy for LGBTQ rights in Oman is a criminal act; activists use social media with an alias to protect their identities with very rare exceptions.