This Map Shows the 29 States Where You Can Be Legally Fired For Being Gay
Despite recent advances in LGBT rights such as the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell and Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), there is still a long way to go until gay, lesbian, and transgender Americans achieve full equality in the United States.
Especially when it comes to employment.
Between 15% and 43% of LGBT Americans have experienced discrimination or harassment in the workplace as a result of their sexual orientation. Even more staggering is the proportion of transgender individuals who have had such experiences: 90%.
More shocking, there are still 29 states where LGBT Americans can be legally fired from their jobs based solely on their sexual orientation. These states are:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
West Virginia
Wyoming
But there are good guys is this fight. Twenty-one states prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, while 17 of these also protect against discrimination based on gender identity. These states are (with the years they enacted their laws and policies):
California (1992, 2003)
Colorado (2007)
Connecticut (1991, 2011)
Delaware (2009, 2013)
District of Columbia (1977, 2006)
Hawaii (2011), Illinois (2006)
Iowa (2007)
Massachusetts (1989, 2012)
Maine (2005)
Minnesota (1993)
New Jersey (1992, 2007)
New Mexico (2003)
Nevada (1999, 2011)
Oregon (2008)
Rhode Island (1995, 2001)
Vermont (1991, 2007)
Washington (2006)
States that only protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation, not gender identity (these states are purple in the map below):
Maryland (2001)
New Hampshire (1998)
New York (2003)
Wisconsin (1982)
