This entry on sexual orientation and the law (SO&L) analyzes the legal treatment of the categories sexual orientation and gender identity and the impact of legal practices, doctrines, and customs in the lives of individuals and groups who define themselves or are defined by societies, communities, or other individuals as non‐heterosexuals. The entry provides a summary of the main areas of development of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and intersex individuals (LGBTIs) and their rights, and also the main obstacles encountered by LGBTIs in different legal systems. It covers the main features of criminalizing sexual conducts and the new topics covered by SO&L today including the rights of trans people and LGBTI families. It also analyzes the main arguments provided by courts to advance LGBTI rights and the role of international law in the protection of sexual minorities.