- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- Censorship
- Unknown
- Changing Gender
- Ambiguous
- Non-binary gender recognition
- Unknown
- Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- Ambiguous
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✖ Banned (3-month deferral)
- Conversion Therapy
- Ambiguous
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
Suggest Public Opinion Data
History
Homosexual activity in Tennessee is legal.
Current status
Since Jun 26, 2003
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.
Censorship of LGBT Issues in Tennessee is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Right to change legal gender in Tennessee is ambiguous.
Current status
Ambiguous
Requires surgery to change drivers license. not legal to change birth certificate.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Tennessee is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
LGBT discrimination in Tennessee is no protections.
Current status
No protections
No protections from discrimination exist based upon sexual orientation or gender identification.
LGBT employment discrimination in Tennessee 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.
LGBT housing discrimination in Tennessee 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 Tennessee is ambiguous.
Current status
Ambiguous
Any person is permitted to adopt per statute, but second-parent adoption varies by judge and county. Since there has been no appellate decision on second-parent adoption, it is listed as ambiguous.
Serving openly in military in Tennessee 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 Tennessee is banned (3-month deferral).
Current status
Since Apr 2, 2020
Since Apr 2, 2020
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.
Conversion therapy in Tennessee 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.
Equal age of consent in Tennessee is equal.
Current status
Equal
Age of consent laws are equitable regardless of gender or orientation.
Legal Rights
72 / 100
This region's Equality Index is based on legal rights alone. Please submit survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in Tennessee to help improve its accuracy.
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