- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- Censorship
- ✖ State-enforced
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✖ Legal, but banned for minors
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Employment Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- 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
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Surveys in North Carolina have shown mixed views towards LGBTQ+ rights and issues.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
Perception of LGBTQ+ People
Survey results from 11 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited North Carolina.
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
Same-sex marriage in North Carolina is legal.
Current status
Since Oct 10, 2014
Legal
Case determined denial of rights was unconstitutional.
Banned
Same-sex marriage is illegal under SB 1487, called No Same-Sex Marriages.
Censorship of LGBT issues in North Carolina is state-enforced.
Current status
Since Aug 16, 2023
State-enforced
The law previously blocked went into effect on August 16, 2023.
Instruction on gender identity and sexuality is forbidden from k-4, and schools are legally required to alert parents if a minor wants to change their name or pronouns at school.
Instruction on gender identity and sexuality is forbidden from k-4, and schools are legally required to alert parents if a minor wants to change their name or pronouns at school.
No censorship
In 2006, North Carolina amended its education law in 1995 that declared that health education should teach that a "mutually faithful monogamous heterosexual relationship" is the best means to avoid transmission of HIV/AIDS.
NC passed House Bill 755 restricting mention of LGBT-related topics in public schools. Also teachers are required to tell students' parents if they are gay. However, the bill was stalled because of a potential veto from Gov. Roy Cooper.
NC passed House Bill 755 restricting mention of LGBT-related topics in public schools. Also teachers are required to tell students' parents if they are gay. However, the bill was stalled because of a potential veto from Gov. Roy Cooper.
Right to change legal gender in North Carolina is legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in North Carolina is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
North Carolina does not legally recognize a third gender.
LGBT discrimination in North Carolina is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no legal protections for people who are LGBT.
LGBT employment discrimination in North Carolina 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. No protections exist at the state level, and the 2016 state ban on local areas banning discrimination quietly expired and was not renewed.
Sexual orientation and gender identity
In 2016, the North Carolina state legislature banned local areas from enacting local discrimination laws, this ban was set to expire four years later in 2020.
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. No statewide protections exist.
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. No statewide protections exist.
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). No protections exist at the state level.
LGBT housing discrimination in North Carolina is no protections.
Current status
No protections
This state 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 North Carolina is legal.
Current status
Since Jun 26, 2017
Legal
Under federal law since 2015.
Single adoption, joint adoption by married couples and second parent adoption by married couples are legal.
Two unmarried individuals cannot adopt jointly. North Carolina does not explicitly protect LGBT individuals from discrimination.
Single adoption, joint adoption by married couples and second parent adoption by married couples are legal.
Two unmarried individuals cannot adopt jointly. North Carolina does not explicitly protect LGBT individuals from discrimination.
Until Jun 26, 2017
Legal
Applies to all unmarried couples. Second-parent adoptions are also not available.
Intersex infant surgery in North Carolina is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
In restrictions on gender-affirming care in North Carolina, intersex infant surgery is specifically allowed by exemption to the ban.
Serving openly in military in North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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.
Equal age of consent in North Carolina is equal.
Current status
Since Jun 26, 2003
Equal
State General Statute GS14-27.7 defines age of consent in North Carolina as 16 for vaginal intercourse but makes no mention of anal or oral intercourse, however it best categorized as equal as there is no law against it.
United States Equality Rank
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#36 Wyoming64
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#37 Iowa64
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#38 South Dakota63
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#39 North Carolina63
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#40 Indiana63
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#41 Georgia63
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#42 Florida62
#89
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