- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires surgery
- 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
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✔ Banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
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Censorship of LGBT issues in North Dakota is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
There are no laws censoring LGBT topics in North Dakota.
Right to change legal gender in North Dakota is legal, but requires surgery.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2008
Legal, but requires surgery
To change their gender marker, trans people in North Dakota have to have their sex changed with "anatomically correct genitalia for the identified sex as certified by a medical provider".
Gender-affirming care in North Dakota is legal, but banned for minors.
Current status
Since Apr 20, 2023
Legal, but banned for minors
Adults over the age of 19 are eligible for gender affirming care under Medicaid. Minors under 18-19 are unable to get gender affirming care, there is a court case going on for the gender affirming care ban for minors. The new law is still in effect.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in North Dakota is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Not currently recognized.
LGBT discrimination in North Dakota is no protections.
Current status
No protections
No protections from discrimination exist based upon sexual orientation or gender identification.
LGBT employment discrimination in North Dakota 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 state protections exist.
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 levels.
No statewide protections exist, but in 2015, the North Dakota Senate passed a bill which would've introduced protections for sexual orientation and gender identity; however, the bill failed in the North Dakota House of Representatives.
No statewide protections exist, but in 2015, the North Dakota Senate passed a bill which would've introduced protections for sexual orientation and gender identity; however, the bill failed in the North Dakota House of Representatives.
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 statewide protections exist.
LGBT housing discrimination in North Dakota is no protections.
Current status
No protections
"...does not apply to an individual because of
an individual's sexual orientation or because that individual is a transvestite"
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)."
an individual's sexual orientation or because that individual is a transvestite"
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)."
Same-sex adoption in North Dakota is legal.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2015
Legal
Single adoption, joint adoption by married couples and second parent adoption are legal in North Dakota.
Until Jan 1, 2015
Single only
"The following individuals may adopt:
1. A husband and wife together although one or both are minors.
2. An unmarried adult.
3. The unmarried father or mother of the individual to be adopted.
4. A married individual without the other spouse joining as a petitioner, if the individual to
be adopted is not the adopting person's spouse, and if:
a. The petitioner is a stepparent of the individual to be adopted and the biological or
legal parent of the individual to be adopted consents;
b. The petitioner and the other spouse are legally separated; or
c. The failure of the other spouse to join in the petition or to consent to the adoption
is excused by the court by reason of prolonged unexplained absence,
unavailability, incapacity, or circumstances constituting an unreasonable
withholding of consent."
1. A husband and wife together although one or both are minors.
2. An unmarried adult.
3. The unmarried father or mother of the individual to be adopted.
4. A married individual without the other spouse joining as a petitioner, if the individual to
be adopted is not the adopting person's spouse, and if:
a. The petitioner is a stepparent of the individual to be adopted and the biological or
legal parent of the individual to be adopted consents;
b. The petitioner and the other spouse are legally separated; or
c. The failure of the other spouse to join in the petition or to consent to the adoption
is excused by the court by reason of prolonged unexplained absence,
unavailability, incapacity, or circumstances constituting an unreasonable
withholding of consent."
Intersex infant surgery in North Dakota is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
North Dakota' ban on gender-affirming care for minors specifically allows for intersex infant surgery.
Serving openly in military in North Dakota is legal.
Current status
Since Mar 18, 2025
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
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth filed in court a memo on February 10th, 2025 relating to President Trump’s executive order from the previous month.
From now on, The U.S. military will prohibit transgender individuals from enlisting, and will cease providing or supporting gender transition procedures for service members.
From now on, The U.S. military will prohibit transgender individuals from enlisting, and will cease providing or supporting gender transition procedures for service members.
Legal under federal United States law
President Joe Biden removed former President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military, and transgender people are still allowed to serve as of 2025.
In January of 2025, President Trump signed an executive order that bans transgender people from serving in the military. However, before his executive order can take effect, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth needs to submit a plan on how the military will implement the order.
In January of 2025, President Trump signed an executive order that bans transgender people from serving in the military. However, before his executive order can take effect, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth needs to submit a plan on how the military will implement the order.
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 Dakota 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 North Dakota is banned.
Current status
Since Jun 8, 2021
Banned
On June 8, 2021, the Administrative Rules Committee voted to prohibit licensed social workers from practicing conversion therapy to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
This doesn't prevent religious leaders or non-licensed counselors from practicing it, however.
This doesn't prevent religious leaders or non-licensed counselors from practicing it, however.
Until Jun 8, 2021
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 North Dakota is equal.
Current status
Equal
United States Equality Rank
#282
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