LGBT rights in South Africa

==Military service==
LGBT people are allowed to serve openly in the [[South African National Defence Force]] (SANDF). In 1996, the government adopted the ''White Paper on National Defence'', which included the statement that, "In accordance with the Constitution, the SANDF shall not discriminate against any of its members on the grounds of sexual orientation."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.info.gov.za/whitepapers/1996/defencwp.htm |title=White Paper on National Defence for the Republic of South Africa: Defence in a Democracy |publisher=Government of South Africa |date=8 May 1996 |access-date=16 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616144303/http://www.info.gov.za/whitepapers/1996/defencwp.htm |archive-date=16 June 2011 |df=dmy }}</ref> In 1998, the [[Department of Defence (South Africa)|Department of Defence]] adopted a ''Policy on Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action'', under which recruits may not be questioned about their sexual orientation and the Defence Force officially takes no interest in the lawful sexual behaviour of its members.<ref name="canaday">{{cite journal |last1=Belkin |first1=Aaron |last2=Canaday |first2=Margot |title=Assessing the integration of gays and lesbians into the South African National Defence Force |journal=Scientia Militaria |date=10 August 2011 |volume=38 |issue=2 |doi=10.5787/38-2-87 |doi-access=free }}</ref> The ''Defence Act of 2002'' makes it a criminal offence for any SANDF member or Defence Department employee to "denigrate, humiliate or show hostility or aversion" to any person on the grounds of sexual orientation. In 2002, the SANDF extended spousal medical and pension benefits to "partners in a permanent life-partnership".<ref name="canaday" />