State Maps

Produced by the HRC Foundation

See state maps that show the laws and policies that affect LGBTQ+ people in areas of non-discrimination, healthcare, youth, and more.

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Enforcement authorities are accepting complaints on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity because the state has adopted the Bostock rationale into state law*

9 States

Prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation only

1 State

Prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity

23 States & DC

No Statutory or Enforcement Authority Protections

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The Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is currently accepting complaints of sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in employment based on Title VII’s prohibition against sex discrimination.

*On June 15, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia that sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination are prohibited under federal sex-based employment protections.

For more information on the Supreme Court of the United States' decision in the Bostock vs. Clayton County case, see What the Supreme Court Ruling in Bostock Means For State Legislative Efforts.

Updated November 14, 2024

Enforcement authorities are accepting complaints on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity because the state has adopted the Bostock rationale into state law*

7 States

Prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation only

1 State

Prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity

23 States & DC

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For more information on the Supreme Court of the United States' decision in the Bostock vs. Clayton County case, see What the Supreme Court Ruling in Bostock Means For State Legislative Efforts.

Updated November 14, 2024

Enforcement authorities are accepting complaints on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity because the state has adopted the Bostock rationale into state law*

5 States

Prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation only

1 State

Prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity

22 States & DC

No Protections

22 States

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Public accommodations refers to both governmental entities and private businesses that provide services to the general public such as restaurants, movie theaters, libraries and shops. It does not encompass private clubs that have a membership or dues process.

For more information on the Supreme Court of the United States' decision in the Bostock vs. Clayton County case, see What the Supreme Court Ruling in Bostock Means For State Legislative Efforts.

Updated November 14, 2024

State Protects Youth From So-Called "Conversion Therapy"

22 States & DC

States with an executive order or regulation that provide some protections against so-called "Conversion Therapy"

5 States

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This map indicates states that protect LGBTQ+ youth from conversion therapy through licensing restrictions that prevent licensed mental health service professionals from conducting conversion therapy on youth under age 18.

*New York also protects youth from conversion therapy by the following regulatory action implemented on February 6, 2016:

NY State Department of Financial Services - regulations prohibiting insurance providers from covering conversion therapy on patients under the age of 18;

NY State Office of Mental Health - regulations prohibiting mental health providers licensed by this department from using conversion therapy on youth under the age of 18; and

NY State Department of Health - regulations declaring that conversion therapy is not covered by the New York State Medicaid plan since it is never medically necessary care.

Updated November 14, 2024

Address harassment and/or bullying of students based on sexual orientation and gender identity

22 States & DC

States without Protections

26 States

Prevents school districts from specifically protecting LGBTQ students

2 States

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Many states explicitly address harassment and/or bullying of elementary and high school students, though not all are LGBTQ+ inclusive. These protections can be in the form of statutory law, regulation or ethical codes of conduct for teachers. The states that explicitly address these issues for LGBTQ+ students are as follows.

* Regulations and Ethical Codes of Conduct: States with school regulation or ethical code for teachers that addresses harassment and/or bullying of students based on sexual orientation (3 states): New Mexico (regulation), Pennsylvania (regulation) and Utah (code of ethics). States with school regulation or ethical code for teachers that addresses discrimination, harassment and/or bullying of students based on both sexual
orientation and gender identity (2 states): Hawaii (regulation) and West Virginia (regulation).

** Policies/No Categories: States that prohibit bullying in schools but list no categories of protection (25 states): Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Please note that the quality of anti-bullying laws varies drastically from state to state. This map is only a reflection of the existence of such laws and policies.

Update November 14, 2024

Bans insurance exclusions for transgender healthcare only

2 States

Bans insurance exclusions for transgender healthcare and also has protections for transgender healthcare in state Medicaid

21 States & DC

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Updated November 14, 2024

Facilitate gender marker update on driver's licenses only

9 States

Facilitate gender marker update on both birth certificates and driver's licenses

26 States & DC

Contains Laws and Policies that Prevent Transgender People From Receiving Appropriate Identification

3 States

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Scanning

Updated November 14, 2024

Address hate or bias crimes based on sexual orientation only

10 States

Address hate or bias crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity

8 States

Have a Law that Eliminates a Bias Rage or Panic Defense in Criminal Acts

15 States & DC

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All but four states (Arkansas, Indiana, South Carolina and Wyoming) have laws addressing the scourge of hate crimes, but there is variation in the list of enumerated protected classes. The laws that address hate or bias crimes against LGBTQ+ people are as follows.

*Laws lacking LGBTQ+ inclusion: States that have a law that addresses hate or bias crimes based, but do not expressly address either sexual orientation or gender identity (15 states): Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah (no categories listed), and West Virginia.

**Data Collection Only: Indiana (sexual orientation), Michigan (sexual orientation) and Rhode Island (gender identity).

Updated November 14, 2024

Allows agencies to discriminate against potential parents

8 States

Allows sweeping anti-LGBTQ discrimination that includes allowing agencies to refuse to work with potential parents and children and allows agencies to deny children services to which the agency objects, including refusing to allow transgender people access to sex-segregated facilities consistent with their gender identity.

3 States

Discrimination is allowed by private agencies which do not receive taxpayer funds

1 State

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*Michigan was subject to a lawsuit that settled the law, and Michigan is no longer able to enforce these restrictions.

Updated November 14, 2024

Prohibits transgender people from using the restroom consistent with their gender identity

14 States

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Updated November 14, 2024

Prohibits transgender students from playing sports alongside peers sharing their gender identity, often effectively denying them the ability to participate in school sports at all.

26 States

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Updated November 14, 2024

The Human Rights Campaign reports on news, events and resources of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation that are of interest to the general public and further our common mission to support the LGBTQ+ community.