ruggrap.pages.dev

Safest states for lgbtq to live

Home / gay topics / Safest states for lgbtq to live

In other words, these scores are an excellent measure of the current LGBTQ policy landscape across a wide range of issues, but the scores do not necessarily reflect the entire political or social landscape for LGBTQ people.

Each of the over 50 LGBTQ-related laws and policies that MAP tracks earns a score (positive for protective, or negative for harmful).

South Carolina, Louisiana, South Dakota and Alabama also received low scores.

The states that had the largest gains in the index were Kentucky and Michigan, which Out Leadership attributed to “pro-equality” leadership from governors Andy Beshear and Gretchen Whitmer, both Democrats. Proposed legislation was also considered.

Here's our full research on LGBTQ+ legislation currently on the books across the country: 

 Learn more about the most (and least) friendly states for LGBTQ+ families in Move.org’s full report.

Safety Ranking

State

Sex Orientation Protective Laws

Sex Orientation Negative Laws

Gender Identity Protective Laws

Gender Identity Negative Laws

MAP Overall Policy Tally
Lifestyle Ranking
1Maine23025044.52
2New York22025044.57
3Colorado25124145.253
4Vermont20023039.56
5Nevada23023141.255
6Washington19124140.254
7Maryland2002204314
8Delaware14115130.251
9Massachusetts2002203919
10Rhode Island1802103817
11California2412414518
12Oregon18022037.512
13Hawaii14017031.2526
14Connecticut20021040.7522
14New Jersey21024041.7524
16New Mexico1802303610
17Minnesota18021036.7511
18New Hampshire17118332.513
19Alaska31228.2521
20Illinois231251439
21Pennsylvania518116.7520
22Michigan162202308
23Nebraska31141.2523
24Wisconsin1215117.7525
25Kansas4114115
26Virginia14116424.528
27North Dakota716710.531
28Utah82881027
29Ohio64492.2516
30Arizona72347.533
31North Carolina72557.2538
32Georgia3133-141
33Louisiana4227-6.7530
34Kentucky6255534
35Wyoming3106-642
36Indiana7226-2.7529
37Texas4123-1.7543
38West Virginia6147-0.7537
39Iowa132776.536
40Missouri7224-1.535
41South Dakota4337-7.540
42Florida4438-346
43Oklahoma5227-5.532
44Arkansas35210-12.2539
45Alabama1319-10.547
46South Carolina5317-7.7549
46Mississippi4328-7.544
48Idaho45211-9.548
49Montana74310-3.7550
50Tennessee56411-1445

How concerned are Americans about gender issues?

We asked 5,000 Americans (at least 100 in every state) how concerned they are about gender issues.

These laws also can apply to people who are not transgender, but whose sense of self or expression does not adhere to gender stereotypes.



Gender identity Tally
High
(75-100% of points possible)
19.5+
Medium
(50-74.9% of points possible)
13 to 19.25
Fair
(25-49.9% of points possible)
6 to 12.75
Low
(0-24.9% of points possible)
0 to 5.75
Negative
(<0 points)
<0

total points possible

26
Recommended citation:
Movement Advancement Project.

In the two weeks following the election, “we received as many requests for assistance as we’d received in the entire life of the project thus far,” he said. Population estimates are from The Williams Institute.

42 % of transgender people live in states with high gender identity policy tallies

4 % of transgender people live in states with medium gender identity policy tallies

6 % of transgender people live in states with fair gender identity policy tallies

11 % of transgender people live in states with low gender identity policy tallies

37 % of transgender people live in states with negative gender identity policy tallies

Click here to print table
 State    

Relationship and
Parental Recognition

Non–Discrimination

Religious Exemption Laws

LGBT Youth

Healthcare

Criminal
Justice

Identity
Documents

1AlabamaSO1/70/4.5-2/-3.5-1/50/3.50/3---2.00-8.50-10.50
GI0/1-1.5/4.5-2/-2.5-3.5/5-1/8.50/3-0.5/4
2AlaskaSO1/71.75/4.50/-3.50.25/50.5/3.50.75/3--4.254.008.25
GI0/11.75/4.50/-2.5-0.5/51.5/8.5-0.25/31.5/4
3American SamoaSO1/70/4.50/-3.50/50/3.50/3--1.00-1.000.00
GI0/10/4.50/-2.50/50/8.50/3-1/4
4ArizonaSO2/72.75/4.5-1.5/-3.50.75/50.5/3.52/3--6.502.258.75
GI1/12.75/4.5-1.5/-2.5-0.25/5-0.75/8.50/31/4
5ArkansasSO1/7-1/4.5-3.5/-3.5-0.5/51/3.5-1/3---4.00-10.25-14.25
GI0/1-2/4.5-2.5/-2.5-2.75/5-1.5/8.5-1/3-0.5/4
6CaliforniaSO7/74.5/4.50/-3.55/52.5/3.52.75/3--21.7523.2545.00
GI1/14.5/4.50/-2.55/56/8.52.75/34/4
7ColoradoSO7/74.5/4.50/-3.55/53/3.52.75/3--22.2523.0045.25
GI1/14.5/4.50/-2.55/56/8.52.75/33.75/4
8ConnecticutSO6/74.5/4.5-0.5/-3.54.5/52.25/3.52/3--18.7522.0040.75
GI1/14.5/4.5-0.5/-2.54.5/56.75/8.52/33.75/4
9DelawareSO3.75/73.5/4.50/-3.52.5/52.75/3.51.5/3--14.0017.0031.00
GI1/13.5/4.50/-2.52/56.5/8.51.5/32.5/4
10District of ColumbiaSO5/74.5/4.50/-3.54/53/3.52/3--18.5022.2540.75
GI1/14.5/4.50/-2.54/57/8.52/33.75/4
11FloridaSO1/72.75/4.5-1.5/-3.5-0.5/50.5/3.50.5/3--2.75-5.75-3.00
GI0/11.75/4.5-1.5/-2.5-2.5/5-2/8.5-0.5/3-1/4
12GeorgiaSO1/70/4.5-0.5/-3.50/50.5/3.50.5/3--1.50-2.25-0.75
GI0/10/4.5-0.5/-2.5-1/51.25/8.50.5/3-2.5/4
13GuamSO1.75/71.5/4.50/-3.51/50.5/3.50.75/3--5.50-0.754.75
GI0/11.5/4.50/-2.50/50.5/8.5-0.25/3-2.5/4
14HawaiiSO4.5/73.5/4.50/-3.53.5/51.5/3.53/3--16.0017.2533.25
GI1/13.5/4.50/-2.53.5/54/8.53/32.25/4
15IdahoSO2/70.75/4.5-2.5/-3.5-1/50/3.50.5/3---0.25-9.25-9.50
GI0/1-0.75/4.5-2.5/-2.5-3.25/5-2.5/8.5-0.5/30.25/4
16IllinoisSO7/74.5/4.5-1.5/-3.55/53.5/3.53/3--21.5023.5045.00
GI1/14.5/4.5-1.5/-2.55/57.5/8.53/34/4
17IndianaSO3/71.25/4.5-0.5/-3.5-1/51/3.5-1/3--2.75-5.50-2.75
GI0/10.5/4.5-0.5/-2.5-3/50/8.5-1/3-1.5/4
18IowaSO2/74.5/4.5-0.5/-3.52/51/3.50.5/3--9.50-5.004.50
GI1/1-0.25/4.5-0.5/-2.5-2/5-1/8.5-0.5/3-1.75/4
19KansasSO1/72.75/4.5-1.5/-3.50/51/3.51/3--4.25-3.251.00
GI0/11.75/4.5-1.5/-2.5-1/5-0.5/8.50/3-2/4
20KentuckySO2/72.25/4.5-0.5/-3.50.25/50.5/3.50.5/3--5.00-0.254.75
GI1/12.25/4.5-0.5/-2.5-1.75/5-0.5/8.5-0.5/3-0.25/4
21LouisianaSO1/70/4.5-0.5/-3.5-0.5/50.5/3.50/3--0.50-7.25-6.75
GI0/1-1.5/4.5-0.5/-2.5-3/5-0.75/8.5-1/3-0.5/4
22MaineSO7/74.5/4.50/-3.54/52.5/3.53/3--21.0023.5044.50
GI1/14.5/4.50/-2.54/57/8.53/34/4
23MarylandSO5.75/74.5/4.50/-3.54/52.75/3.53/3--20.0023.0043.00
GI1/14.5/4.50/-2.54/57.25/8.53/33.25/4
24MassachusettsSO6/74.5/4.50/-3.54/51.75/3.52/3--18.2521.7540.00
GI1/14.5/4.50/-2.54/57.25/8.51/34/4
25MichiganSO4/73.5/4.5-0.5/-3.53/52/3.51.5/3--13.5016.5030.00
GI1/13.5/4.5-0.5/-2.53/54/8.51.5/34/4
26MinnesotaSO3/74.5/4.50/-3.54/51.5/3.53/3--16.0020.7536.75
GI1/14.5/4.50/-2.54/55/8.53/33.25/4
27MississippiSO2/70/4.5-3.5/-3.50.5/50.5/3.5-0.5/3---1.00-6.50-7.50
GI0/1-1.5/4.5-2.5/-2.5-1/5-2/8.5-0.5/31/4
28MissouriSO2/71/4.5-0.5/-3.50/51/3.50.5/3--4.00-5.50-1.50
GI0/10.5/4.5-0.5/-2.5-2/5-1.5/8.50.5/3-2.5/4
29MontanaSO3/70.5/4.5-1.5/-3.50/51/3.5-0.5/3--2.50-6.25-3.75
GI0/1-1.5/4.5-1.5/-2.5-3.25/53.25/8.5-1.5/3-1.75/4
30NebraskaSO1/72.25/4.50/-3.50/50.5/3.50.5/3--4.25-3.001.25
GI0/11.5/4.50/-2.5-1/5-2/8.5-0.5/3-1/4
31NevadaSO7/74.5/4.50/-3.55/52/3.53/3--21.5020.7542.25
GI1/14.5/4.50/-2.54.75/54.5/8.52/34/4
32New HampshireSO5/73.5/4.50/-3.53.5/52.25/3.52/3--16.2515.7532.00
GI1/13.5/4.50/-2.52.5/54.25/8.53/31.5/4
33New JerseySO5/74.5/4.50/-3.55/52/3.52/3--18.5023.2541.75
GI1/14.5/4.50/-2.55/56.75/8.52/34/4
34New MexicoSO5/74.5/4.5-0.5/-3.54/51/3.52/3--16.0020.0036.00
GI1/14.5/4.5-0.5/-2.54/55/8.52/34/4
35New YorkSO6/74.5/4.50/-3.54/53/3.53/3--20.5024.0044.50
GI1/14.5/4.50/-2.54/57.5/8.53/34/4
36North CarolinaSO2/71/4.5-0.5/-3.51.75/51/3.5-0.5/3--4.751.506.25
GI1/10/4.50/-2.50.5/50/8.5-0.5/30.5/4
37North DakotaSO3/73.5/4.5-1.5/-3.52.5/51/3.50/3--8.502.0010.50
GI1/12/4.5-1.5/-2.50/50.5/8.50/30/4
38Northern Mariana IslandsSO1/70.5/4.50/-3.51/50.5/3.51/3--4.00-1.252.75
GI0/10/4.50/-2.50.5/50/8.50/3-1.75/4
39OhioSO2/73.5/4.5-1/-3.5-0.25/51.5/3.5-1/3--4.75-3.001.75
GI1/12/4.5-1/-2.5-3.25/5-1.5/8.5-1/30.75/4
40OklahomaSO2/70/4.5-1.5/-3.50.5/51/3.5-0.5/3--1.50-7.00-5.50
GI0/1-1.5/4.5-1.5/-2.5-1/5-0.75/8.5-0.5/3-1.75/4
41OregonSO6/73.5/4.50/-3.55/51/3.53/3--18.5021.0039.50
GI1/13.5/4.50/-2.55/54.5/8.53/34/4
42PennsylvaniaSO2/72.75/4.5-0.5/-3.51.75/51/3.5-0.5/3--6.5010.2516.75
GI0/12.75/4.5-0.5/-2.51.75/54.5/8.5-0.5/32.25/4
43Puerto RicoSO2.25/71.5/4.50/-3.53.25/51.5/3.51/3--9.509.7519.25
GI0/11.5/4.50/-2.53.25/51/8.51/33/4
44Rhode IslandSO6.5/74.5/4.5-0.5/-3.53.5/51.75/3.52/3--17.7520.2538.00
GI1/14.5/4.5-0.5/-2.53.5/56.75/8.51/34/4
45South CarolinaSO2/70/4.5-2.5/-3.50/50.5/3.5-0.5/3---0.50-9.25-9.75
GI0/10/4.5-2.5/-2.5-4/5-2.5/8.5-0.5/30.25/4
46South DakotaSO2/70/4.5-1.5/-3.50/50/3.5-1/3---0.50-7.00-7.50
GI1/1-1/4.5-1.5/-2.5-2/5-1.5/8.5-1/3-1/4
47TennesseeSO2.25/7-1/4.5-3/-3.50/50/3.5-1/3---2.75-11.25-14.00
GI1/1-2/4.5-2.5/-2.5-3/5-2.5/8.5-1.25/3-1/4
48TexasSO1/71.25/4.5-1.5/-3.5-1.5/51/3.51/3--1.25-8.00-6.75
GI0/1-0.75/4.5-1.5/-2.5-3/5-1.75/8.50/3-1/4
49U.S.

While progressive strongholds championed supportive policies and protections, conservative states elected a slate of leaders who openly oppose gay and trans rights and sponsored an unprecedented wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, Out Leadership CEO and founder Todd Sears said.

So-called “Don’t Say Gay” bills, religious exemptions and other legislation tanked the rankings of 19 red states in the Out Leadership index, according to Sears.

For each state, these individual policy scores are then added up to produce a summary tally score. The major categories of laws covered by the policy tally include: Relationship & Parental Recognition, Nondiscrimination, Religious Exemptions, LGBTQ Youth, Health Care, Criminal Justice, and Identity Documents. Each category reflects a percentage range of the total possible points.

Laws that explicitly mention “gender identity” or “gender identity and expression” primarily target, whether for protection or harm, transgender people. She shared the awards podium with her cisgender competitors under a new rule drafted by state athletics officials days before the event to mollify critics.

Republican-led states have been in the vanguard of anti-trans legislation, causing greater geographic polarization and prompting fears among LGBTQ+ residents, even those who live in liberal cities.

Jordan McGuire, a 27-year-old gay man in North Dakota, said the years he spent living in the Deep South taught him about the repressive discrimination routinely faced by gay and genderqueer people.

"Equality Maps: Snapshot: LGBTQ Equality By State." https://www.mapresearch.org/equality-maps/.

Today, the divide between states that roll out the welcome mat and less hospitable parts of the country is wider than ever, he said. Laws that explicitly mention sexual orientation primarily target, whether for protection or harm, lesbian, gay, and bisexual people.

The least and most welcoming LGBTQ+ states

Each year for the last seven, Out Leadership has released the State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index to gauge the overall climate for gay and transgender people state by state, mapping out where they will face the most and least discrimination and hardship. Estimates of the LGBTQ adult population in the five inhabited U.S.

territories are not available, and so cannot be reflected here. The steepest declines were in Ohio, Florida and Utah, all led by Republican governors.

Where are the safest places to live?

The Out Leadership index was created as a LGBTQ+ inclusion reference guide for business leaders. "Equality Maps: Snapshot: LGBTQ Equality By State."https://www.mapresearch.org/equality-maps/.

No other characterization of any community, state, or population is implied or intended.

We recognize that safety is a complex and deeply personal experience, and not all aspects of LGBTQIA+ safety can be measured through data alone.  

Click on any state to view its detailed policy tally and state profile, or click "Choose an Issue" above to view maps on over 50 different LGBTQ-related laws and policies. 

  • High Overall Policy Tally (15 states + D.C.)

  • Medium Overall Policy Tally (5 states)

  • Fair Overall Policy Tally (3 states, 2 territories)

  • Low Overall Policy Tally (10 states, 3 territories)

  • Negative Overall Policy Tally (17 states)

Note that these scores reflect only existing laws and policies.

We encourage readers to consider both the data and their lived experiences when interpreting these rankings.

The safest states for LGBTQ+ families score was developed by incorporating multiple factors:

  • Community population
  • The estimated likelihood of household crime victimization, generated using a combination of FBI crime statistics, the National Crime Victimization Survey, and census household size data
  • Current protective and discriminatory laws
  • The Movement Advancement Project’s policy tally scores
  • Pending legislation targeting LGBTQ+ communities
  • The political composition of state governments
  • Population estimates derived from census data and modeled using population growth trends
  • We also took a look at how the top states fared in our State of Safety survey, where we ask residents in every state how safe they feel and how much they worry about crime and safety

After exhaustive research and wrestling with the data and its objective results, along with considering input from LGBTQ+ readers and viewers, the states with the highest safety rating (from our analysis) for LGBTQ+ families are:

  1. Maine
  2. New York
  3. Colorado
  4. Vermont
  5. Nevada
  6. Washington
  7. Maryland
  8. Delaware
  9. Massachusetts
  10. Rhode Island

Bills and policies aimed at the queer community were at the center of Move.org’s Safety Score.

safest states for lgbtq to live

Population estimates were derived from census data and modeled using population growth trends.