- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✔ Legal, no restrictions
- Non-binary gender recognition
- ✔ Recognized
- Discrimination
- ✔ Illegal
- Employment Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Adoption
- ✔ Legal
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✔ Banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
Public Opinion
Surveys in Maine have shown mixed views towards LGBTQ+ rights and issues.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
History
Censorship of LGBT Issues in Maine is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
Maine has no laws censoring LGBT topics.
Right to change legal gender in Maine is legal, no restrictions.
Current status
Since Nov 2019
Since Nov 2019
Legal, no restrictions
Surgery is not required to change the gender marker on IDs such as State ID or a driver's license.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Maine is recognized.
Current status
Since Jul 14, 2020
Since Jul 14, 2020
Recognized
Maine-born residents can ask for an X gender marker on their birth certificates and IDs.
LGBT discrimination in Maine is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
People are protected from discrimination based upon both sexual orientation and gender identification.
LGBT employment discrimination in Maine is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since 2005
Since 2005
Sexual orientation and gender identity
State law provides for protections against employment discrimination in regards to both sexual orientation and gender identification.
LGBT housing discrimination in Maine is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Sexual orientation and gender identity
This state explicitly bans housing discrimination based upon sexual orientation and gender identification.
Additionally, 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)."
Additionally, 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 Maine is legal.
Current status
Since 2007
Since 2007
Legal
State statute allows married and unmarried persons to adopt per §9-301, and a lower court ruled in MA, 2007 ME 123 (2007) that the law is not exclusionary of same-sex partners.
Similarly, second-parent adoption isn't expressly permitted in statute, but case law has been tolerant in lower court rulings.
Similarly, second-parent adoption isn't expressly permitted in statute, but case law has been tolerant in lower court rulings.
Serving openly in military in Maine is legal.
Current status
Since Sep 20, 2011
Since Sep 20, 2011
Legal
Don't Ask, Don't Tell is officially repealed throughout the United States, and gays and lesbians may openly serve.
Blood donations by MSMs in Maine is legal.
Current status
Since May 11, 2023
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 (3-month deferral)
Blood donation centers follow the new FDA 3-month deferral guidance.
Banned (1-year deferral)
Blood donation centers followed the non-binding FDA one year deferral guidance.