Wisconsin repealed its laws against sodomy in 1983.

In order to secure enough votes to pass the legislation that repealed the ban on sodomy, legislators agreed to add to the bill that “the state does not condone or encourage any form of sexual conduct outside the institution of marriage.”

Same sex marriage in Wisconsin returned when the Supreme Court decision came through.

There are no laws censoring LGBT topics in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin provides legal gender recognition on the condition of surgery having been performed.

In 2023, Wisconsin's republican controlled state legislature passed a bill to ban gender affirming care for minors, but democratic governor Tony Evers ultimately vetoed it.

While Wisconsin allows some progress for non-binary recognition, like allowing parents to not be classified as mother or father on their child's birth certificate, it is not currently possible to request an X gender marker on any type of ID.

Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is illegal, but gender identification is not included in these protections.

On June 15th, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation or gender identity is illegal under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, classified as sex discrimination.

This state explicitly bans housing discrimination based upon sexual orientation only.

Additionally, 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 marriage is now legal, allowing same sex couples to adopt children

Wisconsin’s proposed ban on gender-affirming care for minors specifically permits surgery on intersex infants.

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.

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.

An extensive list of jurisdictions passing ordinances and measures which prohibit the practice of conversion therapy have passed in Wisconsin. In brief this list includes the 14 communities of: Appleton, Cudahy, Eau Claire, Glendale, Kenosha, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Shorewood, Sun Prairie, Superior and West Allis. Each jurisdiction maintains different variations in fines and applicability to minors and licensed professionals.

On June 1, 2021, Wisconsin governor signed an executive order prohibiting state and federal funds being used for conversion therapy which aims to change a minor's sexual orientation or gender identity.

State law supersedes local laws and the ban is at risk of being rendered defunct if state legislatures were to nullify the legitimacy of the scope of these laws.

A battle against conversion therapy is currently pending in the Supreme Court and it is likely to be ruled on this term with Wisconsin being the origin state of the challenge.

Wisconsin's age of consent for same-sex and different-sex couple is 18. State Statute provides an exemption for people who are married between the ages of 16 and 17.