Laws of Washington 1909 c 249 § 204 amended the state's sodomy law to include oral sex, added a clause to specifically criminalize voluntarily submitting to 'carnal knowledge', and lowered the penalty to "imprisonment in the state penitentiary for not more than ten years".

Responding to STATE v. PLACE, the Washington State Legislature adopted the common law definition of "crimes against nature" and established a penalty of "imprisonment at hard labor in the state penitentiary for not less than ten nor more than fourteen years" upon conviction of sodomy.

Section 12 of the Organic Act, which established the Territorial Government of Washington, adopted the laws of the Territory of Oregon applicable to the Territory of Washington as of March 2, 1853, which did not include any reference to sodomy.

The Laws of the Territory of Washington 1875 p 85 § 1 included a vagrancy statute with a catch all definition of "disorderly persons" but did not single out homosexual activity and any arrest was set to only last so far as surety of good behavior could be ascertained.

The Code of Washington 1881, enacted on December 1, 1881, p 159 § 782 stated "All offenses at common law, which are not hereinafter defined by statute are indictable and triable in the district courts of this territory." Thus it was possible to be indicted for 'crimes against nature' however p 162 § 806 criminalized "an assault with an intent to commit the infamous crime against nature" but did NOT criminalize the 'infamous crime against nature'. As such no punishment could be attached to an indictment for homosexual activity except in the case of an assault. This is the precedent that was described in Justice Stiles's opinion in STATE v. PLACE.

On February 18, 1893, in STATE v. PLACE, 5 Wash. 773; 32 P. 736 (1893) the Washington Supreme Court noted the Washington State Penal Code did "not define the crime against nature known as sodomy, nor impose a penalty for its commission.” The crime against nature punishable as a felony at common law was not punishable in the state because no penalty has been fixed by statute.

In 2007, Washington began provided for the status of domestic partnership to same-sex couples. The rights were limited compared to married couples but would expand in 2008.

In 1998, Washington passed a law restricting marriage to different-sex couples, effectively banning same-sex marriage. The Governor vetoed the law, but it was overturned the same day.

Until 1998, there was no law explicitly banning same-sex marriage in Washington, however there was also no legal recognition provided to same-sex couples.

Until 2018, Washington required proof of “appropriate medical treatment” for legal gender recognition.

Not a crime but adoption centers would not let gay couples to adopt.

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.

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.

The Trump administration enacted a new policy barring individuals with a "condition" known as "gender dysphoria." from serving in the military.

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 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.

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.

After a series of recommendations, the FDA has moved to a 12 months deferral.

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 is currently legal. No law currently bans it, despite organizations such as the American Psychological Association denouncing it. An attempt to ban conversion therapy passed overwhelmingly in the State House in 2014, but the bill died in Senate Committee.