- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- Censorship
- ✖ State-enforced
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Illegal
- Gender-Affirming Care
- Unknown
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✖ Illegal in some contexts
- Employment Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✔ Legal
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- Unknown
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Recent surveys in Florida indicate a moderate level of acceptance for LGBTQ+ rights in specific areas.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
History
Homosexual activity in Florida is legal.
Current status
Since Jun 26, 2003
Legal
Legal due to the US Supreme ruling about homosexual activity.
Censorship of LGBT Issues in Florida is state-enforced.
Current status
Since Jul 1, 2022
State-enforced
Florida HB 1557 bans discussions of sexuality and gender identity in public schools. It also prohibits districts from withholding information from parents unless they believe it may result in abuse/neglect. It also mandates parents to screen any health questionnaires before the school year begins. Districts that violate this policy can be sued for statutory damages and court fees. As of 2023, it was expanded to 12th grade. There were also numerous other changes to the bill.
Right to change legal gender in Florida is illegal.
Current status
Since Jan 30, 2024
Illegal
Florida passed a bill on January 30th that makes it illegal for one's sex on ID to be "different than the one assigned at birth". As such, any license that have been issued with a new gender marker are now considered fraud and can be taken away.
Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
In Florida you have the right to change your gender on your birth certificate and driver's license. In both cases, a physician is required to attest that you are receiving "appropriate treatment". What exactly is considered appropriate seems to be at the discretion of the physician. As such, surgery is not required.
As of 2023 it is much harder to get gender affirming care as a minor and a adult, Nurse Practitioners are banned from giving HRT in all forms. The Don't Say Gay bill was expanded to include a ban of HRT to Minors and Adults. The only other way to get it is through a doctor.
Additionally, before beginning hormone therapy, adults are required to have a psychological evaluation performed by a Florida-licensed psychologist or psychiatrist and then every two years thereafter. At the end of June, the Florida Board of Medicine adopted an emergency rule giving patients already on treatment six months to adapt to the new requirements.
As of 2023 it is much harder to get gender affirming care as a minor and a adult, Nurse Practitioners are banned from giving HRT in all forms. The Don't Say Gay bill was expanded to include a ban of HRT to Minors and Adults. The only other way to get it is through a doctor.
Additionally, before beginning hormone therapy, adults are required to have a psychological evaluation performed by a Florida-licensed psychologist or psychiatrist and then every two years thereafter. At the end of June, the Florida Board of Medicine adopted an emergency rule giving patients already on treatment six months to adapt to the new requirements.
Until Oct 19, 2004
N/A
There was no active law that could be found before the end date.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Florida is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Not currently recognized.
LGBT discrimination in Florida is illegal in some contexts.
Current status
Since 2009
Illegal in some contexts
There is full discrimination protection in 24 cities and 11 counties in Florida. As well as sexual orientation protection under Florida hate crime law. state wide gender identity discrimination protection under section VII. Some cities and counties have offered some protection, but at the state level there is none.
LGBT employment discrimination in Florida is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since Jun 15, 2020
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Protected federally under a Supreme Court ruling.
Ambiguous
Under federal law VII and city discrimination protections. As well as sexual orientation employment discrimination protection under state law.
LGBT housing discrimination in Florida is no protections.
Current status
Since Dec 16, 2014
No protections
Florida has no known protections for LGBTQ people looking for housing or people who have housing. As of 2020, there was a bill that was in motion for LGBTQ people for housing but it died in the Civil Justice Subcommittee.
Until Dec 16, 2014
No protections
Florida does not provide any legal protections from discrimination based upon sexual orientation or gender identification.
However, the Human Rights Campaign states, "The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires grantees and participants of HUD programs to comply with local and state non-discrimination laws that include sexual orientation and gender identity. HUD also prohibits inquiries regarding the sexual orientation or gender identity of a prospective tenant or applicant for assisted housing in every state (March 2012)."
However, the Human Rights Campaign states, "The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires grantees and participants of HUD programs to comply with local and state non-discrimination laws that include sexual orientation and gender identity. HUD also prohibits inquiries regarding the sexual orientation or gender identity of a prospective tenant or applicant for assisted housing in every state (March 2012)."
Same-sex adoption in Florida is legal.
Current status
Since Aug 20, 2018
Legal
Single adoption by unmarried individuals, joint adoption by married couples and second parent adoption by married couples are all legal.
Until Aug 20, 2018
Single only
Florida §3.042 specifies any individual may adopt, but married couples may only adopt when engaged in a male/female marriage. Second-parent adoption is granted in some cases to same-sex parents, but it varies widely by judge and county. Second-parent adoption has only been ruled on in lower courts; no appellate court case law, nor state statute, dictates the legality of it.
Serving openly in military in Florida is legal.
Current status
Since Sep 20, 2011
Legal
Don't ask don't tell was officially repealed.
Intersex infant surgery in Florida is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Blood donations by MSMs in Florida is legal.
Current status
Since May 11, 2023
Legal
The new FDA policy on blood donation eliminates deferrals and screening questions specific to men who have sex with men (MSM). Prospective donors will be asked the same set of questions regardless of their sex or sexual orientation.
Banned (less than 6-month deferral)
Blood donation centers follow the non-binding FDA 3-month deferral guidance.
Banned (1-year deferral)
Blood donation centers followed the non-binding FDA one year deferral guidance.
Conversion therapy in Florida is not banned.
Current status
Since Nov 20, 2020
Not banned
Florida government passed “negative law” protecting conversion therapy from any bans.
Equal age of consent in Florida is equal.
Current status
Since 2010
Equal
Legal age of consent is 18, but close in age exclusions apply.
US Equality Rank
#68
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