50 Years of Change A look at LGBT civil rights over the last half-century of state legislation changes. Documenting laws and regulations that both restrict and promote LGBT rights.

Over the last fifty years, there has been a marked increase in the sheer quantity of state legislation that deals with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender rights. The Supreme Court struck down DOMA and Prop 8 in June 2013, which has since had a significant impact at the state and federal level. It is worth taking a look at how state LGBT laws addressing marriage, adoption, housing, hate crimes, hospital visitation, and employment have changed over the last half-century, especially in recent years. Read more...

2013

(Animate map)

Marriage > - State Laws Supporting LBGT Rights + (Hover over cells for additional information) Laws and state regulations that define marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships. These laws vary greatly from constitutional bans on same sex relationships to full marriage equality. Adoption > - State Laws Supporting LBGT Rights + (Hover over cells for additional information) Adoption laws vary widely between states, from prohibiting adoption of a child to an LGBT parent to allowing both names of a same sex couple on the birth certificate of their child. Laws regarding adoption also affect single parent adopters and unmarried opposite sex couples. Housing > - State Laws Supporting LBGT Rights + (Hover over cells for additional information) Laws that address discrimination in the housing industry, both in renting and owning property, based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Hate Crimes > - State Laws Supporting LBGT Rights + (Hover over cells for additional information) Laws that protect against crimes that are motivated by animosity against a protected class. While some states have no hate crime laws, the majority of states do have at least some form of hate crime protection. LGBT-specific hate crime protection laws are a more recent development and include laws that provide protection for sexual orientation and gender identity. Hospital Visitation > - State Laws Supporting LBGT Rights + (Hover over cells for additional information) Laws that restrict or permit same sex partners to visit one another in the hospital. New regulations were enacted under President Obama's administration in 2011 that required Medicare or Medicaid accepting-hospitals to allow patients to choose who may have visitation rights, as well as who can make medical decisions on their behalf. In these cases, patients cannot be discriminated against based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Employment > - State Laws Supporting LBGT Rights + (Hover over cells for additional information) Laws that address discriminatory practices in the work place. LGBT employment laws protect for sexual orientation and gender identity.

The Years Laws Changed (Click on year to update map)