- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- Censorship
- ✖ State-enforced
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires surgery
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✖ Restricted
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Hate Crime Protections
- ✖ Sexual orientation only
- Discrimination
- Varies by Region
- Employment Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination
- Varies by Region
- Adoption
- ✔ Legal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✖ Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- Unknown
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Public Opinion
Public opinion in Louisiana appears to be somewhat divided on LGBTQ+ issues, as evidenced by recent studies.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
Perception of LGBTQ+ People
Survey results from 10 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited Louisiana.
Overall
Perceived Safety**Survey results represent personal perceptions of safety and may not be indicative of current actual conditions.
Equal Treatment
Visibility & Representation
Culture
Services
History
Censorship of LGBT issues in Louisiana is state-enforced.
Current status
Since Jul 26, 1988
State-enforced
In 1987, House Bill 484 was passed in Louisiana and took effect in 1988. It prohibited sex education from utilising any "sexually explicit materials depicting male or female homosexual activity". Unlike most laws, this was never repealed.
In 2024, House Bill 122 was passed and prohibited the discussion of anything relating to sexual orientation or gender identity to students.
In 2024, House Bill 122 was passed and prohibited the discussion of anything relating to sexual orientation or gender identity to students.
Right to change legal gender in Louisiana is legal, but requires surgery.
Current status
Since 1979
Legal, but requires surgery
In 1979, Louisiana passed Regional Statute 40:62, which provides for legal gender recognition after surgery has been completed. Trans Louisianans must also petition the court for a change on their birth certificates while other documents don’t require a court order.
Gender-affirming care in Louisiana is restricted.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2024
Restricted
In Louisiana, Minors under the age of 18 under SB463 are prohibited for gender affirming care. Those on gender affirming care are to "ween" off of it. Minors have until the end of this year in December of 2024 to "ween" off of it according to the new bill. Adults are still able to get gender affirming care as of 2024. The House and Senate of Louisiana passed the bill after a Governor veto.
Additionally, a de facto exclusion was put in place for medicaid, banning coverage for GAC to all transgender individuals.
Additionally, a de facto exclusion was put in place for medicaid, banning coverage for GAC to all transgender individuals.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Louisiana is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Louisiana does not legally recognize a third gender.
Hate crime protections in Louisiana is sexual orientation only.
Current status
Sexual orientation only
Louisiana law provides hate crime protections on the basis of sexual orientation only.
LGBT discrimination in Louisiana is varies by region.
Current status
Varies by Region
New Orleans and Shreveport provides local discrimination protections in employment, housing, and public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Otherwise, no statewide protections exist.
LGBT employment discrimination in Louisiana is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since Jun 15, 2020
Sexual orientation only
President Trump's Department of Justice and the EEOC revoked protections for gender identity in employment discrimination.
Sexual orientation and gender identity
In 2016, the state senate Labour Committee approved a bill which would've banned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill died soon after and was never passed into law.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has ruled that “[A]llegations of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation necessarily state a claim of discrimination on the basis of sex”, and are barred by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This ruling applies at both the state and federal levels.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has ruled that “[A]llegations of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation necessarily state a claim of discrimination on the basis of sex”, and are barred by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This ruling applies at both the state and federal levels.
Gender identity only
In a landmark decision, Democratic President Obama's EEOC ruled that gender identity was included under Title VII protections from the Civil Rights Act (originally written to protect people based on sex discrimination).
LGBT housing discrimination in Louisiana is varies by region.
Current status
Varies by Region
New Orleans and Shreveport provides local discrimination protections in housing on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Otherwise, no statewide protections exist.
Additionally, HUD's 2012 Equal Access Rule prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation for housing programs, shelters and other HUD-funded providers.
Additionally, HUD's 2012 Equal Access Rule prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation for housing programs, shelters and other HUD-funded providers.
Same-sex adoption in Louisiana is legal.
Current status
Since 1982
Legal
Individuals and married couples jointly may petition for adoption per La. CHC 1198, 1202.
Second-parent adoption is not legal.
Second-parent adoption is not legal.
Intersex infant surgery in Louisiana is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Louisiana's ban on GAC allows exceptions for intersex infant surgery.
Serving openly in military in Louisiana is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.
Current status
Since May 6, 2025
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned under federal United States law
Midday on May 6th, 2025, the Supreme Court issued an order allowing the Trump administration to enforce its ban on transgender service members while the court reviews their case.
Legal under federal United States law
On the evening of March 18th, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes blocked the implementation of Trump's executive order banning transgender people from the military. The judge said that not only was the order unconstitutional but “a solution in search of a problem.”.
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned under federal United States law
On January 27th, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order that bans transgender people from serving in the military.
On February 10th, 2025, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth filed in court a memo relating to President Trump’s executive order from the previous month.
From then until March 18th, 2025, The U.S. military prohibited transgender individuals from enlisting and ceased providing or supporting gender transition procedures for service members.
On February 10th, 2025, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth filed in court a memo relating to President Trump’s executive order from the previous month.
From then until March 18th, 2025, The U.S. military prohibited transgender individuals from enlisting and ceased providing or supporting gender transition procedures for service members.
Legal under federal United States law
In 2021, former President Joe Biden removed then-former President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military.
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned under federal United States law
The Trump administration enacted a new policy barring individuals with a "condition" known as "gender dysphoria." from serving in the military.
Legal under federal United States law
In 2011, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was repealed by the Obama Administration. Former President Obama allowed members who were dishonorably discharged under DADT, to receive an honorable discharge.
Don't Ask, Don't Tell under federal United States law
Don't Ask, Don't Tell was the historic compromise signed by President Bill Clinton authorizing people who are LGBT to serve in the military provided they didn't disclose sexuality. The law also removed the ability for others in the military from asking for a service member's orientation.
Blood donations by MSMs in Louisiana is legal.
Current status
Since May 11, 2023
Legal under federal United States law
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) under federal United States law
The FDA announced changes to the blood donor eligibility policy in April 2020, reducing the MSM deferral period from 12 months to 3 months. The change came amid the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, where blood was needed urgently.
Banned (1-year deferral) under federal United States law
After a series of recommendations, the FDA has moved to a 12 months deferral.
Banned (indefinite deferral) under federal United States law
Starting in 1983, the United States implemented a full ban on blood donations from gay men. The primary justification for the ban was the perceived high risk of HIV transmission, with health regulators identifying men who have sex with men (MSM) as a significant risk to the safety of the blood supply.
Conversion therapy in Louisiana is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Conversion Therapy is currently legal. No law currently bans it, despite organizations such as the American Psychological Association denouncing it.
Equal age of consent in Louisiana is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
United States Equality Rank
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#41 Iowa63
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#42 North Carolina62
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#43 Texas62
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#44 Louisiana60
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#45 Kentucky60
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#46 Idaho59
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#47 Oklahoma59
#156
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