This chapter provides an empirical and theoretical overview of how the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people are promoted by various international actors in the contemporary world. It examines where, by whom, with what means and with what results LGBTI rights are advanced and contested in international relations. In addition, it asks how we can understand the shift that has occurred in the last two decades, where LGBTI politics has become catapulted into global politics as a highly visible matter tied to national identity and international positioning. The discussion is based on a research review but also engages with some recent ‘real-world’ debates. The first part of the chapter focuses on four empirical sites where LGBTI rights are promoted and contested: UN bodies and multilateral diplomacy; development and international funding; international capital and financial institutions; and EU accession and integration. In the second part, the chapter discusses how to critically analyse international LGBTI rights promotion, outlining two broad theoretical approaches: norms research and queer postcolonial perspectives.