Tag: education

Loudoun (VA) School Board approves LGBTQ proclamation despite opposition

Read more at Loundon Times-Mirror.

Loudoun County School Board proclamations are typically noncontroversial, but a proclamation recognizing October as LGBTQ+ History Month drew three no votes at the board’s Sept. 30 meeting.

Language in the proclamation says it honors the “history, achievements, and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people” and celebrates “the strength, resilience, and impact of the LGBTQ+ community, whose contributions have enriched the cultural, educational, and civic life of Virginia and the world.”

The proclamation — whose approval comes as some 600 Republican-sponsored, anti-LGBTQ bills, including 17 in Virginia, have been proposed around the nation — includes a repudiation of discrimination.

“We reject discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation, and gender expression, and instead affirm kindness, acceptance, and respect as the foundation of our learning community,” the proclamation states. “Our school division is stronger when every student and staff member can live authentically and feels a true sense of belonging, and when we embrace the full diversity of our community.”

April Chandler, Algonkian; Linda W. Deans, Broad Run; board Vice Chair Anne P. Donohue, At Large; Arben Istrefi, Sterling; board Chair Melinda M. Mansfield, Dulles; and Sumera Rashid, Little River, voted yes.

Deana L. Griffiths, Ashburn; Karen “Kari” LaBell, Catoctin; and Lauren E. Shernoff, Leesburg, voted no.

The proclamation was initially included in the board’s consent agenda, which has items that are approved en masse.

However, Griffiths, who typically has abstained from voting on proclamations since taking office in 2024, wrote in an email that she moved the proclamation to the regular agenda, so she could speak about why she was voting against it.

“There is a meaningful difference between formally recognizing a group in history and promoting that group for its lifestyle to our students,” Griffiths said at the meeting. “It crosses the line into advocacy and raises serious concerns under the (Trump) executive order protecting our children from inappropriate content in our schools.

“Our communications must remain age appropriate and leave conversations about sensitive information to parents. Schools exist to teach children how to read, write, and think critically. Not engage them in conversations about sexuality at any age where they are far too young to process it.”

The January executive order from President Donald J. Trump that Griffiths referred to says people cannot identify as the opposite sex they were born as. It says the administration will “enforce all sex-protective laws to promote this reality,” including cutting federal funding used to “promote gender ideology.”

The Trump administration said in August it was suspending or terminating funding to Loudoun County Public Schools over its policy allowing transgender students to choose which bathroom or locker room they use. Federal money accounts for about $47 million of the current $2 billion LCPS budget.

Shernoff wrote in an email that some constituents complained to her after she voted for the proclamation last year about the way LGBTQ+ History Month was celebrated in schools. Specifically, their complaints were about how “certain spirit days” were celebrated and the effect on young students.

“I did some research into it and that in conjunction with knowing that LCPS also proclaims LGBTQ+ Pride Month in June, I decided to not support this,” Shernoff said. “I did however support the anti-bullying proclamation which specifically names and protects students based on their gender identity. I remain committed to ensuring all students are protected, safe, and can achieve to their fullest potential.”

LaBell said in an interview that she supported the proclamation last year because it was on the consent agenda and voting against it would’ve meant voting against everything on the agenda.

She said she opposed the proclamation because some of the issues it raises are “too political”  to promote in school and might be inappropriate for young students to discuss.

Like Shernoff, LaBell said she voted for the Pride Month and anti-bullying proclamations, but believes one proclamation related to LGBTQ issues annually is enough.

“You want history? Put it in Pride Month,” she said. “It just seems to me it’s being pushed more so than anything else in our school system at this point in time. And it’s a family issue. It shouldn’t be a political issue in our schools.”

Two groups that support LGBTQ rights criticized the rationale of Griffiths, LaBell and Shernoff.

Candice Tuck, an Equality Loudoun board member, said the proclamation isn’t about promoting sexuality.

“There have been many brave queer pioneers throughout history who have fought for civil rights, who have been inventors, and who have moved our democracy forward,” Tuck said in an interview. “There is no reason that the queer community cannot be recognized for those accomplishments without individuals in our community perverting their history.”

Meredith Ray, the head of Loudoun4All, noted in an email that Griffiths previously said she wouldn’t vote for any proclamations, but chose to single out the LGTBQ+ proclamation for criticism.

Ray called Griffiths’ decision “malicious” and said her remarks were “ignorant commentary” on the issue.

“Recognition of history is not ‘promotion of a lifestyle.’ LGBTQ+ students, staff, and families exist in Loudoun and deserve the same dignity as everyone else. Griffiths’ attempt to frame recognition as ‘inappropriate content’ is harmful, especially to young people who already face higher rates of bullying and mental health struggles when leaders stigmatize them,” Ray said. “In fact, decades of research show that inclusive education that teaches respect and representation is one of the most effective ways to prevent bullying and improve school climate.”

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Appeals court rules for Colorado and LGBTQ rights and against Catholic parishes in state preschool case

Read more at KUNC.

Preschoolers with LGBTQ parents or who identify as LGBTQ can’t be shut out of religious preschools that are part of Colorado’s state-funded preschool program, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

The decision, which upholds a key part of a lower court decision, represents a major win for the state and a defeat for the two Denver-area Catholic preschools at the center of the case.

Tuesday’s decision provides the latest answer to a question being asked in several cases percolating in state and federal courts: Can private religious schools that accept public education dollars refuse to enroll certain kids based on religious principles?

Along with the 10th Circuit Court of Appeal, a Maine federal district court and a Utah state court are among those who have said no.

It’s possible the U.S. Supreme Court could eventually weigh in, though it’s not clear which case will advance to the high court.

In its 54-page ruling, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals wrote that it found no proof that the Colorado Department of Early Childhood took actions that “evidence religious hostility” as the two Catholic preschools claimed.

The state’s universal preschool program “went to great effort to be welcoming and inclusive of faith-based preschools’ participation,” the decision said.

The three-judge panel also found that the early childhood department, which runs the preschool program, had applied its nondiscrimination policy in a neutral way to both religious and non-religious preschools.

The policy bars preschools from discriminating based on a variety of factors, including sexual orientation and gender identity. State officials cited the policy in denying the Catholic preschools a waiver that would have allowed them to keep LGBTQ children or children from LGBTQ families from enrolling.

In a statement Tuesday, Gov. Jared Polis said, “We are building a Colorado for all, where every student is free from discrimination and this voter-approved initiative continues to enroll approximately 70% of all eligible four-year-olds each school year and many faith based and secular providers are operating terrific preschools that serve parents and children well.”

Tuesday’s ruling essentially upholds the status quo in the universal preschool program, meaning that participating preschools can’t shut out LGBTQ children or children with LGBTQ parents.

The three appeals court judges who ruled Tuesday were Gregory Phillips, Veronica Rossman, and Richard Federico. Phillips was appointed by President Barack Obama, and Rossman and Federico were appointed by President Joe Biden.

Nick Reaves, senior counsel at The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which is representing the Catholic preschools in the case, sent Chalkbeat a short statement about the ruling.

“Colorado is punishing religious schools and the families they serve for following their faith. The Tenth Circuit’s decision allows the state’s anti-religious gamesmanship to continue. We will keep fighting to ensure that every preschooler in Colorado can access quality, affordable education.”

Conflict arose as state preschool program rolled out

The Colorado case began in 2023 as the state was launching its new universal preschool program, which provides tuition-free preschool to 4-year-olds statewide. The $349 million program serves more than 40,000 children and allows families to choose from public, private, or religious preschools.

Of more than 2,000 preschools participating in the program this year, about 40 are religious.

St. Mary Catholic Virtue School in Littleton and Wellspring Catholic Academy in Lakewood wanted to join the program when it started, but didn’t want to admit LGBTQ children or children from LGBTQ families.

They asked for an exemption from state rules banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, but the Colorado Department of Early Childhood refused. The two preschools never joined the program, and in August 2023, the parishes that ran the preschools sued the state. (Wellspring Catholic Academy closed in December 2024.)

In June 2024, a federal district court judge appointed by President Jimmy Carter largely ruled in the state’s favor.

He wrote of Colorado’s non-discrimination rules: “The purpose of the requirement is not to invade religious freedom but to further the implementation of a strongly embraced public value.”

The parishes quickly appealed.

Unfolding alongside the Catholic preschool case is a separate lawsuit over universal preschool brought by an evangelical Christian preschool in southern Colorado. Unlike the Catholic preschools, that school, Darren Patterson Christian Academy, joined the universal preschool program when it launched.

While officials there never sought to keep LGBTQ children or families out, their lawsuit said state non-discrimination rules could force the preschool to hire employees who don’t share its faith or to change school policies related to restrooms, pronouns, and dress codes.

In February, a federal judge appointed by Donald Trump ruled in favor of Darren Patterson Christian Academy.

The state appealed the ruling in March. The case is ongoing.

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Texas A&M President resigns over controversy in LGBTQ teachings

Read more at Yahoo.

The President of Texas A&M University, Mark Welsh, resigned last week amid controversy over a viral video between a professor and a student debating gender ideology.

Welsh stepped down officially on Friday, September 19, according to a press release where the Chancellor Glenn Hegar thanked Welsh for his service to the university and the nation.

“President Welsh is a man of honor who has led Texas A&M with selfless dedication,” said Hegar. “We are grateful for his service and contributions. At the same time, we agree that now is the right moment to make a change and to position Texas A&M for continued excellence in the years ahead.”

The former president resigned while the university faces heated backlash after a video was posted of a student calling out a professor for teaching gender ideology in the classroom.

Professor Melissa McCoul was sharing an image of a “gender unicorn” that demonstrates concepts of gender expressions, identity and sexuality while reading “Jude Saves the World,” a novel about a 12-year-old who comes out as nonbinary, according to The Texas Tribune.

The student said it was illegal according to an executive order signed by President Trump and went against her religious beliefs.

“[M]y Administration will defend women’s rights and protect freedom of conscience by using clear and accurate language and policies that recognize women are biologically female, and men are biologically male,” Trump wrote in the executive order.

State Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Texas, reposted the video on X.

“The governor and lieutenant governor and speaker have been telling everybody for two years now that we passed bans on DEI and transgender indoctrination in public universities,” Harrison wrote on his X account. “The only little problem with that? It’s a complete lie. … The state of Texas — despite what the governor said in his tweet yesterday, that this is a violation of law — there is no state law that we passed.”

Professor McCoul was later fired, according to press reports.

Former A&M President Welsh allegedly defended the inclusion of LGBTQ content in the classroom.

“Those people don’t get to pick who their clients are, what citizens they serve and they want to understand the issues affecting the people that they’re going to treat,” Welsh said in an audio recording posted by Harrison on X. “So there is a professional reason to teach some of these courses.”

In the past few years, Texas has been one of many states fighting LGBTQ and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in schools.

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LGBTQ clubs, teachers’ union sue to block parts of Texas DEI ban in public schools

Read more at the Dallas Morning News.

A Plano teacher, a Houston high schooler, the Texas teachers’ union and a network of LGBTQ clubs filed a federal lawsuit in August to block parts of a new Texas law that bans certain student groups from public schools.

The law, which took effect Sept. 1, bars schools from sponsoring a “student club based on sexual orientation or gender identity.” It also forbids schools from providing instruction, guidance or programming on sexual orientation or gender identity. Schools are barred from helping in the social transitioning of a transgender child, which can include using new names or pronouns.

A former faculty sponsor for a Gender and Sexuality Alliance in Plano ISD; a Houston high schooler; the Gender and Sexuality Alliances Network, a nonprofit that represents GSA clubs in Texas schools; and advocacy group Students Engaged in Advancing Texas say their freedom of speech and expressive association “will be irreparably suppressed” under the new law.

Texas AFT, the teachers’ union, joined the lawsuit as a plaintiff Sept. 15.

“S.B. 12 is one of the most extreme education censorship laws in the country, undermining the free speech rights of Texas students, parents, and educators,” said Brian Klosterboer, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Texas, who filed the suitin the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.“We’re challenging this law in court because our schools should be places of truth, inclusion, and opportunity — not fear and erasure.”

The lawsuit names Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath as a defendant, as well as Plano, Katy and Houston ISDs.

“Plano ISD is obligated to comply with the law as written unless or until the courts provide further direction,” said Zoheb Hassanali, the district’s assistant director of communications, public relations and social media.

He said district staff have received training to ensure compliance with the law.

“Our focus continues to be on educating and supporting our students, and we will not allow external litigation to distract us from that responsibility,” he added.

Houston ISD’s press office said the district does not comment on pending litigation.

Representatives from Katy ISD and the Texas Education Agency did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

The legal action comes as school districts across Texas are adopting policies to comply with the state law, which prohibits diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in K-12 schools.

Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Allen, who introduced the legislation, said it ensures parents are at the “head of the table when it comes to their kids’ education.”

In addition to the ban on LGBTQ clubs, the legislation requires schools to get a parent’s permission before a child can join any school club.

“Our schools should be about teaching history and reading, writing and math and civic responsibility,” Leach said as he advocated for the bill in the Legislature. “We need to get away from some of the more toxic social issues.”

If the law is not blocked, all 22 student-run Gender and Sexuality Alliance clubs registered with the GSA Network will likely shut down, according to the filing.

Leach criticized the organizations during legislative discussions, calling them “school-sponsored and school-sanctioned sex clubs.” Supporters and members of the clubs say they provide safe and welcoming spaces for students.

The groups in the lawsuit say the ban “ostracizes” students “who have a sexual orientation or gender identity that differs from other students.” It also “harms allies of LGBTQ+ students who seek to learn about issues impacting their friends and advocate for a safer and more inclusive school environment,” according to the filing.

At least one Gender and Sexuality Alliance in Plano ISD disbanded ahead of the law’s implementation date, according to court documents. Students tried to start a new club, but school administrators said it would not be allowed.

One student decided to be homeschooled because the club shut down “and the fact that their affirming name and pronouns will no longer be respected by teachers and staff,” court documents read.

The law has created “a climate of fear and discrimination” in the Plano ISD school, “where the voices of LGBTQ+ students and educators are suppressed.” The school is not identified in the lawsuit, and the teacher and student plaintiffs go by pseudonyms to protect them from retaliation.

The Plano ISD teacher, who was also the faculty sponsor of the now-disbanded Gender and Sexuality Alliance, said the law’s “vague and broad” requirements create “a massive gray area about how and whether she can support her transgender students.”

Texas AFT, the teachers’ union, said it has already received a “high volume of inquiries” from members on its grievance hotline about what the law means, its “harsh professional consequences and the harm it is causing their relationships with their students and concerned parents.”

For a Houston high schooler at Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, the law could mean she can’t join or start a Gender and Sexuality Alliance at her new school.

The high schooler participated in GSA in middle school, where she “found community and support in her own experience of coming out as an LGBTQ+ student and felt safer and happier,” the filing reads.

Under the law, she worries she won’t have that same experience. She already feels the law “is suppressing her ability to speak with teachers” about certain topics, including social transitioning.

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NC Dems’ defection fuels the passage of several harmful Republican bills

Read more at NC Voices.

Four North Carolina Democratic lawmakers broke with their party in voting to override Governor Josh Stein’s veto of eight bills, a move that helped push several harmful measures into law.

The four Democrats who voted with state Republican lawmakers on one or more of the override votes were:

  • Cecil Brockman (D-Guilford) – Helped override 2 bills
  • Carla Cunningham (D-Mecklenburg) – Helped override 5 bills
  • Nasif Majeed (D-Mecklenburg) – Helped override 2 bills
  • Shelly Willingham (D-Edgecombe) – Helped override 6 bills

In both of the state’s legislative chambers, a 60% threshold is required to override a governor’s veto of a bill. Due to the four democratic lawmakers going against their party, House Democrats were unable to sustain Governor Stein’s vetoes on eight bills, including House Bill 805, House Bill 318, Senate Bill 266, and House Bill 193.

Here is a breakdown of the bills and how the four lawmakers voted:

Senate Bill 266 is a harmful bill that will raise utility bills for North Carolinians, roll back clean energy progress, and shift costs onto working families so that large corporations pay less. 

The veto override passed 74-46, with Cunningham, Majeed, and Willingham being the deciding votes.

House Bill 193 is a dangerous policy that allows nearly anyone with minimal training to carry a concealed firearm at a private school, creating a serious safety risk for students, teachers, and school support staff. 

The Republican veto override passed 72-48, with Willingham being the deciding vote.

In an interview with Bryan Anderson, Willingham stated that Governor Stein personally called him on Monday night to ask him to sustain his vetoes of several harmful bills. 

Willingham declined, saying, “Governor Stein, he’s just getting to know me. I think now he knows that whatever I say I’m going to do, that’s what I’m going to do. So he could take that to the bank.”

“They say, ‘Well, we want you to sustain the governor’s veto,’” Willingham said. “My thing is I sustain my vote.”

House Bill 805 was originally a bipartisan bill that would have helped people who appeared in sexually explicit photos and videos online to have them removed. However, state Republicans changed the bill to attack transgender North Carolinians along with other controversial provisions. 

In his veto statement, Governor Stein said that while he agreed with the portions of House Bill 805 protecting women and minors  from sexual exploitation on websites, the attacks towards transgender North Carolinians are “mean-spirited.”

Governor Stein wrote, “My faith teaches me that we are all children of God no matter our differences and that it is wrong to target vulnerable people, as this legislation does.”

Ultimately, state Republicans overrode Governor Stein’s veto, 72-48, with Majeed being the deciding vote.

House Bill 318 is an anti-immigration measure that will force sheriffs to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 

In a statement following his veto of HB 318, Governor Stein stated, “My oath of office requires that I uphold the Constitution of the United States. Therefore, I cannot sign this bill because it would require sheriffs to unconstitutionally detain people for up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released. The Fourth Circuit is clear that local law enforcement officers cannot keep people in custody solely based on a suspected immigration violation. But let me be clear: anyone who commits a serious crime in North Carolina must be prosecuted and held accountable regardless of their immigration status.”

Despite the bill setting up a dangerous precedent, state Republicans overrode Stein’s veto, 72-48.

Rep. Carla Cunningham, who was the deciding vote, gave a speech on the House floor defending her action to help Republicans override Gov. Josh Stein’s veto of the anti-immigration bill. 

In what Rep. Cunningham referred to as sharing her “unapologetic truth”, the Mecklenburg lawmaker went on to state, “First, as a people, we need to recognize that it’s not just the numbers that matter, but also where the immigrants come from and the culture they bring with them to another country. As the social scientists report, all cultures are not equal.”

 “Some immigrants come and believe they can function in isolation, refusing to adapt,” Cunningham stated. “They have come to our country for many reasons, but I suggest they must assimilate, adapt to the culture of the country they wish to live in.”

She added, “It’s time to turn the conveyor belt off.”

North Carolina Democratic Leaders Push Back

Several Democrats decried the override vetoes on the eight bills, including the Duke Energy bill, attacks towards transgender North Carolinians, and allowing concealed carry on private school grounds. 

On the floor, Rep. Marcia Morey, D-Durham, a former judge, pushed back against Cunningham’s remarks, stating, “We all agree we want safe communities. That’s no longer the issue with this bill — it is scapegoating. It is scapegoating immigrants.”

“Research has shown us that the immigrant community is less likely to commit crimes than the US citizen. That is a fact. We need to work towards finding solutions, not creating divisiveness and ignoring community concerns. This is furthering an anti-immigrant agenda no matter the cost. And when police act as immigration agents, witnesses or victims of crime are going to be less likely to report crime.”

According to the News & Observer, Senate Democratic Leader Sydney Batch called Cunningham’s remarks “absolutely uncalled for.”

“The very fact that you would say that not all people, or not all immigrants, are equal, is just – one, it’s contrary to our Constitution. It’s contrary to how this country was formed. This country was formed because of Native Americans, Blacks that were enslaved, and immigrants, including every single person that was here other than Native Americans,” Batch told reporters. 

“To say that we are not equal goes and flies in the face of anything that a Democrat, in my opinion, believes and holds, near and dear.”

In a statement last week, the Young Democrats of North Carolina joined Democratic members in condemning Cunningham’s remarks, saying that the lawmaker “disgraced her office with a hate-filled speech attacking the very immigrant communities she was elected to serve.”

“You will be held accountable by your community,” the group stated. “Good luck.”

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‘Just trying to be kids’: Students, families speak out against federal ruling against schools’ transgender policies

Read more at the Prince William Times.

Fearful. Aggravated. Hurt. That’s how 16-year-old Ellie Bowling said she felt after the U.S. Department of Education told the Prince William County school division it must change its inclusive transgender policies or risk losing federal funding.

Ellie, who is trans, is a rising junior in Colgan High School’s Center for the Fine and Performing Arts. She’s excited to soon be driving and loves to be onstage. Last spring, she performed in the school’s production of “Guys and Dolls” and recently earned the role of “Candy” in the school’s fall production of “Zombie Prom.”

“I’m currently thriving in this environment; they created a great learning experience for me,” Ellie said of Prince William County schools.

Ellie was 11 when she started her transition. Since then, her parents, Adam and Erin Bowling, have legally changed her name and gender on government and school documents. After obtaining medical and psychological signoffs, Ellie began receiving gender-affirming hormone therapy at Children’s National Hospital in D.C.

At Colgan High, like all other Prince William County schools, transgender students use the bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identities in accordance with a regulation that guides how transgender and gender nonconforming students are treated in schools.

“I know that Colgan is a good place for me. I fit in well there, and that’s partially because these policies help me fit into this school and be able to find my place,” Ellie said. “Without these policies — I don’t know.”

The Bowlings are one of likely hundreds of Prince William County families facing uncertainty as the new school year approaches in less than two weeks. The schools are wrestling with the education department’s determination that its policies violate Title IX, a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in educational settings that receive federal funding.

On July 25, the education department told five Virginia school divisions — Prince William, Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington and Alexandria — they had 10 days to change their policies that allow transgender students to use the facilities that match their gender identities “or risk imminent enforcement consequences, including referral to the U.S. Department of Justice.”

School board has yet to act

The education department said its decision was based on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June that upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender affirming care for minors. The Northern Virginia school policies are based on an earlier case involving Virginia teen Gavin Grimm, who successfully sued Gloucester County schools in federal court to allow students to use restrooms that match their gender identities. In 2021, the U.S. Supreme court declined to review the case.

Babur Lateef, the Prince William County School Board chairman, called a special board meeting this week to receive legal advice on the decision, which will mostly be held in closed session. He declined further comment.

School board member Tracy Blake said he told parents to expect no changes when school begins on Aug. 18.  

“Trans students and families do not need to worry about coming back to school on the first day because there will be no disruptions for trans students or any students,” he said in an interview on Friday, Aug. 1.

Blake said he believes removing the regulation would be wrong.

“We can’t discriminate against one person,” he said. “Once you let one thing go, what happens then? Then it’s the next thing. We’ve already seen this in history, and all of our students have to feel safe.”

Ruling adds to challenges for transgender youth

The move by the U.S. Department of Education wasn’t unexpected because trans people have been targeted by the Trump administration, said Lisanne Boddye, a mother of seven, including a transgender teen and a gender expansive teen who both attend Potomac High School. Boddye is also a special education teacher at Potomac High and the wife of Prince William Supervisor Kenny Boddye. 

“My children, like thousands across the country, deserve to walk into their schools knowing they are respected, affirmed and protected,” Lisanne Boddye said. “When leaders target transgender students for exclusion or erasure, they send a chilling message — not just to those students, but to every family who believes in fairness, decency, and the right to learn without fear.”

About 3.3% of U.S. high school students identify as transgender, and about 2.2% of high school students are questioning their gender identity, according to a 2023 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey. That means about 1 in 20 high schoolers are either transgender or questioning their gender, or about 1,200 of the 24,000 students enrolled in Prince William County’s 13 high schools.

Delta Boddye, 16, a rising senior, rows on the Potomac High School crew team. She began transitioning two years ago and said her teachers have always used her correct name and “made sure they are affirming (her).”

“I’ve just been planning on just living as myself, just trying to be a kid, trying to be a student,” she said about returning to school.

But revoking the school’s policy could change that, she said. No matter the policy, Delta said she will insist that her correct name and pronouns are used at school.

The possible change in the school division’s policy comes on top of other challenges. Delta was considering joining the military but now can’t because of the recent ban on transgender troops. The Bowlings learned the Youth Pride Clinic at Children’s National Hospital, where Ellie is a patient, will no longer prescribe gender-affirming medications as of Aug. 30 due to “escalating legal and regulatory risks” to the hospital and its providers.

“This is supposed to be her happiest year, her senior year, and all of the horizons are supposed to be endless, and now most of them are not,” said Lisanne Boddye, who is an Army special operations veteran.

Both the Bowlings and Boddyes say they are speaking out not only for the safety and mental health of their own children, but for their trans classmates who may not have the same family and community support.

Equality Prince William, a nonprofit that advocates for the LGBTQIA+ community, sponsored a campaign urging the school board “to hold firm in their support for transgender and gender diverse students.” As of Aug. 5, 1,700 letters had been sent. 

“Title IX exists to prevent exactly this kind of discrimination,” said Glorya Jordan, a registered nurse who is on the board of Equality Prince William and is the mother of a transgender adult. “The attempt to rescind protections for transgender youth is not only illegal but deadly. Trans youth already face staggering rates of bullying, depression and suicide.”

“Let’s stop hurting our children because of what we are afraid of and do not understand,” said the Casa BruMar Foundation, a nonprofit based in Gainesville that provides resources for the LGBTQIA+ community. “Let’s allow our children to know that being different is not dangerous.”

Adam Bowling hopes people realize there is so much more to his daughter Ellie than just being trans and she deserves to be her authentic self at school. 

“Demonizing this group of people is just so wrong,” he said. “I just hope the majority of people hear stories like Ellie’s and realize that there are human beings that these decisions are affecting and it’s a life-or-death situation for some of them.”

Ellie wants people to know that she is a normal teenager.

“I hate how politicized trans youth is, because I am not a monster,” Ellie said. “There’s so much misinformation out there obviously for fear-mongering reasons. I’m not this predator who goes into women’s spaces just to, like, spy on them. I am a woman who is living her life.”

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Project 2025’s Mike Howell targets UNC courses that mention diversity and LGBTQ+ topics

Read more at The Advocate.

A senior Heritage Foundation official and co-author of the far-right Project 2025 agenda has filed a comprehensive public records request targeting more than 70 courses at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, demanding access to teaching materials that reference diversity, race, gender, and LGBTQ+ identities.

According to UNC’s public records portal, Mike Howell, executive director of the Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project, submitted the request on July 2, asking UNC to turn over syllabi, lecture slides, assignments, and internal communications that include any of 30 flagged terms. Among them: “transgender,” “LGBTQ+,” “cisgender,” “queer,” “intersectionality,” “nonbinary,” “white privilege,” and “restorative justice.” The request spans content shared since Jan. 19, 2025, and directs the university to search platforms such as Canvas, Microsoft Teams, Signal, and Slack.

The courses flagged by the Oversight Project include Gender and Sexuality in Islam, Transnational Black Feminist Thought and Practice, Islam and Sexual Diversity, Race and Gender in the Atlantic World, and Black Families in Social and Contemporary Contexts. Also targeted are courses like Diversity and Inclusion at Work, Diversity in Education, Social Theory and Cultural Diversity, and Gender and Sexuality in Middle Eastern Literature.

Howell cited two executive orders signed by President Donald Trump earlier this year, Executive Orders 14151 and 14173, which condition federal funding on the elimination of DEI-related content. In the request, Howell argued that the records “will shed light on potential inconsistencies between internal practices and public representations made by officials in a matter of substantial national importance.”

Since taking office in January, Trump has aggressively implemented policies that target diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, as well as gender and LGBTQ+ protections. Though he previously distanced himself from Project 2025, calling some of its authors “severe right” and its proposals “seriously extreme,” his administration has moved swiftly to enact many of its recommendations. The nearly 1,000-page blueprint, authored by the Heritage Foundation and allied organizations, calls for the dismantling of DEI programs, bans on transgender military service, elimination of non-discrimination protections, and the closure of the Department of Education. Many of the document’s contributors now hold key posts in federal agencies.

Scholars have long cautioned that excluding race, gender, and sexuality from coursework risks reinforcing bias rather than promoting academic neutrality. The American Psychological Association encourages inclusive curricula that reflect students’ lived experiences. In a 1992 paper, psychologist Susan B. Goldstein noted that even cross-cultural psychology can marginalize women and LGBTQ+ people when it generalizes findings from white, heterosexual men as universal. She urged faculty to treat diversity as central to understanding human behavior, not an elective or ideological add-on. A study in the Harvard Educational Review found that engagement with racially diverse peers enhances students’ critical thinking, academic growth, and civic awareness.

UNC has not yet fulfilled the Oversight Project’s request. A university spokesperson told Inside Higher Ed, which first reported the story, that course materials are “the intellectual property of the preparer” and the university is still determining what, if any, documents will be released.

Chris Petsko, a professor whose course was among those targeted, told Inside Higher Ed he will not comply. He said the request is an intimidation tactic designed to distort academic work and stifle inclusive teaching. On LinkedIn, he advised fellow faculty to review institutional intellectual property policies.

Howell dismissed objections. “Syllabi are public records and belong to the public,” he told Inside Higher Ed. “If a professor is too much of a wimp to let me read his syllabus then he’s in the wrong business.”

Howell has previously drawn scrutiny for hypocrisy. In 2024, The Advocate reported on a 2012 Yelp photo showing Howell smiling beside a friend in drag, despite his vocal condemnations of drag culture and LGBTQ+ rights. When contacted, Howell confirmed the photo’s authenticity and dismissed it as Halloween mischief.

GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis called Howell’s behavior “the definition of hypocrisy” at the time, adding that Project 2025 is a “dangerous, unhinged playbook” that exposes the intent of “anti-LGBTQ extremists hell-bent on destroying democracy.”

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NH Republican governor vetoed anti-LGBTQ+ book ban and bathroom bills

Read more at The Advocate.

New Hampshire Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte has gone against her party and vetoed two anti-LGBTQ+ bills and three other far-right ones.

Ayotte vetoed the bills Tuesday, while signing 101 others into law.

House Bill 324 would have barred schools from distributing books and other materials deemed “harmful to minors.” It was aimed primarily at sexual content and likely would have been used against books with LGBTQ+ characters and themes. It also would have required school districts to strengthen the process through which parents could challenge these materials.

“Current state law appears to provide a mechanism for parents through their local school district to exercise their rights to ensure their children are not exposed to inappropriate materials,” Ayotte said in her veto message. Under this law, “parents must be notified at least two weeks in advance of course materials that involve human sexuality, sexual education, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression,” she noted. “If a parent objects in writing, New Hampshire law further requires an alternative agreed upon between the school district and the parent.”

“Therefore, I do not believe the State of New Hampshire needs to, nor should it, engage in the role of addressing questions of literary value and appropriateness, particularly where the system created by House Bill 324 calls for monetary penalties based on subjective standards,” Ayotte added. Parents who were dissatisfied could have filed lawsuits.

House Bill 148 would have let businesses and correctional facilities to classify and segregate people by sex assigned at birth rather than gender identity, affecting restroom and locker room use. State law bans discrimination based on gender identity, but under the bill, these classifications would not have been considered a violation of the law.

“I believe there are important and legitimate privacy and safety concerns raised by biological males using places such as female locker rooms and being placed in female correctional facilities,” Ayotte wrote. “At the same time, I see that House Bill 148 is overly broad and impractical to enforce, potentially creating an exclusionary environment for some of our citizens.” It could have led to lawsuits as well, she said. Her immediate predecessor as governor, fellow Republican Chris Sununu, had vetoed a similar bill.

Additionally, Ayotte vetoed House Bill 358, “which would make it easier for parents to apply for religious exemptions to child vaccine requirements in school,” House Bill 446, “which would require schools to get explicit parental permission before giving students non-academic surveys,” and House Bill 667, “which would require sex education courses to include ‘a high quality computer generated animation or ultrasound video that shows the development of the heart, brain, and other vital organs in early fetal development,’” the New Hampshire Bulletin reports. She also vetoed two budget-related bills.

It would take a two-thirds majority in both the state House and Senate to override Ayotte’s vetoes. Republicans do not have a veto-proof majority in the House.

House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson issued a statement Tuesday praising the vetoes without mentioning Ayotte. “We’re grateful that today New Hampshire chose to protect the rights and dignity of our transgender neighbors — and House Democrats will keep fighting until every Granite Stater can live freely, openly, and safely, no matter who they are,” Simpson said, according to the Bulletin.

Ayotte was not always an LGBTQ+ ally, having once opposed marriage equality and adoption by same-sex couples. But “Ayotte’s vetoes are a rejection of her party’s attempt to assert cultural control throughout the state, and the country,” The New Republic notes.

0

These are the 15 worst states for LGBTQ+ people

Read more at The Advocate.

A lot of states are passing laws that target the LGBTQ+ community — but these 15 are the absolute worst.

Over 1,000 anti-LGBTQ+ laws have been proposed across every state legislature in the U.S. over the past two years, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, and 126 have passed into law. Less than two months into the 2025 legislative session, 390 laws targeting LGBTQ+ people have been proposed.

While marriage equality and anti-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity are still guaranteed federally by U.S. Supreme Court rulings (for now), LGBTQ+ people are still concerned about their rights being taken away, especially when only 15 states have “shield laws” protecting access to gender-affirming care and abortion.

Based on laws surrounding marriage, family rights, health care, education, and youth collected by the Movement Advancement Project, here are the 15 worst states for LGBTQ+ people.

Related: What states are the best for LGBTQ+ people? These are the top 15

Alabama

Pride Parade in Huntsville, Alabama

Katssoup / Shutterstock.com

Pride Parade in Huntsville, Alabama (October 1, 2022)

    Nondiscrimination laws: Alabama does not have nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, or credit/lending. Its state code incorrectly defines sex as exclusively male or female, and it prohibits transgender people from using public facilities that align with their identities.

    Marriage equality and parental rights: Alabama does not have adoption or foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents. It does not have second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, confirmatory adoption, nor recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also does not have family leave laws that encompass LGBTQ+ people.

    Education and youth policies: Alabama has a “Don’t Say Gay” law restricting discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms. It has banned trans students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it requires staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians. The state also has a “religious exemption” law for Child Welfare Services.

    Healthcare access and rights: Alabama has banned life-saving gender-affirming care for youth, though it permits the discredited and harmful practice of so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not required to provide coverage related to gender transition or fertility treatments. The state also has a “religious exemption” law for healthcare providers.

    Criminal justice: Alabama’s hate crime laws do not encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has not banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense.

    Arkansas

    Pride Walk at Hot Springs National Park

    Danielsen_Photography / Shutterstock.com

    3rd annual Pride Walk at Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas (June, 4 2021)

      Nondiscrimination laws: Arkansas does not have nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, or credit/lending. The state bans cities and local ordinances from passing nondiscrimination laws, and it has law about “adult” performances that could be used to target or restrict drag.

      Marriage equality and parental rights: Arkansas does not have adoption or foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents. It does not have second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, confirmatory adoption, nor recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also does not have family leave laws that encompass LGBTQ+ people.

      Education and youth policies: Arkansas has a “Don’t Say Gay” law restricting discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms. It has banned trans students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it requires staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

      Healthcare access and rights: Arkansas has banned life-saving gender-affirming care for youth, though it permits the discredited and harmful practice of so-called conversion therapy for youth. Medicaid is forbidden from providing coverage related to gender transition to minors, and insurance companies are not required to cover fertility treatments. The state also has a “religious exemption” law for healthcare providers.

      Criminal justice: Arkansas’ hate crime laws do not encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has not banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense. It has an HIV criminalization law that may require sex offender registration.

      Florida

      Pulse Nightclub memorial

      Chris_Harris / Shutterstock.com

      Mourners pay their respects to the fallen at the Pulse Nightclub memorial on the 5th anniversary of the Pulse mass shooting in Orlando, Florida (June 12, 2021)

        Nondiscrimination laws: Florida has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, and public accommodations, but not in credit/lending, health care, nor education. The state prohibits transgender people from using public facilities that align with their identities, and it does not allow updating gender markers on driver’s licenses or birth certificates. It has law about “adult” performances that could be used to target or restrict drag

        Marriage equality and parental rights: Florida does not have adoption or foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents. It does not have second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, confirmatory adoption, nor recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also does not have family leave laws that encompass LGBTQ+ people.

        Education and youth policies: Florida originated the “Don’t Say Gay” laws restricting discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms. It has banned trans students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it requires staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

        Healthcare access and rights: Florida has banned life-saving gender-affirming care for youth, though it permits the discredited and harmful practice of so-called conversion therapy for youth. Medicaid is forbidden from providing coverage related to gender transition for all ages, and insurance companies are not required to cover fertility treatments. The state also has a “religious exemption” law for healthcare providers.

        Criminal justice: Florida’s hate crime laws only encompass sexual orientation, not gender identity. It has not banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense, and it has an HIV criminalization law.

        Idaho

        Boise rally for transgender youth

        Venture Out Media / Shutterstock.com

        Rally in support of transgender youth and gender-affirming care in Boise, Idaho (February 24, 2023)

          Nondiscrimination laws: Idaho has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, and public accommodations, but not in credit/lending, education, health care, nor for state employees. Its state code incorrectly defines sex as exclusively male or female.

          Marriage equality and parental rights: Idaho does not have adoption or foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents. It has second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, but not confirmatory adoption nor recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also does not have family leave laws that encompass LGBTQ+ people.

          Education and youth policies: Idaho has banned trans students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it requires staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians. The state also has a “religious exemption” law for Child Welfare Services, though it has protections for LGBTQ+ youth in the Child Welfare System.

          Healthcare access and rights: Idaho has banned life-saving gender-affirming care for youth, though it permits the discredited and harmful practice of so-called conversion therapy for youth. Medicaid is forbidden from providing coverage related to gender transition for all ages, and insurance companies are not required to cover fertility treatments. The state also has a “religious exemption” law for healthcare providers.

          Criminal justice: Idaho’s hate crime laws do not encompass sexual orientation and gender identity. It has not banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense, and it has an HIV criminalization law.

          Indiana

          IUB students at Indy Pride

          Umut Tolga Pehlivan / Shutterstock.com

          Indiana University Bloomington Students walking at Indy Pride in Indianapolis, Indiana (June 4, 2008)

            Nondiscrimination laws: Indiana has weaker nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, and public accommodations, but not in credit/lending, education, nor health care. The state also has a broad “religious exemption” law.

            Marriage equality and parental rights: Indiana has adoption or foster care nondiscrimination protections based on sexual orientation, but not gender identity. It has second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, but not confirmatory adoption nor recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also does not have family leave laws that encompass LGBTQ+ people.

            Education and youth policies: Indiana has a “Don’t Say Gay” law restricting discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms. It has banned trans students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it requires staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

            Healthcare access and rights: Indiana has banned life-saving gender-affirming care for youth, though it permits the discredited and harmful practice of so-called conversion therapy for youth. Medicaid and state health insurance plans are not required to provide coverage related to gender transition or fertility treatments, but it has trans-inclusive health benefits for state employees.

            Criminal justice: Indiana’s hate crime laws do not encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has not banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense. It has an HIV criminalization law that may require sex offender registration.

            Louisiana

            Southern Decadence Parade march

            Scott Colesby / Shutterstock.com

            Southern Decadence Parade march through the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana (September 1, 2024)

              Nondiscrimination laws: Louisiana does not have nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, or credit/lending. Its state code incorrectly defines sex as exclusively male or female, and it prohibits transgender people from using public facilities that align with their identities. The state also has a broad “religious exemption” law.

              Marriage equality and parental rights: Louisiana does not have adoption or foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents. It does not have second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, confirmatory adoption, nor recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also does not have family leave laws that encompass LGBTQ+ people.

              Education and youth policies: Louisiana has a “Don’t Say Gay” law restricting discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms. It has banned trans students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it requires staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

              Healthcare access and rights: Louisiana has banned life-saving gender-affirming care for youth, though it permits the discredited and harmful practice of so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not required to provide coverage related to gender transition or fertility treatments, and state employees do not have trans-inclusive benefits.

              Criminal justice: Louisiana’s hate crime laws only encompass sexual orientation, not gender identity. It has not banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense, and it has an HIV criminalization law that may require sex offender registration.

              Mississippi

              Rainbow flag at Biloxi VA Medical Center

              Carmen K. Sisson / Shutterstock.com

              A rainbow flag supporting Pride month flies a the Biloxi VA Medical Center in Biloxi, Mississippi (June 5, 2023)

                Nondiscrimination laws: Mississippi does not have nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, or credit/lending. Its state code incorrectly defines sex as exclusively male or female, and it prohibits transgender people from using public facilities that align with their identities. The state also has a broad “religious exemption” law.

                Marriage equality and parental rights: Mississippi does not have adoption or foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents. It has second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, but not confirmatory adoption nor recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also does not have family leave laws that encompass LGBTQ+ people.

                Education and youth policies: Mississippi has a “Don’t Say Gay” law restricting discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms. It has banned trans students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it requires staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians. The state also has a “religious exemption” law for Child Welfare Services.

                Healthcare access and rights: Mississippi has banned life-saving gender-affirming care for youth, though it permits the discredited and harmful practice of so-called conversion therapy for youth. Medicaid is forbidden from providing coverage related to gender transition for youth, and insurance companies are not required to cover fertility treatments. The state also has a “religious exemption” law for healthcare providers.

                Criminal justice: Mississippi’s hate crime laws do not encompass sexual orientation and gender identity. It has not banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense, and it has an HIV criminalization law.

                Missouri

                Saint Louis PrideFest

                Ryanzo W. Perez / Shutterstock.com

                A view down one of the streets filled with celebrants during Saint Louis PrideFest in Missouri (June 24, 2023)

                  Nondiscrimination laws: Missouri has weaker nondiscrimination laws in housing, and public accommodations, but not in employment, credit/lending, education, nor health care. The state also has a broad “religious exemption” law.

                  Marriage equality and parental rights: Missouri’s adoption or foster care nondiscrimination protections only encompass sexual orientation, not gender identity. It does not have second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, confirmatory adoption, nor recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also does not have family leave laws that encompass LGBTQ+ people.

                  Education and youth policies: Missouri has banned schools and districts from passing nondiscrimination or anti-bullying policies protecting LGBTQ+ students. It has banned trans students from participating in sports based on their identities, but not from using facilities that align with their identities.

                  Healthcare access and rights: Missouri has banned life-saving gender-affirming care for youth, though it permits the discredited and harmful practice of so-called conversion therapy for youth. Medicaid is forbidden from providing coverage related to gender transition for all ages, and insurance companies are not required to cover fertility treatments. The state also has a “religious exemption” law for healthcare providers.

                  Criminal justice: Missouri’s hate crime laws encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, though it has not banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense, and it has an HIV criminalization law.

                  Montana

                  "Say Gay" sign at Missoula Pride\u200b

                  Cavan-Images / Shutterstock.com

                  “Say Gay” sign at Missoula Pride in Montana (March 29, 2024)

                    Nondiscrimination laws: Montana does not have nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, or credit/lending. Its state code incorrectly defines sex as exclusively male or female, and it has a broad “religious exemption” law. The state has also explicitly restricted drag performances, and does not allow updating gender markers on birth certificates

                    Marriage equality and parental rights: Montana’s adoption or foster care nondiscrimination protections only encompass sexual orientation, not gender identity. It has second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, but not confirmatory adoption nor recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also does not have family leave laws that encompass LGBTQ+ people.

                    Education and youth policies: Montana requires that parents be notified of LGBTQ+ curricula so they can opt out. It has banned trans students from participating in sports based on their identities, but not from using facilities that align with their identities. The state requires staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

                    Healthcare access and rights: Montana has banned life-saving gender-affirming care for youth, though it permits the discredited and harmful practice of so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies and Medicaid are required to cover care related to gender transition, and there is some coverage for fertility treatments. However, the state has a “religious exemption” law for healthcare providers.

                    Criminal justice: Montana’s hate crime laws do not encompass sexual orientation and gender identity. It has not banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense, and it has an HIV criminalization law.

                    Oklahoma

                    Pride Parade in Oklahoma

                    Kit Leong / Shutterstock.com

                    Pride Parade in Oklahoma (June 26, 2023)

                      Nondiscrimination laws: Oklahoma does not have nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, or credit/lending. Its state code incorrectly defines sex as exclusively male or female, and it prohibits updated gender markers on birth certificates. It also has a broad “religious exemption” law.

                      Marriage equality and parental rights: Oklahoma does not have adoption or foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents. It has second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, but not confirmatory adoption nor recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also does not have family leave laws that encompass LGBTQ+ people.

                      Education and youth policies: Oklahoma has a weaker version of a “Don’t Say Gay” law that restricts the discussion of “homosexuality” in specific school subjects. It has banned trans students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities. The state also has a “religious exemption” law for Child Welfare Services, though it has protections for LGBTQ+ youth in the Child Welfare System.

                      Healthcare access and rights: Oklahoma has banned life-saving gender-affirming care for youth, though it permits the discredited and harmful practice of so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not required to provide coverage related to gender transition or fertility treatments, and state employees are not permitted trans-inclusive benefits.

                      Criminal justice: Oklahoma’s hate crime laws do not encompass sexual orientation and gender identity. It has not banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense, and it has an HIV criminalization law.

                      South Carolina

                      Rainbow flag on a map of South Carolina\u200b

                      Shuttershock creative

                      Rainbow flag on a map of South Carolina

                        Nondiscrimination laws: South Carolina does not have nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, or credit/lending. It has a broad “religious exemption” law.

                        Marriage equality and parental rights: South Carolina‘s adoption or foster care nondiscrimination protections only encompass sexual orientation, not gender identity. It does not have second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, confirmatory adoption, nor recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also does not have family leave laws that encompass LGBTQ+ people.

                        Education and youth policies: South Carolina has banned trans students from participating in sports based on their identities, but not from using facilities that align with their identities. The state requires staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians. The state also has a “religious exemption” law for Child Welfare Services.

                        Healthcare access and rights: South Carolina has banned life-saving gender-affirming care for youth, though it permits the discredited and harmful practice of so-called conversion therapy for youth. Medicaid is forbidden from providing coverage related to gender transition for all ages, and insurance companies are not required to cover fertility treatments. The state also has a “religious exemption” law for healthcare providers.

                        Criminal justice: South Carolina‘s hate crime laws do not encompass sexual orientation and gender identity. It has not banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense, and it has an HIV criminalization law.

                        South Dakota

                        South Dakota state flag with rainbow stripes \u200b

                        Shuttershock creative

                        South Dakota state flag with rainbow stripes

                          Nondiscrimination laws: South Dakota does not have nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, or credit/lending. It has a broad “religious exemption” law.

                          Marriage equality and parental rights: South Dakota’s adoption or foster care nondiscrimination protections encompass sexual orientation and gender identity. However, it does not have second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, confirmatory adoption, nor recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also does not have family leave laws that encompass LGBTQ+ people.

                          Education and youth policies: South Dakota has banned schools and districts from passing nondiscrimination or anti-bullying policies protecting LGBTQ+ students. It has banned trans students from participating in sports based on their identities, but not from using facilities that align with their identities. The state also has a “religious exemption” law for Child Welfare Services, though it has protections for LGBTQ+ youth in the Child Welfare System.

                          Healthcare access and rights: South Dakota has banned life-saving gender-affirming care for youth, though it permits the discredited and harmful practice of so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not required to provide coverage related to gender transition or fertility treatments, and state employees are not permitted trans-inclusive benefits.

                          Criminal justice: South Dakota‘s hate crime laws do not encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has not banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense. It has an HIV criminalization law that may require sex offender registration.

                          Tennessee

                          Pride Parade on Beale Street in Memphis

                          evenfh / Shutterstock.com

                          Pride Parade on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee (September 28, 2018)

                            Nondiscrimination laws: Tennessee does not have nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, or credit/lending. It instead bans cities and local ordinances from passing nondiscrimination laws. State code incorrectly defines sex as exclusively male or female, and it does not allow updating gender markers on driver’s licenses or birth certificates. The state has a broad “religious exemption” law that even allows officials to deny marriage licenses based on their personal beliefs. It has also explicitly restricted drag performances.

                            Marriage equality and parental rights: Tennessee’s adoption or foster care nondiscrimination protections encompass sexual orientation and gender identity. However, it does not have second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, confirmatory adoption, nor recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also does not have family leave laws that encompass LGBTQ+ people.

                            Education and youth policies: Tennessee requires that parents be notified of LGBTQ+ curricula so they can opt out. It has banned trans students from participating in sports based on their identities and from using facilities that align with their identities. The state requires staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians. The state also has a “religious exemption” law for Child Welfare Services, though it has protections for LGBTQ+ youth in the Child Welfare System.

                            Healthcare access and rights: Tennessee has banned life-saving gender-affirming care for youth, though it permits the discredited and harmful practice of so-called conversion therapy for youth. Medicaid is forbidden from providing coverage related to gender transition for all ages, and insurance companies are not required to cover fertility treatments. The state also has a “religious exemption” law for healthcare providers, and state employees are not permitted trans-inclusive benefits.

                            Criminal justice: Tennessee’s hate crime laws encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, though it has not banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense, and it has an HIV criminalization law that may require sex offender registration.

                            Texas

                            Rainbow crosswalk in Austin

                            eric laudonien / Shutterstock.com

                            Rainbow crosswalk outside Neon Grotto nightclub in Austin, Texas (May 29, 2024)

                              Nondiscrimination laws: Texas has nondiscrimination laws in employment and for state employees, but not in housing, public accommodations, credit/lending, education, nor health care. The state does not allow updating gender markers on driver’s licenses or birth certificates, and it has a broad “religious exemption” law.

                              Marriage equality and parental rights: Texas does not have adoption or foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents. It does not have second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, confirmatory adoption, nor recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also does not have family leave laws that encompass LGBTQ+ people.

                              Education and youth policies: Texas has a weaker version of a “Don’t Say Gay” law that restricts the discussion of “homosexuality” in specific school subjects. It has banned trans students from participating in sports based on their identities, but not from using facilities that align with their identities. The state also has a “religious exemption” law for Child Welfare Services without protections for LGBTQ+ youth.

                              Healthcare access and rights: Texas has banned life-saving gender-affirming care for youth, though it permits the discredited and harmful practice of so-called conversion therapy for youth. Medicaid is forbidden from providing coverage related to gender transition for all ages, and insurance companies are not required to cover fertility treatments. State employees are not permitted trans-inclusive benefits.

                              Criminal justice: Texas’s hate crime laws only encompass sexual orientation, not gender identity. It has not banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense.

                              Wyoming

                              Double rainbow against a black sky in Wyoming

                              Shuttershock creative

                              Double rainbow against a black sky in Wyoming

                                Nondiscrimination laws: Wyoming does not have nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, or credit/lending.

                                Marriage equality and parental rights: Wyoming does not have adoption or foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents. It does not have second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, nor confirmatory adoption. It also does not have family leave laws that encompass LGBTQ+ people. However, it does have recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies.

                                Education and youth policies: Wyoming has a weaker version of a “Don’t Say Gay” law that restricts the discussion of “homosexuality” in specific school subjects. It has banned trans students from participating in sports based on their identities, but not from using facilities that align with their identities.

                                Healthcare access and rights: Wyoming has banned life-saving gender-affirming care for youth, though it permits the discredited and harmful practice of so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not required to provide coverage related to gender transition or fertility treatments.

                                Criminal justice: Wyoming’s hate crime laws do not encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has not banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense.

                                Dishonorable mentions

                                "Proud" balloons at Atlanta Pride

                                BluIz70 / Shutterstock.com

                                People carry large balloon letters that spell out “Proud” as they walk in the annual pride parade in Atlanta, Georgia (October 15, 2023)

                                  Other states that ranked below average include: Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, and West Virginia.

                                  0

                                  What states are the best for LGBTQ+ people? These are the top 15

                                  Read more at The Advocate.

                                  \u200bRainbow crosswalk in Hoboken (L); Women on motorcycles at Denver Pride (M); Empire State Building in rainbow colors (R)

                                  Kirkam / Shutterstock.com; Philipp Salveter / Shutterstock.com; anaglic / Shutterstock.com

                                  Rainbow LGBTQ+ Pride crosswalk in Hoboken, New Jersey (L); Women on motorcycles at Pride celebration in Denver, Colorado (M); Empire State Building in NYC lit up in rainbow colors (R)

                                    Legislative attacks on the LGBTQ+ community have been pushed everywhere from city councils to the White House — but there are still some areas that are safe.

                                    Over 1,000 anti-LGBTQ+ laws have been proposed across every state legislature in the U.S. over the past two years, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, and 126 have passed into law. Less than two months into the 2025 legislative session, 390 laws targeting LGBTQ+ people have been proposed.

                                    Still, marriage equality and anti-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity are still guaranteed federally by U.S. Supreme Court rulings (for now). On top of that, at least 15 states have “shield laws” protecting access to gender-affirming care and abortion.

                                    Based on laws surrounding marriage, family rights, health care, education, and youth collected by the Movement Advancement Project, here are the 15 best states for LGBTQ+ people.

                                    Related: What states are the most dangerous for LGBTQ+ people? Here are the worst 15

                                    California

                                    West Hollywood Pride balloons

                                    GrandAve / Shutterstock.com

                                    Pride celebration in West Hollywood, California – June 9, 2019

                                      Nondiscrimination laws: California has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, and credit/lending.

                                      Marriage equality and parental rights: California has adoption and foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents, second-parent adoption for unmarried couples and confirmatory adoption, and recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also has family leave laws, which include LGBTQ-inclusive definitions.

                                      Education and youth policies: California does not restrict discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms, and instead requires curriculum to be LGBTQ-inclusive, which parents are not required to be notified of. It does not prevent transgender students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it does not require staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

                                      Healthcare access and rights: California has “shield” laws protecting access to gender-affirming care for youth, as well as abortion. The state has also banned so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not allowed to deny coverage related to gender transition. However, they are not required to cover fertility treatments.

                                      Criminal justice: California’s hate crime laws encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense. While the state does not criminalize HIV, it does have sentencing enhancements for sex-related convictions for those with HIV.

                                      Colorado

                                      Women on motorcycles at Denver Pride celebration

                                      Philipp Salveter / Shutterstock.com

                                      Women on motorcycles at Pride celebration in Denver, Colorado, USA – June 16th 2019

                                        Nondiscrimination laws: Colorado has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, education, health care, public accommodations, and credit/lending.

                                        Marriage equality and parental rights: Colorado has adoption and foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents, second-parent adoption for unmarried couples and confirmatory adoption, and recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also has family leave laws, which include LGBTQ-inclusive definitions.

                                        Education and youth policies: Colorado does not prevent transgender students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it does not require staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians. It does not restrict discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms, and instead requires curriculum to be LGBTQ-inclusive, which parents are not required to be notified of.

                                        Healthcare access and rights: Colorado has “shield” laws protecting access to gender-affirming care for youth, as well as abortion. The state has also banned so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not allowed to deny coverage related to gender transition. However, state employees who are transgender do not have inclusive health benefits. Insurance companies are also not required to cover fertility treatments.

                                        Criminal justice: The state’s hate crime laws encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense. Like California, Colorado does not criminalize HIV, but it does have sentencing enhancements for sex-related convictions for those with HIV.

                                        Connecticut

                                        Pride flags outside Vine Cottage CT

                                        Miro Vrlik Photography / Shutterstock.com

                                        LGBTQ+ Pride flags outside Vine Cottage in New Canaan, Connecticut – June 13, 2021

                                          Nondiscrimination laws: Connecticut has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, education, public accommodations, and credit/lending. It does not have nondiscrimination laws for private healthcare, and it does have a broad “Religious Exemption” law.

                                          Marriage equality and parental rights: Connecticut has adoption and foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents, second-parent adoption for unmarried couples and confirmatory adoption, and recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also has family leave laws, but their LGBTQ-inclusive definitions are not as robust as those of California or Colorado.

                                          Education and youth policies: Connecticut does not restrict discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms, but it does not have LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum. It does not prevent transgender students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it does not require staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

                                          Healthcare access and rights: Connecticut has “shield” laws protecting access to gender-affirming care for youth, as well as abortion. The state has also banned so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not allowed to deny coverage related to gender transition. Private insurance is required to cover some fertility treatments, but Medicaid is not.Criminal justice:Connecticut’s hate crime law encompasses sexual orientation but not gender identity. It also does not have nondiscrimination laws for LGBTQ+ people in jury selection.

                                          Illinois

                                          "Persist" balloons at Chicago

                                          Dominique Robinson / Shutterstock.com

                                          LGBTQ+ Pride in Chicago, Illinois – June 30th 2019

                                            Nondiscrimination laws: Illinois has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, and credit/lending. However, it does have a broad “Religious Exemption” law.

                                            Marriage equality and parental rights: Illinois has adoption and foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents, second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, and recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also has family leave laws, which include LGBTQ-inclusive definitions. It does not have confirmatory adoption.

                                            Education and youth policies: Illinois does not restrict discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms, and instead requires curriculum to be LGBTQ-inclusive, which parents are not required to be notified of. It does not prevent transgender students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it does not require staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

                                            Healthcare access and rights: Illinois has “shield” laws protecting access to gender-affirming care for youth, as well as abortion. The state has also banned so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not allowed to deny coverage related to gender transition or fertility treatments.

                                            Criminal justice: Illinois’ hate crime laws encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense.

                                            Maine

                                            Woman waving flag at Pride in Portland, Maine

                                            Enrico Della Pietra / Shutterstock.com

                                            LGBTQ+ Pride in Portland, Maine – June 18, 2022

                                              Nondiscrimination laws: Maine has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, and credit/lending.

                                              Marriage equality and parental rights: Maine has adoption and foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents, second-parent adoption for unmarried couples and confirmatory adoption, and recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also has family leave laws, which include LGBTQ-inclusive definitions.

                                              Education and youth policies: Maine does not restrict discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms, but it does not have LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum. It does not prevent transgender students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it does not require staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

                                              Healthcare access and rights: Maine has “shield” laws protecting access to gender-affirming care for youth, as well as abortion. The state has also banned so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not allowed to deny coverage related to gender transition. Private insurance is required to cover some fertility treatments, but Medicaid is not.Criminal justice:Maine’s hate crime laws encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense.

                                              Maryland

                                              Marchers and floats in the first Annapolis Pride parade

                                              Keri Delaney / Shutterstock.com

                                              The inaugural Pride Parade in Annapolis, Maryland – June 29, 2019

                                                Nondiscrimination laws: Maryland has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, and credit/lending.

                                                Marriage equality and parental rights: Maryland has adoption and foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents, confirmatory adoption, and recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It does not second-parent adoption for unmarried couples. It also has family leave laws, but their LGBTQ-inclusive definitions are not as robust as others.

                                                Education and youth policies: Maryland does not restrict discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms, but it does not have LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum. It does not prevent transgender students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it does not require staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

                                                Healthcare access and rights: Maryland has “shield” laws protecting access to gender-affirming care for youth, as well as abortion. The state has also banned so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not allowed to deny coverage related to gender transition. Private insurance is required to cover some fertility treatments, but Medicaid is not.

                                                Criminal justice: Maryland’s hate crime laws encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense. It does have a law criminalizing the transmission of HIV.

                                                Massachusetts

                                                Pride flag over Boston Seaport

                                                Michael Moloney / Shutterstock.com

                                                LGBTQ+ Pride flag waving in the wind over the Boston Seaport – JUNE 2, 2019

                                                  Nondiscrimination laws: Massachusetts has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, education, public accommodations, and credit/lending. It has nondiscrimination laws for gender identity in private healthcare, but not for sexual orientation.

                                                  Marriage equality and parental rights: Massachusetts has adoption and foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents, second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, and recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also has family leave laws, which include LGBTQ-inclusive definitions. It does not have confirmatory adoption.

                                                  Education and youth policies: Massachusetts does not restrict discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms, but it does not have LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum. It does not prevent transgender students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it does not require staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

                                                  Healthcare access and rights: Massachusetts has “shield” laws protecting access to gender-affirming care for youth, as well as abortion. The state has also banned so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not allowed to deny coverage related to gender transition. Private insurance is required to cover some fertility treatments, but Medicaid is not.

                                                  Criminal justice: Maryland’s hate crime laws encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, but it has not banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense. It does not have nondiscrimination protections based on gender identity for jury selection.

                                                  Minnesota

                                                  Lowry Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis lit in Rainbow Colors

                                                  Shuttershock Creative

                                                  Lowry Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis lit in Rainbow Colors in Honor of Orlando Victims

                                                    Nondiscrimination laws: Minnesota has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, and credit/lending.

                                                    Marriage equality and parental rights: Minnesota has adoption and foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents. It does have family leave laws, which include LGBTQ-inclusive definitions. It does not have second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, confirmatory adoption, nor recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies.

                                                    Education and youth policies: Minnesota does not restrict discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms, but it does not have LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum. It does not prevent transgender students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it does not require staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

                                                    Healthcare access and rights: Minnesota has “shield” laws protecting access to gender-affirming care for youth, as well as abortion. The state has also banned so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not allowed to deny coverage related to gender transition. However, they are not required to cover fertility treatments.

                                                    Criminal justice: Minnesota’s hate crime laws encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense.

                                                    Nevada

                                                    Las Vegas Pride parade float

                                                    Kobby Dagan / Shutterstock

                                                    LGBTQ+ Pride parade in Las Vegas, Nevada – October 21 , 2016

                                                      Nondiscrimination laws: Nevada has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, and credit/lending.

                                                      Marriage equality and parental rights: Nevada has adoption and foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents, second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, and recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also has family leave laws, which include LGBTQ-inclusive definitions. It does not have confirmatory adoption.

                                                      Education and youth policies: Nevada does not restrict discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms, and instead requires curriculum to be LGBTQ-inclusive, which parents are not required to be notified of. It does not prevent transgender students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, but it does not require staff to forcibly out students who change their gender identity to their guardians

                                                      Healthcare access and rights: Nevada does not have shield laws for gender-affirming care and abortion. The state has also banned so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not allowed to deny coverage related to gender transition. However, they are not required to cover fertility treatments.

                                                      Criminal justice: Nevada’s hate crime laws encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense. It does not have nondiscrimination protections based on gender identity for jury selection.

                                                      New Jersey

                                                      Rainbow crosswalk in Hoboken, New Jersey

                                                      Kirkam / Shutterstock.com

                                                      Rainbow LGBTQ+ Pride crosswalk in Hoboken, New Jersey, – June 25, 2023

                                                        Nondiscrimination laws: New Jersey has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, education, public accommodations, and credit/lending. It has nondiscrimination laws for gender identity in private healthcare, but not for sexual orientation.

                                                        Marriage equality and parental rights: New Jersey has adoption and foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents, and second-parent adoption for unmarried couples and confirmatory adoption. It also has family leave laws, which include LGBTQ-inclusive definitions. It does not have recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies.

                                                        Education and youth policies: New Jersey does not restrict discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms, and instead requires curriculum to be LGBTQ-inclusive, which parents are not required to be notified of. It does not prevent transgender students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it does not require staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

                                                        Healthcare access and rights: New Jersey has “shield” laws protecting access to gender-affirming care for youth, as well as abortion. The state has also banned so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not allowed to deny coverage related to gender transition. Private insurance is required to cover some fertility treatments, but Medicaid is not.

                                                        Criminal justice: New Jersey’s hate crime laws encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense. It does not have nondiscrimination laws for LGBTQ+ people in jury selection.

                                                        New York

                                                        Empire State Building in rainbow colors

                                                        anaglic / Shutterstock.com

                                                        Empire State Building in rainbow colors in honor of the Orlando shooting victims, New York City – June 26, 2016

                                                          Nondiscrimination laws: New York has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, and credit/lending.

                                                          Marriage equality and parental rights: New York has adoption and foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents, second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, and recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also has family leave laws, which include LGBTQ-inclusive definitions. It does not have confirmatory adoption.

                                                          Education and youth policies: New York does not restrict discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms, but it does not have LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum. It does not prevent transgender students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it does not require staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

                                                          Healthcare access and rights: New York has “shield” laws protecting access to gender-affirming care for youth, as well as abortion. The state has also banned so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not allowed to deny coverage related to gender transition. Private insurance and Medicaid are also required to cover some fertility treatments.

                                                          Criminal justice: New York’s hate crime laws encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense.

                                                          Oregon

                                                          Protestors wear rainbow flag capes and carry a sign reading "Be nice, you're in Oregon"

                                                          Alexander Oganezov / Shutterstock.com

                                                          Protestors wear rainbow flag capes and carry a sign reading “Be nice, you’re in Oregon” at anti-fascism protest in Portland, Oregon – August 17, 2019

                                                            Nondiscrimination laws: Oregon has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, and public accommodations. It does not have nondiscrimination laws in credit/lending.

                                                            Marriage equality and parental rights: Oregon has adoption and foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents and second-parent adoption for unmarried couples. It does have family leave laws, which include LGBTQ-inclusive definitions. It does not have confirmatory adoption, nor recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies.

                                                            Education and youth policies: Oregon does not prevent transgender students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it does not require staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians. It does not restrict discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms, and instead requires curriculum to be LGBTQ-inclusive, which parents are not required to be notified of.

                                                            Healthcare access and rights: Oregon has “shield” laws protecting access to gender-affirming care for youth, as well as abortion. The state has also banned so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not allowed to deny coverage related to gender transition. However, they are not required to cover fertility treatments.

                                                            Criminal justice: Oregon’s hate crime laws encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense.

                                                            Rhode Island

                                                            Rainbow flags on bridge over water in Providence, Rhode Island

                                                            Anthony Ricci / Shutterstock.com

                                                            Pride festival in downtown Providence, Rhode Island – June 17, 2017

                                                              Nondiscrimination laws: Rhode Island has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, education, public accommodations, and credit/lending. It has nondiscrimination laws for gender identity in private healthcare, but not for sexual orientation. It also has a broad “Religious Exemption” law.

                                                              Marriage equality and parental rights: Rhode Island has adoption and foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents, second-parent adoption for unmarried couples and confirmatory adoption, and recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also has family leave laws, but their LGBTQ-inclusive definitions are not as robust as others.

                                                              Education and youth policies: Rhode Island does not restrict discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms, but it does not have LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum. It does not prevent transgender students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it does not require staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

                                                              Healthcare access and rights: Rhode Island has “shield” laws protecting access to gender-affirming care for youth, as well as abortion. The state has also banned so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not allowed to deny coverage related to gender transition. Private insurance is required to cover some fertility treatments, but Medicaid is not.

                                                              Criminal justice: Rhode Island’s hate crime laws encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense. It does not have nondiscrimination laws for LGBTQ+ people in jury selection.

                                                              Vermont

                                                              Pride flag on lamppost in Montpelier, Vermont

                                                              Charles Patrick Ewing / Shutterstock.com

                                                              LGBTQ+ Pride flag on lamppost in Montpelier, Vermont – June 11, 2022

                                                                Nondiscrimination laws: Vermont has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, and credit/lending.

                                                                Marriage equality and parental rights: Vermont has adoption and foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents, second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, and recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies. It also has family leave laws, which include LGBTQ-inclusive definitions. It does not have confirmatory adoption.

                                                                Education and youth policies: Vermont does not restrict discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms, but it does not have LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum. It does not prevent transgender students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it does not require staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

                                                                Healthcare access and rights: Vermont has “shield” laws protecting access to gender-affirming care for youth, as well as abortion. The state has also banned so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not allowed to deny coverage related to gender transition. However, state employees who are transgender do not have inclusive health benefits. Insurance companies are also not required to cover fertility treatments.

                                                                Criminal justice: Vermont’s hate crime laws encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense. It does not have nondiscrimination laws for LGBTQ+ people in jury selection.

                                                                Washington

                                                                People carrying "We say trans" and "We say gay" signs at Seattle Pride

                                                                SeaRick1 / Shutterstock.com

                                                                People carrying rainbow signs reading “We say trans” and “We say gay” at LGBTQ+ Pride in Seattle, Washington – June 25, 2023

                                                                  Nondiscrimination laws: Washington has nondiscrimination laws in employment, housing, health care, education, public accommodations, and credit/lending.

                                                                  Marriage equality and parental rights: Washington has adoption and foster care nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ parents and recognition for parents using assisted reproductive technologies.. It does have family leave laws, which include LGBTQ-inclusive definitions. It does not have second-parent adoption for unmarried couples, nor confirmatory adoption.

                                                                  Education and youth policies: Washington does not restrict discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in classrooms, and instead requires curriculum to be LGBTQ-inclusive, which parents are not required to be notified of. It does not prevent transgender students from participating in sports or using school facilities based on their identities, and it does not require staff to forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their guardians.

                                                                  Healthcare access and rights: Washington has “shield” laws protecting access to gender-affirming care for youth, as well as abortion. The state has also banned so-called conversion therapy for youth. Health insurance companies, including Medicaid, are not allowed to deny coverage related to gender transition. However, they are not required to cover fertility treatments.

                                                                  Criminal justice: Washington’s hate crime laws encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, and it has banned the so-called “LGBTQ+ panic” defense. It does have a law criminalizing the transmission of HIV.

                                                                  Honorable mentions

                                                                  Sign outside SCOTUS reading "Equality for LGBTQ people no more, no less"

                                                                  Bob Korn / Shutterstock.com

                                                                  Rally for LGBTQ rights outside Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. – OCT. 8, 2019

                                                                    Washington, D.C. also ranked high on MAP’s assessment, though it does not currently have statehood.

                                                                    Other states that ranked above average include: Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Virginia.

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