LGBT Rights in Wisconsin, United States

Homosexuality: ⚢
✔ Legal
Gay Marriage: ⚭
✔ Legal
Censorship: ✔ No censorship
Changing Gender: ✔ Legal, but requires surgery
Non-binary gender recognition: ✖ Not legally recognized
Discrimination: Illegal in some contexts
Employment Discrimination: ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
Housing Discrimination: Sexual orientation only
Adoption: ✔ Legal
Military: ✔ Legal
Donating Blood: ✖ Banned (3-month deferral)
Conversion Therapy: ✔ Banned
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 (67%)

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 (58%)

Support of same-sex marriage by US state

Ranked #20 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?"

(37%) Oppose

Favor (58%)

Support of homosexuality by US state

Ranked #18 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?"

(30%) Oppose

Support (66%)

History

Homosexual activity in Wisconsin

Homosexual activity in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin

Same-sex marriage in Wisconsin is legal.

Current status
Since Oct 6, 2014

Legal

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

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Wisconsin

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Wisconsin is no censorship.

Current status

No censorship

There are no laws censoring LGBT topics in Wisconsin.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Right to change legal gender in Wisconsin

Right to change legal gender in Wisconsin is legal, but requires surgery.

Current status

Legal, but requires surgery

Only for birth certificates. Missing non binary options on birth certificates.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Wisconsin

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Wisconsin is not legally recognized.

Current status

Not legally recognized

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.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

LGBT discrimination in Wisconsin

LGBT discrimination in Wisconsin is illegal in some contexts.

Current status

Illegal in some contexts

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

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Jan 1, 1982–Sep 14, 2018

Illegal

Full discrimination protection on sexual orientation only. Full gender identity discrimination protection under section VII ruled that gender identity is included.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

LGBT employment discrimination in Wisconsin

LGBT employment discrimination in Wisconsin is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since Jun 15, 2020

Sexual orientation and gender identity

Protected federally under a Supreme Court ruling.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

1982–Sep 8, 2018

Sexual orientation only

State law provides protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation only. However, public state employees are allowed domestic partner benefits.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Jan 1, 1982–Sep 8, 2018

Ambiguous

in all areas of Employment for discrimination protection. Full discrimination protection pending state wide.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

LGBT housing discrimination in Wisconsin

LGBT housing discrimination in Wisconsin is sexual orientation only.

Current status

Sexual orientation only

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)."

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Jan 1, 1982–Sep 8, 2018

Sexual orientation only

Full discrimination protection pending.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Same-sex adoption in Wisconsin

Same-sex adoption in Wisconsin is legal.

Current status
Since Oct 6, 2014

Legal

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

Details · Accurate? Yes No

1994–Oct 6, 2014

Illegal

Same-sex couples are not permitted joint or second parent adoption.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Serving openly in military in Wisconsin

Serving openly in military in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin

Blood donations by MSMs in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin

Conversion therapy in Wisconsin is banned.

Current status
Since Jun 1, 2021

Banned

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.

Cities like Milwaukee and Lacrosse also have a complete ban on conversion therapy.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Sep 7, 2016–Jun 1, 2021

Not banned

Only in Milwaukee.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Until Sep 7, 2016

Not banned

No law that has banned it.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Equal age of consent in Wisconsin

Equal age of consent in Wisconsin is equal.

Current status

Equal

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.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Equality Index ?

73 / 100

Legal Rights

82 / 100

Public Opinion

64 / 100

#192

Interest Rank ?

Top Contributors

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Discussions

Wisconsin LGBT Organizations

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LGBT Wisconsin Flag

LGBT Rights in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin

Same-sex marriage in Wisconsin

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Wisconsin

Right to change legal gender in Wisconsin

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Wisconsin

LGBT discrimination in Wisconsin

LGBT employment discrimination in Wisconsin

LGBT housing discrimination in Wisconsin

Same-sex adoption in Wisconsin

Serving openly in military in Wisconsin

Blood donations by MSMs in Wisconsin

Conversion therapy in Wisconsin

Equal age of consent in Wisconsin

Top Contributors

Wisconsin LGBT Organizations

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