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Sexual Orientation Policy Tally

The term “sexual orientation” is loosely defined as a person’s pattern of romantic or sexual attraction to people of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or more than one sex or gender. Laws that explicitly mention sexual orientation primarily protect or harm lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. That said, transgender people who are lesbian, gay or bisexual can be affected by laws that explicitly mention sexual orientation.

Gender Identity Policy Tally

“Gender identity” is a person’s deeply-felt inner sense of being male, female, or something else or in-between. “Gender expression” refers to a person’s characteristics and behaviors such as appearance, dress, mannerisms and speech patterns that can be described as masculine, feminine, or something else. Gender identity and expression are independent of sexual orientation, and transgender people may identify as heterosexual, lesbian, gay or bisexual. Laws that explicitly mention “gender identity” or “gender identity and expression” primarily protect or harm transgender people. These laws also can apply to people who are not transgender, but whose sense of gender or manner of dress does not adhere to gender stereotypes.

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Equality Maps

United States Map
Vermont New Hampshire Washington D.C. Maryland Delaware New Jersey Connecticut Rhode Island Massachusetts Alaska Hawaii California Oregon Washington Nevada Utah Arizona Idaho Montana Wyoming Colorado 33 Texas North Dakota South Dakota Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Minnesota Iowa Louisiana Arkansas Missouri Mississippi Florida Georgia Tennessee South Carolina North Carolina Wisconsin Illinois Michigan Indiana Kentucky Ohio West Virginia Maine New York Pennsylvania Virginia Vermont New Hampshire
  • High Overall Policy Tally (15 states + D.C.)
  • Medium Overall Policy Tally (8 states)
  • Low Overall Policy Tally (25 states)
  • Negative Overall Policy Tally (2 states)

Percent of LGBT Population Covered by Laws

45%

45 % of the LGBT population lives in states with high overall policy tallies

9%

9 % of LGBT population lives in states with medium overall policy tallies

43%

43 % of LGBT population lives in states with low overall policy tallies

4%

4 % of LGBT population lives in states with negative overall policy tallies

United States Map
Vermont New Hampshire Washington D.C. Maryland Delaware New Jersey Connecticut Rhode Island Massachusetts Alaska Hawaii California Oregon Washington Nevada Utah Arizona Idaho Montana Wyoming Colorado 33 Texas North Dakota South Dakota Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Minnesota Iowa Louisiana Arkansas Missouri Mississippi Florida Georgia Tennessee South Carolina North Carolina Wisconsin Illinois Michigan Indiana Kentucky Ohio West Virginia Maine New York Pennsylvania Virginia Vermont New Hampshire
  • High Sexual Orientation Policy Tally (17 states + D.C.)
  • Medium Sexual Orientation Policy Tally (12 states)
  • Low Sexual Orientation Policy Tally (21 states)
  • Negative Sexual Orientation Policy Tally (0 states)

Percent of LGBT Population Covered by Laws

47%

47 % of the LGBT population lives in states with high sexual orientation policy tallies

20%

20 % of LGBT population lives in states with medium sexual orientation policy tallies

33%

33 % of LGBT population lives in states with low sexual orientation policy tallies

0%

0 % of LGBT population lives in states with negative sexual orientation policy tallies

United States Map
Vermont New Hampshire Washington D.C. Maryland Delaware New Jersey Connecticut Rhode Island Massachusetts Alaska Hawaii California Oregon Washington Nevada Utah Arizona Idaho Montana Wyoming Colorado 33 Texas North Dakota South Dakota Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Minnesota Iowa Louisiana Arkansas Missouri Mississippi Florida Georgia Tennessee South Carolina North Carolina Wisconsin Illinois Michigan Indiana Kentucky Ohio West Virginia Maine New York Pennsylvania Virginia Vermont New Hampshire
  • High Gender Identity Policy Tally (14 states + D.C.)
  • Medium Gender Identity Policy Tally (6 states)
  • Low Gender Identity Policy Tally (7 states)
  • Negative Gender Identity Policy Tally (23 states)

Percent of LGBT Population Covered by Laws

44%

44 % of the LGBT population lives in states with high gender identity policy tallies

6%

6 % of LGBT population lives in states with medium gender identity policy tallies

16%

16 % of LGBT population lives in states with low gender identity policy tallies

35%

35 % of LGBT population lives in states with negative gender identity policy tallies

 State     
Marriage
&
Relationship
Recognition
Adoption
&
Parenting
Non–Discrimination
Safe Schools
Health
and
Safety
Identity
Documents
1 Alabama SO 2/3 2/7 -0.75/4 -0.5/2 -0.5/4 -- 2.25 -2.75 -0.50
GI -- 0/7 -0.75/4 -0.5/2 -0.5/4 -1/3
2 Alaska SO 2/3 2/7 1.25/4 0/2 -0.5/4 -- 4.75 0.75 5.50
GI -- 0/7 0.75/4 0/2 -1.5/4 1.5/3
3 Arizona SO 2/3 2.5/7 0.75/4 -0.5/2 0.75/4 -- 5.50 -2.00 3.50
GI -- 0/7 0.25/4 -0.5/2 -1.25/4 -0.5/3
4 Arkansas SO 2/3 2/7 -1/4 1/2 -0.5/4 -- 3.50 -1.50 2.00
GI -- 0/7 -1/4 1/2 -0.5/4 -1/3
5 California SO 2.5/3 6/7 3.5/4 4/2 1.5/4 -- 17.50 16.00 33.50
GI -- 2/7 3.5/4 4/2 4/4 2.5/3
6 Colorado SO 3/3 3/7 4.5/4 2/2 1.5/4 -- 14.00 9.50 23.50
GI -- 0/7 4.5/4 2/2 3.5/4 -0.5/3
7 Connecticut SO 2.5/3 4/7 4/4 3/2 0.75/4 -- 14.25 13.25 27.50
GI -- 0/7 4/4 3/2 3.25/4 3/3
8 Delaware SO 2/3 3/7 3.5/4 0.5/2 1.5/4 -- 10.50 7.50 18.00
GI -- 0/7 3.5/4 0.5/2 2.5/4 1/3
9 District of Columbia SO 3/3 6.5/7 3.5/4 3/2 2/4 -- 18.00 16.00 34.00
GI -- 2/7 3.5/4 3/2 4.5/4 3/3
10 Florida SO 2/3 2/7 1/4 0/2 0.5/4 -- 5.50 1.00 6.50
GI -- 0/7 1/4 0/2 -0.5/4 0.5/3
11 Georgia SO 2/3 2/7 0/4 0.5/2 -0.5/4 -- 4.00 -4.50 -0.50
GI -- 0/7 0/4 0/2 -1.5/4 -3/3
12 Hawaii SO 2.5/3 2.5/7 3.5/4 1/2 2/4 -- 11.50 8.00 19.50
GI -- 0/7 3.5/4 0.5/2 2/4 2/3
13 Idaho SO 2/3 2.5/7 0.25/4 0/2 -0.5/4 -- 4.25 -1.75 2.50
GI -- 0/7 0.25/4 0/2 -0.5/4 -1.5/3
14 Illinois SO 2/3 2.5/7 4/4 4/2 1.5/4 -- 14.00 11.00 25.00
GI -- 0/7 4/4 4/2 3.5/4 -0.5/3
15 Indiana SO 2/3 3/7 0.75/4 0/2 -0.5/4 -- 5.25 0.75 6.00
GI -- 0/7 0.75/4 0/2 0/4 0/3
16 Iowa SO 2/3 2/7 4.5/4 2/2 0.5/4 -- 11.00 3.00 14.00
GI -- 0/7 4.5/4 2/2 -1.5/4 -2/3
17 Kansas SO 2/3 3/7 -0.25/4 0/2 0.5/4 -- 5.25 -1.25 4.00
GI -- 0/7 -0.25/4 0/2 -0.5/4 -0.5/3
18 Kentucky SO 2/3 3/7 0.75/4 0/2 0.5/4 -- 6.25 -0.25 6.00
GI -- 0/7 0.75/4 0/2 0/4 -1/3
19 Louisiana SO 2/3 2/7 -0.5/4 -0.5/2 0.5/4 -- 3.50 -2.50 1.00
GI -- 0/7 -0.5/4 -0.5/2 -0.5/4 -1/3
20 Maine SO 3/3 4/7 4.5/4 2/2 2/4 -- 15.50 6.50 22.00
GI -- 0/7 4.5/4 2/2 0/4 0/3
21 Maryland SO 2/3 5.5/7 4.5/4 1/2 0.5/4 -- 13.50 10.00 23.50
GI -- 0/7 4.5/4 1/2 3/4 1.5/3
22 Massachusetts SO 2/3 6/7 4.5/4 2/2 0.75/4 -- 15.25 11.75 27.00
GI -- 0/7 4.5/4 2/2 3.25/4 2/3
23 Michigan SO 2/3 2/7 0.25/4 0/2 -0.5/4 -- 3.75 0.25 4.00
GI -- 0/7 0.25/4 0/2 0.5/4 -0.5/3
24 Minnesota SO 2/3 3/7 4.5/4 2/2 1.5/4 -- 13.00 10.00 23.00
GI -- 0/7 4.5/4 2/2 2/4 1.5/3
25 Mississippi SO 2/3 2.5/7 -0.5/4 -0.5/2 -0.5/4 -- 3.00 0.00 3.00
GI -- 0/7 -0.5/4 -0.5/2 -0.5/4 1.5/3
26 Missouri SO 2/3 2/7 0.75/4 -0.5/2 0.5/4 -- 4.75 -0.75 4.00
GI -- 0/7 0.25/4 -0.5/2 -0.5/4 0/3
27 Montana SO 2/3 3/7 0.5/4 0/2 -0.5/4 -- 5.00 -0.50 4.50
GI -- 0/7 0.5/4 0/2 1/4 -2/3
28 Nebraska SO 2/3 2.5/7 0/4 0/2 0.5/4 -- 5.00 -3.00 2.00
GI -- 0/7 0/4 0/2 -1.5/4 -1.5/3
29 Nevada SO 2/3 3.5/7 3.5/4 3/2 1.5/4 -- 13.50 10.00 23.50
GI -- 0/7 3.5/4 3/2 2/4 1.5/3
30 New Hampshire SO 2/3 2/7 3.5/4 1/2 0.75/4 -- 9.25 1.25 10.50
GI -- 0/7 0/4 1/2 -1.25/4 1.5/3
31 New Jersey SO 2.5/3 6/7 4.5/4 3/2 0.5/4 -- 16.50 9.00 25.50
GI -- 2/7 4.5/4 3/2 0.5/4 -1/3
32 New Mexico SO 2/3 3.5/7 4/4 2/2 1/4 -- 12.50 6.00 18.50
GI -- 0/7 4/4 1/2 1/4 0/3
33 New York SO 3/3 5.5/7 4.5/4 2/2 1.5/4 -- 16.50 9.50 26.00
GI -- 0/7 3.5/4 2/2 2.5/4 1.5/3
34 North Carolina SO 2/3 2.5/7 -0.25/4 1/2 -0.5/4 -- 4.75 -1.25 3.50
GI -- 0/7 -0.25/4 1/2 0/4 -2/3
35 North Dakota SO 2/3 2/7 -0.25/4 0/2 -0.5/4 -- 3.25 -1.75 1.50
GI -- 0/7 -0.25/4 0/2 -0.5/4 -1/3
36 Ohio SO 2/3 2.5/7 0.5/4 0/2 -0.5/4 -- 4.50 -0.50 4.00
GI -- 0/7 0.5/4 0/2 -0.5/4 -0.5/3
37 Oklahoma SO 2/3 3.5/7 -0.5/4 -0.5/2 -0.5/4 -- 4.00 -2.50 1.50
GI -- 0/7 -0.5/4 -0.5/2 -0.5/4 -1/3
38 Oregon SO 2.5/3 5/7 3.5/4 3/2 1.75/4 -- 15.75 13.75 29.50
GI -- 0/7 3.5/4 3/2 4.25/4 3/3
39 Pennsylvania SO 2/3 3/7 0.75/4 1/2 -0.5/4 -- 6.25 4.75 11.00
GI -- 0/7 0.75/4 0/2 2/4 2/3
40 Rhode Island SO 2.5/3 5.5/7 4/4 1/2 2/4 -- 15.00 12.00 27.00
GI -- 2/7 4/4 1/2 4/4 1/3
41 South Carolina SO 2/3 2.5/7 -0.5/4 -0.5/2 -0.5/4 -- 3.00 -1.50 1.50
GI -- 0/7 -0.5/4 -0.5/2 -0.5/4 0/3
42 South Dakota SO 2/3 2/7 -0.25/4 -0.5/2 -0.5/4 -- 2.75 -1.75 1.00
GI -- 0/7 -0.25/4 -0.5/2 -0.5/4 -0.5/3
43 Tennessee SO 2/3 2.5/7 -1/4 0/2 0.5/4 -- 4.00 -3.50 0.50
GI -- 0/7 -1/4 0/2 -1.5/4 -1/3
44 Texas SO 2/3 2.5/7 -0.25/4 -0.5/2 0.75/4 -- 4.50 -1.00 3.50
GI -- 0/7 -0.25/4 -0.5/2 -0.25/4 0/3
45 Utah SO 2/3 2/7 2.5/4 2/2 -0.5/4 -- 8.00 4.00 12.00
GI -- 0/7 2.5/4 1/2 -0.5/4 1/3
46 Vermont SO 2.5/3 3/7 4.5/4 3/2 2/4 -- 15.00 13.50 28.50
GI -- 0/7 4.5/4 3/2 4/4 2/3
47 Virginia SO 2/3 2/7 -0.25/4 0/2 -0.5/4 -- 3.25 0.25 3.50
GI -- 0/7 -0.25/4 0/2 -0.5/4 1/3
48 Washington SO 2.5/3 4/7 4.5/4 2/2 1.5/4 -- 14.50 13.50 28.00
GI -- 0/7 4.5/4 2/2 4/4 3/3
49 West Virginia SO 2/3 2.5/7 0/4 0.5/2 -0.5/4 -- 4.50 -1.50 3.00
GI -- 0/7 0/4 0/2 -1.5/4 0/3
50 Wisconsin SO 3/3 4/7 3.5/4 1/2 0.5/4 -- 12.00 -1.50 10.50
GI -- 0/7 0/4 0/2 -1/4 -0.5/3
51 Wyoming SO 2/3 2/7 0/4 0/2 0/4 -- 4.00 -2.00 2.00
GI -- 0/7 0/4 0/2 -0.5/4 -1.5/3

Related Resources


Report

Mapping Transgender Equality in the United States

To help make sense of the current policy landscape in the states, this report looks at legal equality for transgender people across the country. The gender identity tally is comprised of 25 state laws and policies in five key categories: Non-Discrimination, LGBT Youth, Health and Safety, Ability to Correct the Name and Gender Marker on Identity Documents, and Adoption and Parenting.

View the Report
Report

Mapping LGBT Equality in America

Mapping LGBT Equality in America sets out to identify and explain the key gaps in legal equality for LGBT Americans by introducing the major state and local laws and policies that protect or harm LGBT people, providing a breakdown of those laws and policies by state, and showing how protections for LGBT Americans vary based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.

View the Report
Charts

State Policy Tallies

Policy Tallies provide an overview of laws and polices that exist in each state. The major categories of laws covered by the policy tally include: Marriage and Relationship Recognition, Adoption and Parenting, Non-Discrimination, Safe Schools, Health and Safety, and the Ability for Transgender People to Correct the Gender Marker on Identity Documents.

View the Tallies
FAQ

Policy Tallies: Frequently Asked Questions

For information on our methodology and rationale behind the creation of the Policy Tallies, click here to see our Frequently Asked Questions.

View the FAQ
Infographics

Policy Tallies: Infographics

From the pages of Mapping LGBT Equality in America is a set of shareable infographics, including: ‘Equality Wheel: LGBT Policy Tallies by State,’ ‘Percent of Population Covered,’ ‘State Tallies if the Supreme Court Grants Nationwide Marriage for Same-Sex Couples,’ and more.

View the Graphics
Data current as of 06/22/2017
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