- Homosexuality⚢✔ Legal
- Marriage⚭✔ Legal
- Changing Gender✔ Legal, but requires surgery
- AdoptionVaries by Region
- DiscriminationIllegal in some contexts
- Employment Discrimination✖ No protections
- Housing DiscriminationVaries by Region
- Military✔ Legal
- Donating Blood✖ Banned (1-year deferral)
- Age of ConsentVaries by Region
- Conversion TherapyVaries by Region
Public Opinion
History
Current status
(since Jun 26, 2003)
(since Jun 26, 2003)
Legal
Homosexual activity is legal in the United States.
Current status
(since Jun 26, 2015)
(since Jun 26, 2015)
Legal
In a ruling by the US Supreme Court, all 50 states must now issue marriage licenses for same sex couples and recognize same-sex marriages performed in any state.
Current status
(since Apr 1, 1986)
(since Apr 1, 1986)
Varies by Region
Full joint adoption by same-sex couples is currently legal in the certain states.
Legal
- Mississippi 2016
- Nebraska 2015
- Northern Mariana Islands 2015
- Utah 2014
- Wisconsin 2014
- Arkansas 2011
- Maine 2007
- Colorado 2004
- California 2003
- Pennsylvania 2002
- Connecticut 2000
- New Jersey 1995
- Massachusetts 1993
- Vermont 1993
- Louisiana 1982
- Alaska 1974
- Delaware
- Guam
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- New York
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- United States Minor Outlying Islands
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Washington
- Washington, D.C.
Married couples only
Single only
Ambiguous
Current status
(since Jun 15, 2020)
(since Jun 15, 2020)
Illegal in some contexts
Employment distribution protection for sexual orientation and gender identity is now included in "sex" in Title VII. Other forms of protection (housing for example) are not yet present.
Illegal in some contexts
sexual orientation and gender identity considered an aggravated circumstance. Sexual orientation and gender identity is covered under the Matthew Shepard and James Bird Act under subsection (a)2 . Nationwide state employment anti-discrimination laws pending. Nationwide employment Discrimination protection pending. Nationwide hate crime law pending.
Illegal in some contexts
In all Federal positions, discrimination based on sexual orientation is against the law in instances related to work and employment. In non-federal government jobs, it is based on the state's laws as no federal protections currently exist for non-employees. Additionally, even federal employees could face discrimination unrelated to work in areas of life such as housing, health care, etc. In fact, many groups are advocating the repeal of protections or the introduction of laws to permit discrimination.
Sexual orientation and gender identity
As of June 15, 2020, all persons working for employers that employ more than 15 people are protected from discrimination based solely on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity via the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia
Current status
(since Jul 16, 2015)
(since Jul 16, 2015)
Sexual orientation and gender identity
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 level.
Furthermore, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled on April 20, 2012 that an employer who discriminates against an employee or applicant on the basis of the person’s gender identity is violating the prohibition on sex discrimination contained in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Furthermore, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled on April 20, 2012 that an employer who discriminates against an employee or applicant on the basis of the person’s gender identity is violating the prohibition on sex discrimination contained in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Sexual orientation and gender identity
National state discrimination protection pending. National Hate Crime Law Pending.
Current status
No protections
At this time the Federal government has made no laws preventing discrimination at a national level to all employers, but the EEOC does prevent it in Federal government jobs. Since the federal government has no laws protecting public and private sector employees, it is marked as no protections since this designation fits more in line with how this classification is used in other regions. However, the US does have states and cities where discrimination is illegal for all employers.
Current status
Varies by Region
Housing protections are administered at nearly all levels of government for housing -- if at all. From local city ordinances to federal law, protections are very scattered, and in general, few explicit laws exist to provide housing protections.
Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Utah 2015
- Guam 2015
- Delaware 2013
- Puerto Rico 2013
- California 2006
- Washington 2006
- New Mexico 2003
- Minnesota 1993
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New York
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- United States Minor Outlying Islands
- Vermont
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Washington, D.C.
Sexual orientation only
No protections
- Kansas 2000
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Ambiguous
Current status
(since Jul 1, 2016)
(since Jul 1, 2016)
Legal
The US Army repealed the ban to serve for openly transgender individuals
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
Lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals are permitted to serve openly in the military, however, transgender individuals are still banned.
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
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.
Current status
(since Dec 21, 2015)
(since Dec 21, 2015)
Banned (1-year deferral)
After a series of recommendations, the FDA has moved to a 12 months degerral
Current status
Varies by Region
Age of Consent is not set at a national level. It is determined by the states, ranging between 16 and 18.
Equal
- Nevada 2013
- Florida 2010
- New Jersey 2006
- Puerto Rico 2004
- Arkansas 2001
- U.S. Virgin Islands 1986
- Northern Mariana Islands 1983
- American Samoa 1980
- Guam 1978
- Kentucky 1975
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- United States Minor Outlying Islands
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.
Ambiguous
Varies by Region
illegal under federal law under the therapeutic fraud act signed under Obama.
Current status
Varies by Region
Conversion therapy is legal in every US state except CA and NJ. Can't Convert Love is the sole organization whose sole mission is banning conversion therapy nation-wide. MN and IN are in the starting phase of attempting to ban the therapy.
Banned
- Washington 2018
- Illinois 2015
- Washington, D.C. 2014
- New Jersey 2013
- California 2012
- United States Minor Outlying Islands
Not banned
Ambiguous
- Oregon 2015
- Alabama
- Alaska
- American Samoa
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- Minnesota
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
LGBT Rights by State
View the LGBT laws in each individual state of United States.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- American Samoa (Outlying Area)
- Guam (Outlying Area)
- Northern Mariana Islands (Outlying Area)
- Puerto Rico (Outlying Area)
- United States Minor Outlying Islands (Outlying Area)
- U.S. Virgin Islands (Outlying Area)
- Washington, D.C. (Federal District)