LGBT Rights in Ohio, United States

Homosexuality: ⚢
✔ Legal
Gay Marriage: ⚭
✔ Legal
Censorship: Unknown
Changing Gender: ✔ Legal, surgery not required
Non-binary gender recognition: ✔ Recognized
Discrimination: ✖ No protections
Employment Discrimination: ✖ No protections
Housing Discrimination: ✖ No protections
Adoption: ✖ Single only
Military: ✔ Legal
Donating Blood: ✖ Banned (3-month deferral)
Conversion Therapy: Ambiguous
Age of Consent: ✔ Equal

Public Opinion

Support for LGBT protections by US state

Ranked #1 out of 50 regions surveyed. (Source: PRRI, 2018)

Question: "Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose or strongly oppose laws that would protect gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people against discrimination in jobs, public accommodations, and housing?"

Favor (68%)

Opposition of religiously based refusals to serve gay and lesbian people

Ranked #1 out of 50 regions surveyed. (Source: PRRI, 2018)

Question: "Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose or strongly oppose allowing a small business owner in your state to refuse to provide products or services to gay or lesbian people, if doing so violates their religious beliefs"

Oppose (60%)

Support of same-sex marriage by US state

Ranked #30 out of 51 regions surveyed. (Source: Pew Research, 2014)

Question: "Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose or strongly oppose allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally?"

(42%) Oppose

Favor (50%)

Support of homosexuality by US state

Ranked #27 out of 51 regions surveyed. (Source: Pew Research, 2014)

Question: "Which statement comes closer to your own views: homosexuality should be accepted by society OR homosexuality should be discouraged by society?"

(32%) Oppose

Support (60%)

History

Homosexual activity in Ohio

Homosexual activity in Ohio is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 26, 2003

Legal

US Supreme Court ruling issued in Lawrence v. Texas struck down all sodomy laws on the basis of privacy and liberty. The decision overturned any laws remaining in all US states which prohibited acts of sodomy.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Same-sex marriage in Ohio

Same-sex marriage in Ohio is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 26, 2015

Legal

The US Supreme Court rules that same-sex marriage is legal nationwide.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Nov 4, 2004–Jun 26, 2015

Not legal

Constitutional amendment adopted by state wide vote in 2004. Passed with 62% of the vote. Text of amendment follows:

§ 15.11 Marriage Amendment

Only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this state and its political subdivisions. This state and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Ohio

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Ohio is unknown.

Current status

Unknown

Right to change legal gender in Ohio

Right to change legal gender in Ohio is legal, surgery not required.

Current status
Since May 2021

Legal, surgery not required

Ohio's birth certificate law was struck down in December 2020 and judged discriminatory against transgender individuals. Thus, Ohio-born citizens will now be able to modify their gender marker.

There is no specific requirement to modify the gender marker, since each court will have their own ruling, but it is advised that their requirement be as accessible as possible.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Until May 2021

Ambiguous

Only option that is not legal is changing birth certificates. Missing non binary options on documents.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Ohio

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Ohio is recognized.

Current status
Since May 2021

Recognized

While making gender marker change on birth certificates available to transgender individuals, an X gender marker option was also added for non-binary individuals.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

LGBT discrimination in Ohio

LGBT discrimination in Ohio is no protections.

Current status

No protections

As of December 16, 2014, there are no legal protections for people who are LGBT in regards to employment. However, public employees of the state are protected based on both sexual orientation as well as gender identities.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Jan 1, 2018–Sep 12, 2018

Illegal

Full discrimination protection in state employment. As well under Section VII under sex discrimination. Section VII ruled to include gender identity. As well as city discrimination protection in 22 cities and one county for sexual orientation protection. in 21 cities full discrimination protection.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

LGBT employment discrimination in Ohio

LGBT employment discrimination in Ohio is no protections.

Current status

No protections

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Jan 23, 2017–Sep 9, 2018

Sexual orientation and gender identity

Protection under section VII under sex discrimination covers sexual orientation and gender identity. As well protections for state employees only.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

LGBT housing discrimination in Ohio

LGBT housing discrimination in Ohio 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)."

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Mar 1, 2012–Sep 1, 2018

Ambiguous

Various by city. Pending state wide.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Same-sex adoption in Ohio

Same-sex adoption in Ohio is single only.

Current status
Since 1998

Single only

Single LGBT individuals may adopt children, but same-sex couples may not adopt jointly or by way of second parent adoption.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Jan 1, 1998–Sep 7, 2018

Legal

Under state and federal law. Under a ruling by the supreme court.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Serving openly in military in Ohio

Serving openly in military in Ohio is legal.

Current status
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.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Blood donations by MSMs in Ohio

Blood donations by MSMs in Ohio is banned (3-month deferral).

Current status
Since Apr 2, 2020

Banned (3-month deferral)

Blood donation centers follow the new FDA 3-month deferral guidance.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Dec 21, 2015–Apr 2, 2020

Banned (1-year deferral)

Blood donation centers followed the non-binding FDA one year deferral guidance.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

1983–Dec 21, 2015

Banned (indefinite deferral)

Ban on blood donations from MSMs applies to any man who has had sex, even once, with another man on or after January 1, 1977.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Conversion therapy in Ohio

Conversion therapy in Ohio is ambiguous.

Current status

Ambiguous

Conversion Therapy is currently legal. No law currently bans it, despite organizations such as the American Psychological Association denouncing it. Though it's not actually ambiguous (It is in fact legal), this is the best indicator of the available options.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Dec 9, 2015–Sep 5, 2018

Ambiguous

In five cities. it is banned federally under the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act which was signed by Obama. Conversion therapy ban pending state wide.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Equal age of consent in Ohio

Equal age of consent in Ohio is equal.

Current status

Equal

Details · Accurate? Yes No

LGBT Rights in Ohio State

Public Opinion

Support for LGBT protections by US state

Opposition of religiously based refusals to serve gay and lesbian people

Support of same-sex marriage by US state

Support of homosexuality by US state

History

Homosexual activity in Ohio

Same-sex marriage in Ohio

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Ohio

Right to change legal gender in Ohio

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Ohio

LGBT discrimination in Ohio

LGBT employment discrimination in Ohio

LGBT housing discrimination in Ohio

Same-sex adoption in Ohio

Serving openly in military in Ohio

Blood donations by MSMs in Ohio

Conversion therapy in Ohio

Equal age of consent in Ohio

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Ohio LGBT Organizations

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