Employment non-discrimination laws protect LGBT people from being unfairly fired, not hired, or discriminated against in the workplace by private employers on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Various rulings by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission extend Title VII's prohibition on sex discrimination to prohibit discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity. However, EEOC rulings are not binding on private employers and federal courts may rule differently. This map also only reflects states that have statewide statutes banning discrimination in private employment. Many states have executive orders or laws that protect all public employees, and many large cities and other localities have ordinances, executive orders, or personnel policies that protect local employees and some employees of local businesses. Some states may interpret "sex" and/or "gender" to include gender identity/expression.These laws, regulations and executive orders are not reflected on this map.
Passed in 2016, North Carolina's HB2 also prohibits cities and counties in the state from passing non-discrimination protections in employment or places of public accommodations above the ceiling set by the state. UPDATE: In early 2017, HB2 was replaced with a narrower law that restricts cities and counties from protecting against employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity through the year 2020.
*New York promulgated regulations in 2016 that define "sex" in New York's human rights law to include gender identity.
Housing non-discrimination laws protect LGBT people from being unfairly evicted, denied housing, or refused the ability to rent or buy housing on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
This map reflects states that have statewide statutes banning discrimination in housing. Public accommodations may not be covered.
Some states may interpret "sex" and/or "gender" to include gender identity/expression. Such states are not reflected on this map.
*New York promulgated regulations in 2016 that define "sex" in New York's human rights law to include gender identity.
For additional information, contact
the Human Rights Campaign,
the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force,
the National Center for Transgender Equality,
Public accommodation non-discrimination laws protect LGBT people from being unfairly refused service or entry to, or from facing discrimination in, places accessible to the public on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Public accommodations laws generally cover anywhere someone is when they are not at home, work, or school, including retail stores, restaurants, parks, hotels, doctors’ offices, and banks.
This map reflects states that have statewide statutes banning discrimination in public accommodations. Some states may interpret "sex" and/or "gender" to include gender identity/expression. Such states are not reflected on this map.
Passed in 2016, North Carolina's HB2 restricts access to restrooms in government buildings, including government offices, public schools, and public universities. HB2 also prohibits cities and counties in the state from passing non-discrimination protections in employment or places of public accommodations above the ceiling set by the state. UPDATE: In early 2017, HB2 was replaced with a narrower law that restricts cities and counties from protecting against discrimination in places of public accommodation on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity through the year 2020. Cities and counties are indefinitely prohibited from protecting against discrimination in public facilities, like restrooms.
*New York promulgated regulations in 2016 that define "sex" in New York's human rights law to include gender identity.
For additional information, contact
the Center for American Progress,
Credit and lending non-discrimination laws protect LGBT people from being unfairly denied credit and lending services on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
This map reflects those states with explicit, statutory prohibitions of credit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Some states may have similar, more limited protections within housing or public accommodations law, or set by administrative interpretation. Some states may interpret "sex" or "gender" to include gender identity/expression. Such states are not reflected on this map. The federal Consumer Finance Protection Board released guidance prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Federal courts may rule differently.
State laws or policies that prohibit discrimination against state employees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
| State | Employment | Housing | Public Accommodations |
Credit | State Employees |
| Citations | Citations | Citations | Citations | Citations | |
| Alabama | |||||
| Alaska |
State has law that only covers sexual orientation |
||||
| Arizona |
State has law that only covers sexual orientation |
||||
| Arkansas | |||||
| California |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
|
| Colorado |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
| Connecticut |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
| Delaware |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
|
| District of Columbia |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
|
| Florida | |||||
| Georgia | |||||
| Hawaii |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
|
| Idaho | |||||
| Illinois |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
| Indiana |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
||||
| Iowa |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
| Kansas |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
||||
| Kentucky |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
||||
| Louisiana | |||||
| Maine |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
| Maryland |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
| Massachusetts |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
| Michigan |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
||||
| Minnesota |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
| Mississippi | |||||
| Missouri |
State has law that only covers sexual orientation |
||||
| Montana |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
||||
| Nebraska | |||||
| Nevada |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
|
| New Hampshire |
State has law that only covers sexual orientation |
State has law that only covers sexual orientation |
State has law that only covers sexual orientation |
State has law that only covers sexual orientation |
|
| New Jersey |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
| New Mexico |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
| New York |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that only covers sexual orientation |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
| North Carolina |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
||||
| North Dakota | |||||
| Ohio |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
||||
| Oklahoma | |||||
| Oregon |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
|
| Pennsylvania |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
||||
| Rhode Island |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
| South Carolina | |||||
| South Dakota | |||||
| Tennessee | |||||
| Texas | |||||
| Utah |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
||
| Vermont |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
| Virginia |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
||||
| Washington |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
State has law that covers sexual orientation and gender identity |
| West Virginia | |||||
| Wisconsin |
State has law that only covers sexual orientation |
State has law that only covers sexual orientation |
State has law that only covers sexual orientation |
State has law that only covers sexual orientation |
|
| Wyoming |
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Founded in 2006, the Movement Advancement Project is an independent think tank that provides rigorous research, insight and analysis that help speed equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.
MAP’s work helps educate and persuade public audiences (such as policymakers, allied organizations and funders, media and the American public) and helps support LGBT movement audiences (including LGBT organizations and advocates, and LGBT funders). You can read more about MAP and the work we do on our About page.
