*Note: These percentages reflect estimates of the LGBTQ adult population living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Estimates of the LGBTQ adult population in the five inhabited U.S. territories are not available, and so cannot be reflected here. Population estimates are from The Williams Institute.
58 % of LGBTQ Americans living in a state that includes questions about sexual orientation and gender identity in state-based BRFSS survey of adults.
42 % of LGBTQ Americans living in a state that does not include questions about sexual orientation and gender identity in state-based BRFSS survey of adults.
0 % of LGBTQ Americans living in a state that does not participate in the BRFSS.
*Note: These percentages reflect estimates of the LGBTQ youth (ages 13-17) population living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Estimates of LGBTQ youth in the U.S. territories or under age 13 are not available, and so cannot be reflected here. Population estimates are from The Williams Institute.
37 % of LGBTQ Americans living in a state that includes questions about sexual orientation and gender identity in state-based YRBSS survey of youth.
48 % of LGBTQ Americans living in a state that includes questions about sexual orientation and gender identity in state-based YRBSS survey of youth.
8 % of LGBTQ Americans living in a state that does include questions about sexual orientation or gender identity in state-based YRBSS survey of youth.
6 % of LGBTQ Americans living in a state that does not participate in the YRBSS.
State | Adults | Youth |
Alabama | State does not have this law | State does not have this law |
Alaska | State has this law | |
American Samoa | ||
Arizona | State does not have this law | State has this law |
Arkansas | State does not have this law | State has this law |
California | State does not have this law | State has this law |
Colorado | State has this law | State has this law |
Connecticut | State has this law | State has this law |
Delaware | State has this law | State has this law |
District of Columbia | State does not have this law | State has this law |
Florida | State does not have this law | State has this law |
Georgia | State has this law | State does not have this law |
Guam | State has this law | |
Hawaii | State has this law | State has this law |
Idaho | State does not have this law | State does not have this law |
Illinois | State has this law | State has this law |
Indiana | State has this law | State has this law |
Iowa | State has this law | State has this law |
Kansas | State has this law | State has this law |
Kentucky | State does not have this law | State has this law |
Louisiana | State has this law | State does not have this law |
Maine | State does not have this law | State has this law |
Maryland | State has this law | State has this law |
Massachusetts | State has this law | State has this law |
Michigan | State has this law | State has this law |
Minnesota | State has this law | |
Mississippi | State does not have this law | State has this law |
Missouri | State has this law | State has this law |
Montana | State has this law | State does not have this law |
Nebraska | State does not have this law | State has this law |
Nevada | State has this law | State has this law |
New Hampshire | State does not have this law | State has this law |
New Jersey | State has this law | State has this law |
New Mexico | State has this law | State has this law |
New York | State does not have this law | State has this law |
North Carolina | State has this law | State has this law |
North Dakota | State has this law | State has this law |
Northern Mariana Islands | State has this law | |
Ohio | State has this law | State has this law |
Oklahoma | State has this law | State has this law |
Oregon | State does not have this law | |
Pennsylvania | State has this law | State has this law |
Puerto Rico | State does not have this law | State has this law |
Rhode Island | State has this law | State has this law |
South Carolina | State does not have this law | State has this law |
South Dakota | State does not have this law | State does not have this law |
Tennessee | State does not have this law | State does not have this law |
Texas | State has this law | State has this law |
U.S. Virgin Islands | State does not have this law | |
Utah | State has this law | State has this law |
Vermont | State has this law | State has this law |
Virginia | State has this law | State has this law |
Washington | State has this law | |
West Virginia | State has this law | State has this law |
Wisconsin | State has this law | State has this law |
Wyoming | State does not have this law |
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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” 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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