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The rights of lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S. state of Utah have significantly evolved in the 21st century. Protective laws have become increasingly enacted since 2014,despite the state's reputation as socially conservative and highly religious. Same-sex marriage has been legal since the state's ban was ruled unconstitutional by federal courts in 2014. In addition,statewide anti-discrimination laws now cover sexual orientation and gender identity in employment and housing,and the use of conversion therapy on minors is prohibited. In spite of this,there are still a few differences between the treatment of LGBT people and the rest of the population,and the rights of transgender youth are restricted.
In the United States,public opinion and jurisprudence on lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) rights have developed significantly since the late 1980s. In 1961,beginning with Illinois,states began to decriminalize same-sex sexual activity,and in 2003,through Lawrence v. Texas,all remaining laws against same-sex sexual activity were invalidated. In 2004,beginning with Massachusetts,states began to offer same-sex marriage,and in 2015,through Obergefell v. Hodges,all states were required to offer it. In many states and municipalities,LGBT Americans are explicitly protected from discrimination in employment,housing,and access to public accommodations. Many LGBT rights in the United States have been established by the United States Supreme Court,which invalidated state laws banning protected class recognition based upon homosexuality,struck down sodomy laws nationwide,struck down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act,made same-sex marriage legal nationwide,and prohibited employment discrimination against gay and transgender employees. LGBT-related anti-discrimination laws regarding housing and private and public services varies by state. Twenty-three states plus Washington,D.C.,Guam,and Puerto Rico outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation,and twenty-two states plus Washington,D.C.,outlaw discrimination based on gender identity or expression. Family law also varies by state. Adoption of children by same-sex married couples is legal nationwide since Obergefell v. Hodges.
Lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) persons in the U.S. state of Louisiana may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Louisiana as a result of the US Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas,although the state legislature has not repealed its sodomy laws. Same-sex marriage has been recognized in the state since June 2015 as a result of the Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges.
In the United States,the rights of transgender people vary considerably by jurisdiction. In recent decades,there has been an expansion of federal,state,and local laws and rulings to protect transgender Americans;however,many rights remain unprotected,and some rights are being eroded. Since 2020,there has been a national movement by conservative/right-wing politicians and organizations to target transgender rights. There has been a steady increase in the number of anti-transgender bills introduced each year,especially in Republican-led states.
Lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) individuals in the U.S. state of Alabama have federal protections,but still face legal challenges and discrimination on the state level that is not experienced by non-LGBT residents. LGBT rights in Alabama—a Republican Party stronghold located in both the Deep South and greater Bible Belt—are severely limited in comparison to other states. As one of the most socially conservative states in the U.S.,Alabama is one of the only two states along with neighboring Mississippi where opposition to same-sex marriage outnumbers support.
Lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S. state of West Virginia face legal challenges not faced by non-LGBT persons. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 1976,and same-sex marriage has been recognized since October 2014. West Virginia statutes do not address discrimination on account of sexual orientation or gender identity;however,the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBT people is illegal.
Lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S. state of Florida have federal protections,but many face legal difficulties on the state level that are not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Same-sex sexual activity became legal in the state after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Lawrence v. Texas on June 26,2003,although the state legislature has not repealed its sodomy law. Same-sex marriage has been legal in the state since January 6,2015. Discrimination on account of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment,housing and public accommodations is outlawed following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County. In addition,several cities and counties,comprising about 55 percent of Florida's population,have enacted anti-discrimination ordinances. These include Jacksonville,Miami,Tampa,Orlando,St. Petersburg,Tallahassee and West Palm Beach,among others. Conversion therapy is also banned in a number of cities in the state,mainly in Palm Beach County and the Miami metropolitan area. In September 2023,Lake Worth Beach,Florida became an official "LGBT sanctuary city" to protect and defend LGBT rights.
Lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S. state of Georgia enjoy most of the same rights and liberties as non-LGBT people. LGBT rights in the state have been a recent occurrence,with most improvements occurring from the 2010s onward. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 1998,although the state legislature has not repealed its sodomy law. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2015. In addition,the state's largest city Atlanta,has a vibrant LGBT community and holds the biggest Pride parade in the Southeast. The state's hate crime laws,effective since June 26,2020,explicitly include sexual orientation.
The U.S. state of New York has generally been seen as socially liberal in regard to lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) rights. LGBT travel guide Queer in the World states,"The fabulosity of Gay New York is unrivaled on Earth,and queer culture seeps into every corner of its five boroughs". The advocacy movement for LGBT rights in the state has been dated as far back as 1969 during the Stonewall riots in New York City. Same-sex sexual activity between consenting adults has been legal since the New York v. Onofre case in 1980. Same-sex marriage has been legal statewide since 2011,with some cities recognizing domestic partnerships between same-sex couples since 1998. Discrimination protections in credit,housing,employment,education,and public accommodation have explicitly included sexual orientation since 2003 and gender identity or expression since 2019. Transgender people in the state legally do not have to undergo sex reassignment surgery to change their sex or gender on official documents since 2014. In addition,both conversion therapy on minors and the gay and trans panic defense have been banned since 2019. Since 2021,commercial surrogacy has been legally available within New York State.
Lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) people in Texas have some protections in state law but may face legal and social challenges not faced by others. Same-sex sexual activity was decriminalized in Texas in 2003 by the Lawrence v. Texas ruling. On June 26,2015,the Supreme Court of the United States ruled bans on same-sex marriage to be unconstitutional in Obergefell v. Hodges.
Lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) persons in the U.S. state of Arkansas may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Arkansas. Same-sex marriage became briefly legal through a court ruling on May 9,2014,subject to court stays and appeals. In June 2015,the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that laws banning same-sex marriage are unconstitutional,legalizing same-sex marriage in the United States nationwide including in Arkansas. Nonetheless,discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity was not banned in Arkansas until the Supreme Court banned it nationwide in Bostock v. Clayton County in 2020.
Lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) people in the Commonwealth of Virginia enjoy the same rights as non-LGBT persons. LGBT rights in the state are a recent occurrence with most improvements in LGBT rights occurring in the 2000s and 2010s. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Virginia since October 6,2014,when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider an appeal in the case of Bostic v. Rainey. Effective July 1,2020,there is a state-wide law protecting LGBT persons from discrimination in employment,housing,public accommodations,and credit. The state's hate crime laws also now explicitly include both sexual orientation and gender identity.
Lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S. state of South Dakota may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in South Dakota,and same-sex marriages have been recognized since June 2015 as a result of Obergefell v. Hodges. State statutes do not address discrimination on account of sexual orientation or gender identity;however,the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBT people is illegal under federal law.
Lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) persons in the U.S. state of Montana may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Montana since 1997. Same-sex couples and families headed by same-sex couples are eligible for all of the protections available to opposite-sex married couples,as same-sex marriage has been recognized since November 2014. State statutes do not address discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity;however,the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBT people is illegal under federal law. A number of cities also provide protections in housing and public accommodations.
Lesbian,gay,bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S. state of Idaho face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT people. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Idaho,and same-sex marriage has been legal in the state since October 2014. State statutes do not address discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity;however,the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBT people is illegal under federal law. A number of cities and counties provide further protections,namely in housing and public accommodations. A 2019 Public Religion Research Institute opinion poll showed that 71% of Idahoans supported anti-discrimination legislation protecting LGBT people,and a 2016 survey by the same pollster found majority support for same-sex marriage.
The Equality Act is a bill in the United States Congress,that,if passed,would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex,sexual orientation and gender identity in employment,housing,public accommodations,education,federally funded programs,credit,and jury service. The Supreme Court's June 2020 ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County protects gay and transgender people in matters of employment,but not in other respects. The Bostock ruling also covered the Altitude Express and Harris Funeral Homes cases.
Harold Vernon Dutton Jr. is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives representing District 142. He was first elected in 1984 and is one of the longest-serving members of the Texas House of Representatives.
Thomas John Oliverson is an American politician and anesthesiologist who is a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 130.
Arkansas House Bill 1570,also known as the Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act or Act 626,is a 2021 law in the state of Arkansas that bans gender-affirming medical procedures for transgender people under 18,including puberty blockers,hormone therapy,and sex reassignment surgery. The law also bans the use of public funds for and prohibits insurance from covering gender transition procedures,while doctors who provide treatment in violation of the ban can be sued for damages or professionally sanctioned. The measure makes Arkansas the first U.S. state to make gender-affirming medical care illegal.
Chloe Cole is an American activist who opposes gender-affirming care for minors and supports bans on such care following her own detransition. She has appeared with conservative politicians and in the media,supporting and advocating for such bans. Cole says that she began transitioning at 12 and detransitioned at 17 after having undergone treatment which included puberty blockers,testosterone,and a double mastectomy.
References
- ↑ "Rep. Shawn Thierry - Texas State Directory Online".
- ↑ Svitek, Patrick (August 6, 2016). "Attorney Wins Democratic Nod to Replace Rep. Borris Miles". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
- ↑ Kuffner, Charles (June 21, 2016). "Kuff's World Judicial Q&A revisited: Shawn Thierry". The Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
- ↑ "Texas House passes bill that aims to keep sexually explicit materials out of school libraries". Texas Tribune. April 19, 2023.
- ↑ "TX House initially passes bill that keeps sexually explicit books out of school libraries". CBS.
- ↑ "Pivotal House vote moves Texas closer to banning puberty blockers, hormone treatments for trans kids". Texas Tribune. May 12, 2023.
- ↑ "Pivotal House vote moves Texas closer to banning puberty blockers, hormone treatments for trans kids". CBS. May 12, 2023.
- ↑ "Treatment ban for transgender youth gets OK from Texas House with Democrats' help". Dallas Morning News. May 12, 2023.
- ↑ "Houston Democrat's support of transgender care ban, anti-LGBTQ measures has roiled the party". Houston Chronicle.
- ↑ "State Rep. Shawn Thierry, a Houston Democrat who voted with Republicans on anti-LGBTQ+ bills, headed to likely primary runoff". Houston Public Media.
